Jenő Heltai
Jenő Heltai (11 August 1871 – 3 September 1957), until 1913 Eugen Herzl, was a Hungarian author, poet, journalist and producer. Some of his works have also been translated into English and Hebrew among others.
Also recorded as Jenő Herzl · Eugen Herzl
Jenő Heltai

Public domain
- Name
- Jenő Heltai
- Birth Name
- Eugen Herzl
- Born
- 11 August 1871
- Birthplace
- Pest, Austria-Hungary
- Died
- 3 September 1957
- Place of death
- Budapest, Hungarian People's Republic
- Occupation
- Author
- Full name
- Herzl Jenő.
- Nationality
- Hungary.
- Honours
- Kossuth Prize.
- Languages
- Hungarian.
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Documentary summary
Jenő Heltai (11 August 1871 – 3 September 1957), until 1913 Eugen Herzl, was a Hungarian author, poet, journalist and producer. Some of his works have also been translated into English and Hebrew among others.
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wikipedia incomplete · checked 25 September 2026
- Identity
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Authority files
wikidata · Q853226 · wikipedia · Jenő Heltai
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Jenő Heltai • Birth Name — Eugen Herzl • Born — 11 August 1871 • Birthplace — Pest, Austria-Hungary • Died — 3 September 1957 • Place of death — Budapest, Hungarian People's Republic • Occupation — Author • Notable Works — Modern songs (1892) Jenő Heltai (11 August 1871 – 3 September 1957), until 1913 Eugen Herzl, was a Hungarian author, poet, journalist and producer. Some of his works have also been translated into English and Hebrew among others.
Biography
Biography
Jenő Heltai was the first son of Károly Herzl and Jozefa Reich. He was of Jewish descent, though he later converted to Christianity. Several of his novels and plays have been adapted into movies. Theodor Herzl was his cousin. He studied at the Law Faculty of the University of Budapest before he quit his studies in 1890 to become a journalist, working for the newspaper "Magyar Hírlap". In 1892, Heltai published his first book of poetry, Modern dalok. Heltai married his first wife, Hausz Valéria on 3 August 1903. From 1914 until 1917, Heltai was the director of a Budapest theater. He became the chairman of the Association of Hungarian Playwrights in 1916. In 1917, Heltai divorced his wife and around this time married Frida Gombaszögi. This marriage did not last long, as Heltai married his third wife, Lilla Gács in 1923. All three of his wives were actresses. Heltai coined the word for cinema in Hungarian, "mozi". He received the Kossuth Prize, the highest literature award in Hungary in 1957. Jenő Heltai died on 3 September 1957 in Budapest.
Notable works
Notable works
• Modern dalok (Modern songs), 1892, poetry • Kiskirályok (Little Kings), 1913, novel • Álmokháza (House of Dreams), 1929, novel • A néma levente (The Silent Knight), 1936, play • Egy fillér (One Penny), 1940, play
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
Jenő Heltai was recorded at birth as Herzl Jenő. The authorities additionally record the headings Jenő Herzl and Eugen Herzl. His recorded language was Hungarian. He married Frida Gombaszögi. Other recorded relations include Theodor Herzl.
Identity
Identity
Jenő Heltai is recorded as journalist, writer, poet, theatre manager and dramaturge.

In front of the Vígszínház. Standing (left to right): Jenő Heltai, Jenő Faludi, Nándor Erényi and Miklós Faludi. Budapest, 1905.
Országos Széchényi Könyvtár/ Színháztörténeti Tár: KB 1958/2152
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1871
Jenő Heltai born at Budapest.
1957
Jenő Heltai died at Budapest.
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Jenő Heltai”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q853226: Jenő Heltai
Unverified · Wikidata
Citations
References
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reference work
Partially resolvedauthority record
Unverified
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
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