KOHANYI, TIHAMER - The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History

KOHANYI, TIHAMER (1863-10 March 1913), founder of SZABADSAG (Liberty), the largest Hungarian daily newspaper in the U.S., was born in Saros, Hungary and came to America at 27 after an unsuccessful attempt to practice law in Hungary. Kohanyi had jobs as a coal shoveler, traveling book salesman, janitor, and clerk before settling in Cleveland in 1891, immediately beginning organizing the Hungarian community, starting with the Cleveland Hungarian Young Men's & Ladies' Society, which presented the first Hungarian drama presentation in Cleveland. Kohanyi founded Szabadsag in November 1891, securing $600 contributions from two Hungarian industrialists, Joseph Black and THEODOR KUNDTZ and $15 pledges from 117 countrymen although, afraid the effort would fail, only 50 pledges were paid. Kohanyi managed, edited, and typeset the paper, and wrote many of the articles. Szabadsag became an important influence for Hungarian-Americans, offering them news from their native land as well as useful information such as how to address letters and function in American society. Szabadsag promoted projects such as the KOSSUTH MONUMENT in Cleveland in 1902 and the Washington monument in 1906 in Budapest. Despite his generosity to immigrants through his paper, Kohanyi sustained himself on a meager income, after 20 years writing that if one is truly cursed by fate, he will become a Hungarian journalist. Kohanyi married Rose Molnar on 19 May 1896. He helped found the Catholic Hungarian Insurance Association in 1897 and the American Hungarian Federation in 1906. Kohanyi was buried in St. Joseph's Cemetery.

Related Article(s)

• COMMUNICATIONS
• IMMIGRATION AND ETHNICITY

Related Link(s)

• History of the American Hungarian Federation