Leslie (Laszlo) Konnyu was born in Tamasi, Hungary in 1914. He was educated at the elementary and secondary teachers' colleges at Baja and Szeged. After he received his traning, he taught in several Hungarian Cities and Towns. When the Russian army entered Hungary, Konnyu and his family fled to Austria. In 1949 he emmigrated to the United States and Settled in St. Louis. He attended classes at the University of Missouri, Washington University, and St. Louis University. He earned a degree in music education. Later, he studied cartography, earned his degree and worked as a cartographer for the United States government. He is presently action in many literary and historical societies. He also worked as a book reviewer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Mr. Konnyu's activities include: president of the St. Louis Poetry Center; Director of Missouri Writers' Guild; member, National Society of Poetry; International Poetry Society; International Academy of Poets's International P.E.N. Club; co-chairmanship of the American Hungarian Art Historical Society; editor of the American Hungarian Review; and founder of the T.S. Eliot Society of St. Louis.
SCOPE AND CONTENT
The Leslie Konnyu Collection contains information on his activities in the St. Louis Poetry Center, the T.S. Eliot Society, and American Hungarian Societies. Several of Mr. Konnyu's books are included in this collection--Acacias, Against the River, Bond of Beauty, Idegenben, and Collected Poems. Also included are Gedichte Von Osterreich and J'Accuse Mon Epoque.
Some copies of the American Hungarian Review are contained in this collection, predominently those which contain Konnyu's works. A few books which Mr. Konnyu collaborated with others may also be found here.
Correspondence, minutes, and newsletters concerning the St. Louis Poetry Center are included. The information on the T.S. Eliot Society concerns the memorial plaque Mr. Konnyu had dedicated to T.S.Eliot. Some copies of the Hungarian Newspaper, St. Louis Es Videlce, may be found here. Several flyers and bulletins on various American-Hungarian Activities are also included.
All the information in this collection is sketchy at best. The exception to this rule is several of Mr. Konnyu's poems may be found in the Leslie Konnyu collection.
FOLDER LIST
BOX 1
Series 1: St. Louis Poetry Center
1. Correspondence 1977-81
2. Minutes of Board Meetings, 1972-81
3. Newsletters, 1973-81
4. The Arts, 1978-80
Series 2: Publications
5. The American Hungarian Review, Apr. 1963 & Oct. 1963
6. The American Hungarian Review, Jan. 1964 & July 1967
7. The American Hungarian Review, Jan. 1970, Jan. 1971 & July 1971
8. The American Hungarian Review, July 1972, Jan 1973 & Dec. 1973
9. " Hungarian Psalm " by E. Osida, Trans. By L. Konnyu.
10. ACIC, ACD Cartographic Training School by RH Martens; ed. by L. Konnyu
11. Gilgamesh by A. Osze; ed. by L. Konnyu & J. Shirley
BOX 2
12. Hungarian Transylvania by AB Petry
13. Professional Hungarian Artists Outside Of Hungary by EG Kasas & L.L Konnyu
14. A History of American Hungarian Literature by L. Konnyu
15. Gedichte Von Osterreich by L. Konnyu
16. Acacias by L. Konnyu
17. Against The River by L. Konnyu
18. Bond of Beauty by L. Konnyu
19. J'Accuse Mon Epoque by L.Konnyu
20. A Condensed Geography of Hungary by L. Konnyu
21. Idegenben by L. Konnyu
22. Collected Poems by L. Konnyu
23. Modern Magyar Literture by L. Konnyu
24. John Xanthus, Hungarian Geographer in America (1851-64) by Leslie Konnyu
Song for Cardinal Mindszenty, Text by Leslie Konnyu, Music by Leslie Horvath
Leslie Konnyu Album, 1984
25. St. Louis Es Videke 1944, 1946, 1957
BOX 3
26. St. Louis Es Videke 1958
27. St. Louis Es Videke, 1966, 1969
Series 3: American Hungarian Societies
28. Hungarian Day: 1935, 1937, 1938, 1941
29. Membership Cards, Programs & Flyers
Series 4: TS Eliot Society
30. TS Eliot Festival
31. TS Eliot Memorial
INDEX
A Condensed Geography of Hungary, f. 20
Acacias, f. 16
Against the River, f. 17
American Hungarian Review, f. 5-8
American Hungarian Societies, f. 28-29
Bond of Beauty, f. 18
Collected Poems, f. 22
Gedichte Von Osterreich, f. 15
Gilgamesh, f. 11
History of American Hungarian Literature, f. 14
Hungarian Transylvania, f. 12
Idegenben, f. 21
J'Accuse mon Epoque, f. 19
Leslie Konnyu Album, f. 24
Modern Magyar Literature, f. 23
Professional Hungarian Artists Outside Of Hungary, f. 13
St. Louis es Videke, f. 25-27
St. Louis Poetry Center, f. 1-4
T.S. Eliot Society, f. 30-31
STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MISSOURI RESEARCH CENTER-ST. LOUIS
222 THOMAS JEFFERSON LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS
8001 NATURAL BRIDGE ROAD
ST. LOUIS, MO 63121
(314) 516-5143
E-MAIL: whmc@umsl.edu