István Örkény

István Örkény (5 April, 1912, Budapest - 24 June, 1979, Budapest) was a Hungarian writer. A typical feature of his plays and novels is satiric view and creation of grotesque situations.

Life

He was born into the family of a chemist. After high school he studied first chemistry and later pharmacy [cite journal
quotes = yes
last=Szállási
first=Arpád
authorlink=
year=2008|month=Apr.
title=Örkény István, az író „gyógyszerész” [István Orkény, the writer as "pharmacist"]
journal=Orvosi hetilap
volume=149
issue=16
pages=761-3
publisher = | location = | issn =
pmid = 18426724
doi = 10.1556/OH.2008.H-2175
bibcode = | oclc =| id = | url = | language = | format = | accessdate = | laysummary = | laysource = | laydate = | quote = ] . He graduated in pharmacy in 1934 and then traveled to Western Europe. After returning from his journey he earned another degree in chemistry. He published his first book, "Ocean Dance", in 1941. In 1942 he was sent to the Russian Front. As a Jew, he was placed in a forced-labor unit. There he was captured and detained in a labour camp near Moscow, where he wrote the play "Voronesh". In 1946 he came back home to Budapest. From 1956 after the revolution in Hungary until 1960 he was not allowed to publish because of political reasons. Later he became exceedingly popular because of his absurd and grotesque short stories (for instance in the book "One Minute Stories"). In the year 2004 a theatre in Budapest was named after him (Örkeny Theater, the former Madách Chamber Theatre).

Works

* "Ocean Dance"
* "Voronezh"
* "Macskajáték" (Catsplay): His most famous theatre play. It was originally written for TV. It is about two aging sisters. It was translated into many languages.
* "Tóték" (The Toth Family): a drama
* "One Minute Stories" (cf. flash fiction)

References

* Örkény, István. "One Minute Stories", selected and translated by Judith Sollosy. Budapest: Corvina, 1995. ISBN 963 13 4783 4.

External links

* http://www.rev.hu/history_of_56/szerviz/kislex/biograf/orkeny.htm
* http://www.suhrkamp.de/autoren/autor.cfm?id=3598
* http://www.lyrikwelt.de/rezensionen/minutennovellen-r.htm
* Brockhaus Enzyklopädie 1991 Neunzehnte Auflage, Band 16, S. 274