Jeno Rejto
Encyclopedia
Jenő Rejtő was a Hungarian journalist, pulp fiction
writer and playwright, who died as a forced labourer during World War II
. He was born in Budapest
, Austria-Hungary
, on March 29, 1905, and died in Yevdokovo, Soviet Union
(then under Axis occupation) on January 1, 1943. Despite the „pulp” nature of his writings, he is not only widely read in Hungary, but is also much appreciated by literary critics. It is a prevalent opinion that he lifted the genre to the level of serious art and his works will long outlive him.
Aki mer, az nyer (Who Dares Wins, 1934).
Later, he started to write adventure novels based on his trips and experiences abroad. His novels were raised above mediocrity by his inimitable and bizarre sense of humour. His novels parodying the French Foreign Legion
, written under the pseudonym P. Howard, reaped the greatest success. He also wrote a large number of cabaret
farce
s, and edited a newspaper Nagykörút, which, however, was published just once. His most appreciated novels are stories unifying elements from detective novels and romance, always including a highly individual sense of humour. He also wrote novels in the „western
” tradition.
Starting in 1939, he could not publish his novels any more under his own name because of his Jewish origins. In 1942, Hungarian fascists claimed in a newspaper article that he was seen writing calmly in Budapest cafés while evading the forced labour service that was compulsory for Jewish men of military age (they were forbidden to serve in the military). He was seriously ill by this time, but was taken by force from hospital to do his labour service on the eastern front, in the Soviet Union, where he soon died.
Hungary. They elicit a cult following to this day. Some of his works have been made into films and comic books.
While a writer, he was a regular customer at the Cafe Japan (Japán kávéház) in Budapest, which was near Nova, his publisher. He paid for his coffee by lines written on napkins, which in turn were taken to Nova, where they were paid and collected.
Rejtő's memory is kept alive in Budapest in various ways: in 2001 a street named was after him, while in in 2003 there was an exhibition dedicated to him the The Petőfi Museum of Literature (Petőfi Irodalmi Múzeum). In 2005 his picture appeared on a Hungarian postage stamp, part of the series "Great Hungarians", and there is an initiative to erect his statue in Budapest.
books and his "Dirty Fred" series - were already in the public domain in the 1990s. However, since Hungary implemented the retroactive EU copyright extension in 1999, Rejtő's works are again subject to copyright when sold in EU countries (but not in other countries). They will be in the public domain everywhere on January 1, 2014 (70 years after Rejtő's death).
English translations of some of his works are available online:
Pulp fiction
Pulp fiction may refer to:* pulp magazines, short stories presented in a magazine format, printed on cheaply made wood-pulp paper* Pulp Fiction, a 1994 film directed by Quentin Tarantino...
writer and playwright, who died as a forced labourer during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was born in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, on March 29, 1905, and died in Yevdokovo, Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
(then under Axis occupation) on January 1, 1943. Despite the „pulp” nature of his writings, he is not only widely read in Hungary, but is also much appreciated by literary critics. It is a prevalent opinion that he lifted the genre to the level of serious art and his works will long outlive him.
Biography
Jenő Rejtő completed his studies in a drama school in 1934, after which he travelled extensively throughout Europe. Returning to Hungary, he made his living as a playwright, often with great success, such as his operettaOperetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
Aki mer, az nyer (Who Dares Wins, 1934).
Later, he started to write adventure novels based on his trips and experiences abroad. His novels were raised above mediocrity by his inimitable and bizarre sense of humour. His novels parodying the French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
, written under the pseudonym P. Howard, reaped the greatest success. He also wrote a large number of cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
farce
Farce
In theatre, a farce is a comedy which aims at entertaining the audience by means of unlikely, extravagant, and improbable situations, disguise and mistaken identity, verbal humour of varying degrees of sophistication, which may include word play, and a fast-paced plot whose speed usually increases,...
s, and edited a newspaper Nagykörút, which, however, was published just once. His most appreciated novels are stories unifying elements from detective novels and romance, always including a highly individual sense of humour. He also wrote novels in the „western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
” tradition.
Starting in 1939, he could not publish his novels any more under his own name because of his Jewish origins. In 1942, Hungarian fascists claimed in a newspaper article that he was seen writing calmly in Budapest cafés while evading the forced labour service that was compulsory for Jewish men of military age (they were forbidden to serve in the military). He was seriously ill by this time, but was taken by force from hospital to do his labour service on the eastern front, in the Soviet Union, where he soon died.
Legacy
In the early years of communism his works were only available on the black market as pre-war editions, but from the 1960s on his novels were republished and they gained instant popularity in CommunistCommunism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
Hungary. They elicit a cult following to this day. Some of his works have been made into films and comic books.
While a writer, he was a regular customer at the Cafe Japan (Japán kávéház) in Budapest, which was near Nova, his publisher. He paid for his coffee by lines written on napkins, which in turn were taken to Nova, where they were paid and collected.
Rejtő's memory is kept alive in Budapest in various ways: in 2001 a street named was after him, while in in 2003 there was an exhibition dedicated to him the The Petőfi Museum of Literature (Petőfi Irodalmi Múzeum). In 2005 his picture appeared on a Hungarian postage stamp, part of the series "Great Hungarians", and there is an initiative to erect his statue in Budapest.
Works
The original Hungarian editions of Rejtő's numerous works - the most famous of which are his Foreign LegionForeign legion
Foreign legion or Foreign Legion is a title which has been used by a small number of military units composed of foreign volunteers.It usually refers to the French Foreign Legion, part of the French Army established in 1831.It can also refer to:...
books and his "Dirty Fred" series - were already in the public domain in the 1990s. However, since Hungary implemented the retroactive EU copyright extension in 1999, Rejtő's works are again subject to copyright when sold in EU countries (but not in other countries). They will be in the public domain everywhere on January 1, 2014 (70 years after Rejtő's death).
English translations of some of his works are available online:
- A tizennégy karátos autó (The 14-Carat Roadster)
- A szőke ciklon (The Blonde Hurricane)
- Az elsikkasztott pénztáros (The Embezzled Bank Teller)
Other works (selection)
- Az elveszett cirkáló (The Vanished Cruiser)
- Piszkos Fred, a kapitány (Dirty Fred, the Captain)
- A három testőr Afrikában (The Three Mousqueteers in Africa)
- Csontbrigád (Bone Brigade)
- Vesztegzár a Grand Hotelben (Quarantine at the Grand Hotel)
- A láthatatlan légió (The Invisible Legion)