Vilmos Vázsonyi


Vilmos Vázsonyi was a Hungarian publicist and politician of Jewish heritage.
Vázsonyi was born at Sümeg. He was educated at Budapest, where his remarkable eloquence made him the leader of all student movements during his university career. After he had completed his studies, the most vital social questions found in him an earnest investigator. He aroused a national sentiment against dueling, his success being proved by the numerous anti-dueling clubs in Hungary. Later, he began a social and journalistic agitation in behalf of the official recognition of the Jewish religion, and kept the matter before the public until the law granting recognition was sanctioned in 1895.
In 1894, Vázsonyi founded the first democratic club in Budapest, and became a common councilor. In 1900, he established the political weekly "Új Század" for the dissemination of democratic ideas throughout the country. At the same time, he organized democratic clubs in all the large Hungarian cities. In 1901, Vázsonyi was elected deputy for the sixth district of the capital, on a democratic platform, of which he was the only public representative in the Hungarian Parliament as of 1906. At the election of January 26, 1905, he defeated Hieronymi, minister of commerce, as a candidate for the deputy-ship from his district.
Vasvonyi died June 1, 1926, from injuries suffered in an assault by Franz Molnar and the notorious anti-Semite Laszlo Vannay, described as "Ford's protege".

Writings

Besides numbers of articles in the daily press, Vázsonyi wrote the following works: