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Csokits János

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Csokits János

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1928-06-30 （Budapest）
Died
2011-08-04 （Tata） age 83
Nationality
Hungarian
Languages
Hungarian
Residence History
Budapest (birth) → Austria (emigrated 1949) → Paris (1950–1963) → Munich (1963–1974) → London (1974–1986) → Andorra (1986–1989) → Hungary (returned 1989)

Career

Occupations
poet, translator, broadcaster
Active Years
1946-2011
Affiliations
Radio Free Europe, BBC (Hungarian section)
Influenced By
Pilinszky János

Education

Pázmány Péter University (Pázmány Péter Tudományegyetem)
Faculty of Law / Law
Degree: 法学士
Period: 1946–1949
Year of Graduation: 1949
Country: Hungary
Completed law studies; emigrated abroad in 1949.

Awards

Berzsenyi Prize
1992
Result: 受賞
Arany János Prize
2005
Result: 受賞
József Attila Prize
2006
Result: 受賞
Balassi Bálint Memorial Sword
2007
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Látogatás egy égitesten

1988 poetry

A selected poems volume covering works from 1948 to 1984, collecting early and mid-career poetry.

memorylossexistence

Pilinszky Nyugaton

1992 essays/criticism

A collection of letters and essays on the poet Pilinszky János, dealing with his reception in Western Europe.

literary criticismreception
Translations
  • German edition of Pilinszky János 'Wüstenei der Liebe' (co-translator, 1992)

Tárgyak a semmi partján

1998 poetry

A collection of poems depicting everyday objects and fragments poetically, exploring existence and materiality.

objectsnothingnessmemory

Egy hajótörött naplójából

1999 poetry

A volume of poems themed around shipwreck, drifting, and isolation.

isolationdriftnature

Testvére minden kőnek

2005 poetry

A mature collection exploring the relationship between matter and spirit.

matter and spiritfraternity

Egy tükör cserepei

2006 poetry

A poetry collection using the mirror as a metaphor for fragments of memory and self-image.

mirrorselfmemory

Sötétedés

2008 poetry (selected)

A selected volume gathering works from 1951 to 2008, summarizing decades of poetic output.

timeretrospective

Tövisek és szilánkok. Aphorisms and quotations

2019 aphorisms/quotes

A later publication compiling aphorisms and short quotations (including edited/reissued material).

fragmentsshort verse

Bibliography

  • Látogatás egy égitesten. Selected poems, 1948-84 (1988, 1991)
  • Pilinszky Nyugaton. The poet with 32 letters (1992)
  • Pilinszky János. Wüstenei der Liebe (translation, 1992)
  • Tárgyak a semmi partján (1998)
  • Egy hajótörött naplójából (1999)
  • Testvére minden kőnek (2005)
  • Egy tükör cserepei (2006)
  • Sötétedés (Selected poems 1951–2008, 2008)
  • Tövisek és szilánkok. Aphorisms and quotations (2019)

Translations by Author

  • Co-translated works of Pilinszky János into German (Wüstenei der Liebe, 1992)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
concise, concentrated poetic expressionimage-driven metaphors
Recurring Motifs
memorylossmaterial vs. spiritloneliness/drift

Legacy

Csokits János was a Hungarian poet active from the postwar period into the early 21st century. After years abroad and work at broadcasting organizations he returned to Hungary in 1989. He received several literary prizes and is known for his studies and translations of Pilinszky.

Trivia

  • Emigrated from Hungary in 1949.
  • Lived in Paris from 1950 to 1963.
  • Worked in Munich (1963–1974) and London (1974–1986) at broadcasting organizations (Radio Free Europe, BBC).
  • Resided in Andorra (1986–1989) and returned to Hungary in 1989.
  • Received the József Attila Prize in 2006.