by Geza Csath
His last wish was for his brain, heart, and liver to be removed from his body and examined at the clinic. With this bequest, he continued to search for the truth, the secret of his nature, even beyond the end of his life. It seems I too have complied by attempting to describe his suffering, the struggle and crippling of his heroic body, the fading of his bright soul, all so that I might understand – and make others understand – his tragedy, and lessen the unyielding pain I feel on his early and unjust death.
C H R O N O L O G Y
by Mihaly Szajbely
Born Jozsef Brenner in Szabadka (Subotica) on 13 February, to Dr. Jozsef Brenner, lawyer and Etelka Decsy.
1895
Mother dies of heart disease.
1896
Begins high school.
1902-4
Receives prizes and recognition at school and local competitions for essays written about Szechenyi, Vorosmarty, Janos Arany and Mihaly Szabolcska.
1902
First published article in the newspaper Bacskai Hirlap (Bacska Newsletter).
1903
Graduates from high school
1904-9
Music critic for Budapesti Naplo (Budapest Diary) Publication of his first book of short stories, A varazslo kertje (The Magician’s Garden).
25 June, he finishes medical school and becomes an intern at the Neurological and Psychiatric Clinic under the direction of Erno Moravcsik. His book Albiroek es egyeb elbeszelesek (Deputy Judges and Other Stories) appears in the Mozgo konyvtar (Moving Library) series. On 20 April, at dawn, the day after a medical examination which uncovered symptoms of tuberculosis, he gives himself a shot of morphine.
From May to October he works as a doctor at the spa in Otatrafured (Stary Smokovec). He meets his future wife Olga Jonas.
1910-1912
Music critic for the periodical Vilag (World).
1911
The Magyar Szinhaz (Hungarian Theatre) of Budapest performs his plays Janika and Hamvazoszerda (Ash Wednesday); his book of short stories Delutani Alom (Afternoon Dream) is published along with a collection of writing on music Zeneszerzo portrek (Portraits of Composers).
During the summer months, he works as a spa doctor at Stosz, and writes the medical monograph Az Elmebetegsegek Psychikus mechanizmusa (The Psychic Mechanism of Mental Illness).
He accompanies Professor Moravcsik to Munich. On his 25th birthday, he applies for admission to the Martinovics Freemasons, becoming a member 26 April. His short story collection Schmidt Mezeskalacsos (Schmidt, Brioche-Maker), his medical text as well as a German translation of his study on Puccini are published. He spends the summer at the Stubnyafurdo (Turcianske Teplice) spa as an assistant physician.
1913
He uses ever larger doses of morphine, and becomes addicted. Marriage to Olga Jonas on 19 June. He spends the summer in Palics (Palic) as a spa doctor, then commits himself to the Liget Sanatorium in Budapest for withdrawal. He leaves the hospital in December without having been cured. During the year, his short story collection Muzsikusok (Musicians) is published.
1914
He leaves Budapest for good. He works as a doctor in Elopatak (Valcele), then enlists in the army on 3 August, at the beginning of World War I. He is ordered to the Southern, then the Eastern front, and from October he serves in the Auxiliary Command Center in Trencsen (Trencín).
1915
In the spring, he is transferred to the First Army Infantry Unit in Budapest. After his morphine addiction is discovered, he is put under supervision. He works at Elopatak in July then spends ten days of August institutionalized. Forced withdrawal ends without success. He receives a one year release from the army and works as a doctor in Foldes from October.
1917
He is permanently discharged from the army. From autumn he works as a district doctor in Regoce.
1918
October, Olga gives birth to their daughter.
1919
15 April - 2 June, Csath undergoes withdrawal in the psychiatric ward of Baja Hospital.
2 June, he escapes from the hospital and walks home to Regoce.
22 July, he kills his wife with three bullets from a revolver, then attempts suicide. He is rescued and taken back to the hospital at Baja.
11 September, he escapes from the hospital. Heading for Budapest, he is detained by Serbian soldiers at Kelebia. He takes a huge dose of Pantopon and dies.
Geza Csath, Dezso Kosztolanyi, Deszo Brenner
A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S
The publishers wish to thank the following for their help: Szilvia Demeter, Marta Faur, Isabelle Gabolde, Dr. Gabor Gyani, Miklos Konrad, Dr. Jozsef Kovacs, Andrea Kreisz, Ildiko Nagy, Agnes Peresztegi, Marly Rusoff, Dr. Zsolt Unoka
Photo Credits: Petofi Irodalmi Muzeum, Magyar Nemzeti Muzeum, Budapest Gyujtemeny, Andras Szanto.
A U T O B I O G R A P H Y
He is a neurologist, painter, composer and music critic, pianist and violinist, playwright, journalist, short-story writer, and a man of superhuman ambition and energy. He is a bastard, of course, but so are a lot of people with nothing else to be said for them...
From the introduction by Arthur Phillips
“In the course of just one day, I live five thousand years… Start smoking opium as a strong, mature man and… you can reach the age of twenty million.” – Opium (short story by Geza Csath), 1909.
“100 years [of opium addiction] aren’t worth as much as 34 [sober], with their real, true pleasures.” – Csath’s diary entry, 1913.
$ 12.95 USA / 17.95 CAN / £ 7.95 GB
A N G E L U S Z & G O L D
B U D A P E S T , K A L V I N P L A C E
‘My dear boy, tell me honestly, did you cheat on me?’ ‘How can you think such a thing, my child!’ I said, but without truly convincing force. ‘Oh, my God,’ she whimpered sweetly, examining my face, ‘I can see you’ve cheated on me. Confess, I forgive you, you’re a man, confess, sweet darling.’ But I confessed nothing; instead, as she desired, I swore that I had been true to her.
From The Diary of Geza Csath
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