Victor Vashi

Infobox Writer
name = Victor Vashi


caption =
birthdate =
birthplace = Hungary
deathdate =
deathplace =
occupation = Political cartoonist, writer
nationality = Hungarian
genre = Non-fiction, satire

Victor Vashi was a Hungarian political cartoonist who "cartooned his way through the years of Nazi and Soviet occupation of his country." cite book |last= Vashi |first= Victor |title= Red Primer for Children and Diplomats |origyear= 1967| edition= 1st |publisher= Viewpoint Books |language= English |id= ]

Biography

Little is recorded on the life of Victor Vashi. Most of the information available is from the text on the back of his book Red Primer for Children and Diplomats.

He was imprisoned by the Russians in the Godollo prison camp. Locked in solitary confinement, Victor was overlooked the day the Communists sent all able-bodied men to Siberia. Victor managed to escape to Austria in December of 1948. He eventually wound up in the United States.

Education

Victor Vashi was a graduate of the Hungarian Royal Academy of Fine Arts.

Career

Victor Vashi's early career was a cartoonist for one of Budapest's leading newspapers, the 8 Orai Ujsag.

Victor's style is similar to that of American political cartoonist Herbert Block. Although, discrete evidence of study or influence by Herbert Block cannot be determined. [cite web |url= http://kapowiezone.blogspot.com/2004/07/vintage-propaganda-fun.html |title= Vintage propaganda fun |accessdate=2007-04-25]

Affiliated newspapers

After his escape to Austria, Victor cartooned for various newspapers around Europe
* Salzburger Nachrichten of Salzburg
* Wiener Kurier of Vienna
* Hungaria of Munich
* Emigrans Szabad Szaj of Paris
* Paraat of Amsterdam

And was featured throughout his career in other newspapers
* Magyarsag of Pittsburgh
* Kepes Magyar Magazin of New York
* The Machinist and Machinist Journal of Washington D.C.
* Federation of Hungarian Former Political Prisoners of New York

Red Primer for Children and Diplomats

This is Victor Vashi's magnum opus, an historical account of the rise of the Soviet Union from 1917-1967. The book's forward states, "Those who do not read history are condemned to repeat it." The book is a mix of pen and ink sketches.

The book was first published in the United States of America in June of 1967 by Viewpoint Books (which no longer exists). The book is available [http://www.redprimer.com online] . In 2004 it was noted by [http://www.lileks.com/bleats/archive/04/0704/071504.html James Lilek's blog, the Bleat] . A link from a Cox and Forkum [http://www.coxandforkum.com/archives/001095.html post] shut the site down temporarily in late April 2007.

References