Ferenc Kölcsey

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Ferenc Kölcsey was a Hungarian poet, literary critic, orator, and politician who lived from 1790 to 1838. He supported liberal ideas in Hungary during the Austrian Empire and wrote Himnusz, Hungary’s national anthem, in 1823.

Biography
- Born in Sződemeter (now Szódemeter, Romania). He was orphaned early and lost an eye to smallpox.
- At 15 he met Ferenc Kazinczy and embraced his language reforms.
- In 1809 he moved to Pest to work as a notary for the royal board, but soon left office to focus on poetry, criticism, and Kazinczy’s ideas.
- His early verse and sharp criticisms of Mihály Csokonai Vitéz, János Kis, and especially Dániel Berzsenyi made him unpopular at first. From 1821 to 1826 he published poems in various magazines and helped start the periodical Élet és Literatúra, which boosted his reputation as a critic.
- From 1832 to 1835 he served in the Hungarian Diet and became known as a liberal parliamentary leader. He was elected to the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 1830, where he gave famous orations on Kazinczy (1832) and Berzsenyi (1836).
- In 1838 he defended Miklós Wesselényi in a treason case, but died soon after in Szatmárcseke from internal inflammation.

Personal life
- Kölcsey never married. Some letters suggest he may have had romantic feelings for men, but this is debated and not proven.

Selected works
- Vanitatum Vanitas (1823)
- Himnusz (1823) — the national anthem of Hungary
- Huszt (1831) — epigram

Honors
- Hungary issued stamps in his memory in 1937 and 1990.

Legacy
- Kölcsey’s poetry, criticism, and speeches reflect his strong moral sense and deep devotion to Hungary. His collected works were published after his death, with the first complete edition appearing in the late 19th century. A monument to him was unveiled in Szatmárnémeti in 1864.