Elek Benedek

Elek Benedek (30 September 1859 – 17 August1929) was a Hungarian journalist and writer, known as "the great folk-tale teller".

Biography

Born in Kisbacon, Transylvania (today Băţanii Mici, Romania), he studied at Székelyudvarhely and later at Budapest. He went as a student with Job Sebesi to collect folklore elements. He worked at first as a journalist for "Budapest Hírlap" and for other newspapers.

He was a member of Parliament between 1887 and 1892. In his speeches he engaged in youth literature, folk poetry, folk language and public education.

In 1889 he started, together with Lajos Pósa, the first Hungarian literary magazin for youth, "Az Én Újságom" ("My Magazine"). He was the editor of "Jó Pajtás" ("Good Fellow") with Zsigmond Sebők. He also edited a series of books for youth, called "Kis Könyvtár" ("Small Library"); this later appeared as "Benedek Elek Kis Könyvtára" ("Small Library of Benedek Elek"). In 1900 he joined the Kisfaludy Group, a group of famous Hungarian writers and poets. He also wrote poems, dramas, novels and historical fiction books, but the most famous were his fairy tales. Ha wrote both original stories and translations from Grimm's Fairy Tales and Arabian Nights.

After the Treaty of Trianon (which confirmed Romanian sovereignty over Transylvania) he went back to his native village, where he edited the youth magazine "Cimbora" ("Friend") until he died.

Sources

* [http://www.bpk.nyme.hu/index.php?id=562 West Hungarian University] homepage
* [http://www.bardoczorsolya.hu/index.php?oldal=benedekelek Homepage of Bardócz Orsolya] , the great-granddaughter of the author