Kornel Foldvari dies aged 83

Writer, journalist, translator and humour theorist Kornel Foldvari has died aged 83. Also known as "the most popular unknown author," Foldvari couldn't publish under his own name during the socialist era due to his family background. The first book published under his own name appeared as late as in 1999. Though Kornel Foldvari was given the job of director of Bratislava's 'Divadlo na Korze' theatre in 1968 when reform efforts peaked, he was forced to leave after only 18 months due to what was known as the normalisation period, which was aimed at restoring pre-reform conditions in communist Czechoslovakia. Foldvari then spent nearly 20 years without the opportunity to publish his work and/or translate. After the Velvet Revolution of 1989, Foldvari entered politics, serving as the first state secretary under the culture minister between 1990-92. Later, he focused exclusively on writing.