Description

Miklós Radnóti was a Hungarian poet, considered one of the most important literary figures of the 20th century in Hungary. He was born on May 5, 1909, in Budapest, Hungary, and tragically died during World War II.

Radnóti's poetry is characterized by its lyrical intensity, emotional depth, and profound humanism. His early work was influenced by French surrealism and Hungarian folk traditions, but he later developed his own distinctive style marked by clarity and simplicity of language.
During World War II, Radnóti was conscripted into forced labor by the Hungarian authorities due to his Jewish heritage. Despite the danger, he continued to write poetry, documenting the horrors of the war and his own experiences as a prisoner. Tragically, he was executed by the Hungarian Arrow Cross militia in November 1944, near the end of the war.

After the war, Radnóti's poetry gained widespread recognition for its enduring humanism and its haunting evocation of the Holocaust experience. His collected works, including his wartime poetry, have been translated into numerous languages and continue to be studied and admired by readers around the world.

Engraver: Gábor Gáti