Vilmos Vázsonyi

Who was Vilmos Vázsonyi?

Vilmos Vázsonyi was a Hungarian publicist and politician.

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; and 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.