Károly Simonyi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1916-10-18)18 October 1916 |
| Died | 9 October 2001(2001-10-09) (aged 84) Budapest, Hungary |
| Occupation | University professor |
| Notable work | A Cultural History of Physics |
| Spouse | Zsuzsa Simonyi |
| Children | Tamás Károly |
| Relatives | Sándor Simonyi-Semadam (grandfather) |
Károly Simonyi (18 October 1916 – 9 October 2001) was a Hungarian physicist and writer. He was professor of electrical engineering atTechnical University of Budapest and the author of the popular tabletop bookA Cultural History of Physics (A fizika kultúrtörténete, 1978).
He is the father ofCharles Simonyi, a prominent computer-software executive who oversaw the creation ofMicrosoft Office.[1]
Simonyi was born the seventh of ten children in a small village in westernHungary. Simonyi earned degrees respectively inengineering at the Technical University of Budapest and inlaw at theUniversity of Pecs. FollowingWorld War II, he taught electrical engineering at theUniversity of Sopron and in 1952 he became a professor at the Technical University, where he was known as an outstanding teacher and organized the Department of Theoretical Electrical Engineering.[2]
In the 1960s he lost his directorship at KFKI Physics Research Institute, his post as department head, and finally his professorial post due to the political climate in Hungary.[3] He then undertook writing the story of the history of physics and the cultural, philosophical, and societal movements that had shaped and been shaped by its development.[4]
Károly's paternal grandfather wasSándor Simonyi-Semadam, who, as prime minister in the aftermath ofWorld War I, signed theTreaty of Trianon.[citation needed]
