Krisztián Ungváry
Krisztián Ungváry (born 30 October 1969) is a Hungarian historian of 20th century political and military history. He wrote about the siege of Budapest in World War II and researched the work of the secret service under the communist period of Hungary.
Ungváry is the son of Rudolf Ungváry, a high-ranking employee of the Országos Széchényi Könyvtár, and journalist Éva Monspart. He concluded his high school studies in the II. Rákoczi Ferenc Gimnázium in Budapest between 1984 and 1988. In 1989 he continued his studies on the Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem university, specializing in German and History. During his studies, he was a holder of several scholarships, including that of the Republican Scholarship of Hungary. In 1993 he studied in Germany, and finally graduated in 1995 with Grade A results.
On 15 October 1988, he was amongst the founding members of the Hungarian Boyscout Association.
He published his most well-known work, Budapest ostroma (The Siege of Budapest), based on his doctoral dissertation. The book, probably the most through and balanced account of the siege of Budapest written, was highly successful in Hungary and brought Ungváry widespread acknowledgement as a historian. The work was to see six Hungarian, four German, two British and two American edition.
His area of interest remains 20th century political and military history. In his private life, he is an owner of his private vineyard and producer of wine.
Publications
- Budapest ostroma. Corvina kiadó, Budapest, 1998. 330.o. (1. kiadás 1998. január, 2. kiadás 1998 május, 3. kiadás 1998 október).
- Die Belagerung Budapest. Herbig, München, first edition: October 1999, second edition: January 2001.
- The Siege of Budapest. Tauris, London, (Improved and shortened English edition based on the 3rd Hungarian edition.)
- The Siege of Budapest. 100 Days in World War II. With a foreword by John Lukács. New York, 2005, Yale University Press
- Budapesti Negyed 29-30. Volume, 2000 automn-winter. Budapest ostroma. (as editor)
- A Magyar honvédség a második világháborúban. Budapest, 2004, Osiris (2. edition: 2005. February)
- Magyarország és a második világháború. [Nemzet és emlékezet series]. Budapest, 2005. Osiris
- Budapest 1945 (with Tamási Miklós). Budapest, 2006 Corvina
- Elhallgatott múlt. A pártállam és a belügy. A politikai rendőrség működése Magyarországon 1956-1990. (Past denied. The party-state and the inner ministry. The work of political police in Hungary 1956–1990. with Gábor Tabajdi) Budapest 2008. Corvina–1956-os Intézet