The Modern Novel

Biography

Miklos Bánffy was born in 1873 and spent most of his life at the castle of Bonczhida near Kolozsvár (now Cluj-Napoca in Romania) or at the family’s town house in Pest. He was second cousin of Mihály Károlyi, who later became prime minister. He studied painting, law and mathematics before becoming a diplomat and then a member of parliament. He introduced Bartók while managing the Budapest Opera House, despite opposition. He was responsible for making arrangements for the last Habsburg coronation, Franz-Josef’s nephew, King Karl, in 1916.

In 1921 be became Minister of Foreign Affairs but had to resign because of ill health. In 1926 he retired from public life and went back to his country home, devoting himself to the arts. This included writing his famous Transylvanian Trilogy as well as founding a publishing house for young Transylvanian writers who wished to write in Hungarian, in the face of increasing Romanian domination. However, he continued to work for increased cooperation between Hungary and Romania, including trying to get an agreement in 1943 to forestall Nazi invasion. Like many of his fellow-countrymen, he wanted a semi-independent Transylvania. The negotiations failed and the price Bánffy paid was that the Germans looted his castle. The castle is now a ruin. Bánffy died in Budapest in 1950 after trying, in vain, to save his family inheritance.

Other links

Miklos Bánffy
Miklos Bánffy
In Praise of Miklos Bánffy
A Glance at the Life and Times of Miklos Banffy