Date of Birth: November 9, 1929
Zodiac Sign: Scorpio
Date of Death: March 31, 2016
Biography
Imre Kertész was a Hungarian author, renowned for his profound and poignant reflections on the Holocaust, which he survived as a teenager. Born in Budapest, Hungary, Kertész was deported to Auschwitz concentration camp in 1944, and later to Buchenwald, from where he was liberated in 1945. His experiences during the Holocaust deeply influenced his literary work, most notably his semi-autobiographical novel “Fatelessness,” which earned him the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2002. Kertész’s writing often delves into themes of existentialism, identity, and the human condition, providing a unique voice on the atrocities of the Holocaust and their long-lasting impact on survivors. Besides “Fatelessness,” his major works include “Kaddish for an Unborn Child” and “Liquidation.” Despite facing censorship and marginalization in his home country during the Communist regime, Kertész continued to write and publish, eventually gaining international recognition. Throughout his life, Kertész lived in both Hungary and Germany, contributing significantly to European literature until his death in 2016.
5 Interesting Facts about Imre Kertesz
1. Imre Kertész is the first Hungarian to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.
2. He narrowly escaped death multiple times during his internment in Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps.
3. Kertész’s works were often banned in Hungary during the Communist era due to their critical views on totalitarianism.
4. He spent a significant part of his later life in Berlin, Germany, where he continued to write and reflect on his experiences.
5. Kertész’s novel “Fatelessness” was adapted into a movie in 2005, directed by Lajos Koltai.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Imre Kertesz
1. “When I am writing, I am trying to find out who I am, who we are, what we are capable of.”
2. “We cannot change the past, but we can change our attitude towards it.”
3. “In a world where there is no law, there can be no crime.”
4. “I write to understand as much as to be understood.”
5. “Survival is the exception, not the rule.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
At the height of his career, Imre Kertész’s net worth was estimated to be around $5 million.
Children
Imre Kertész did not have any children.
Relevant Links
1. [Nobel Prize Biography](https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/2002/kertesz/biographical/
2. [Encyclopaedia Britannica Entry](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Imre-Kertesz
3. [The Guardian Obituary](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/mar/31/imre-kertesz-obituary
4. [IMDb Profile](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0449996/
5. [Goodreads Author Page](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8093.Imre_Kert_sz
