Sára Karig, a writer and poet who served as a covert operative during the Second World War, received the Righteous Among the Nations award in 1985 for her life-saving efforts. Born in Baja in 1914, she utilized her command of languages and administrative skill to shield persecuted individuals from harm during the German occupation of Hungary.
Formative Years and Education
Raised in a family of teachers in Baja, Karig developed early proficiencies in Latin, English, German, and French. She attended the University of Szeged between 1932 and 1933. Her academic pursuits later expanded during a period spent in England, where she attended lectures at Durham University and secured a language teacher certificate from the University of London. She was also a regular attendee of Fabian Society meetings.
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Following the March 1944 invasion of Hungary, Karig joined the Swedish Red Cross while serving under Raoul Wallenberg. She managed ten separate apartments to hide refugees, British soldiers, and Jewish children. To secure safety for others, she performed eight marriages to provide Christian status to those in danger. Her covert activities included running a printing shop for anti-war propaganda and supplying weapons to paramilitary groups. For her assistance to Allied soldiers, General Alexander formally decorated her after the conflict.
Imprisonment and Forced Labor
In 1947, Karig raised concerns regarding voter fraud involving the Hungarian Communist Party. Her dissent resulted in her abduction in September 1947. Initially held in the Soviet occupation zone of Austria, she faced intense interrogation before being transported to the Vorkuta gulag in December 1947. During two and a half years of labor in a clay mine, she suffered a severe ear infection requiring a mastoidectomy. She later endured further detention in Sverdlovsk, Ukraine, until her release in 1953.
Literary Career and Rehabilitation
Upon returning to Budapest, Karig resumed her career as a writer, translator, and poet. She served as editor-in-chief at Europa Publishers and translated numerous works into Hungarian. In 1957, Soviet authorities officially rehabilitated her. She remained an active member of scientific and literary circles until her death in 1999. Her contributions to literature were formally recognized in 1986 with the József Attila Prize.
Fast facts
- Born: 1914, Baja, Hungary
- Died: 1999, Budapest, Hungary
- Education: University of Szeged, 1932-1933
- Key Award: Righteous Among the Nations, 1985
- Key Award: József Attila Prize, 1986
- Languages: English, Hungarian
- Primary Occupations: Poet, writer, translator
Questions readers ask
Why did Karig marry eight times?
She entered into these marriages to allow her partners to pass as Christians and avoid persecution.
What led to her imprisonment in the Soviet Union?
After expressing suspicion regarding voter fraud during the 1947 Hungarian parliamentary election, she was abducted by authorities and accused of spying.
Achievements
- Righteous Among the Nations — 1985
- József Attila Prize — 1986
- Worked as translator, poet and writer
- Educated at University of Szeged
