Az Unitárius Kollégium szerepe Ligeti Ernő pályakezdésében
The Role of the Unitarian College in Ernő Ligeti’s Literary Career

Summary/Abstract: Ernő Ligeti (1891–1945) was a prominent editor and novelist of Transylvanian Hugarian literature between the two world wars. He also wrote some memorials concerning his life and the literary conditions of the Hungarians in the period. He was of Jewish origin, which is why together with his wife and son they were executed by a Nazi brigade in January 1945 in Budapest. The wounded son survived the execution. All the biographies about Ligeti write about his tragic death but very little is known about his family and studies, though in his memorials he writes very nicely about his school years spent in the Kolozsvár Unitarian College. This paper presents the beginnings of Ligeti’s life and literary activity up to 1913 when his first volume of poetry was published, making some corrections too. According to the Register of Births of the Neolog Jewish Community in Kolozsvár, Ligeti’s date of birth is not February, but March 19th, 1891. His original family name was Lichtenstein. His father was József Lichtenstein, a bailiff. His mother was Júlia Diamant descendant of a rich Jewish family from Budapest. Their family name was changed to Ligeti in the period 1899–1902. Ligeti studied at the Unitarian College between 1901 and 1909. His studies and activities in the school are reflected by the printed School-reports as well by the handwritten review of the students “Remény”, where his first essays, short-stories, poems and translations were published. Ligeti’s memorials about his school years and professors are quoted. Though he wanted to become a teacher or an artist, according to his parents’ wish he started legal studies at the Kolozsvár University which he never graduated. Instead, he bsecame an editor.

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