A Classical Philologist Trapped in the Web of the State Security: The Case of Janos Sarkady (translated by Tomaž Potočnik)

Abstract

János Sarkady (1927–2006) completed his studies in classical philology in Budapest. An assistant professor in 1954–58, he was demoted for his role in the 1956 revolution, but again became Professor of Classics at ELTE University in Budapest. Having spent time in prison in 1957, he agreed to cooperate with the secret police as agent Vilmos Sárándi, apparently because of continued physical abuse. He was later reporting on his colleagues such as István Borzsák, György Székely, Gyula Moravcsik, Imre Trencsényi-Waldapfel, Tibor Szamuelly, Ferenc Pölöskey, and Árpád Szabó. Being an agent eventually destroyed this talented young scholar; he was forced to accept a role that kept him in a state of constant fear and utterly wrecked him as a person.