University years

Cover page with code words of Ferenc Mádl’s entry for the law competition at the University of Pécs Law School (Photo: Endre Domaniczky)

The parents’ goal of getting an easy access to the university degree for each of their children set the path for the well-prepared Ferenc Mádl to university at an early age. Because of his strong interest in the humanities, both a career in teaching or in the legal profession were considered. Indeed, these two options appeared on the student’s university application form.

However, the law school in Pécs was the first choice, as the young Mádl was a fan of the famous American President Abraham Lincoln, partly due to the influence of his grandfathers who both had visited the United States in the early 1900s.

On the other hand, however, he was inspired by the example of the great Hungarian politicans of the Reform Era of the 19th century. Louis Kossuth, Ferenc Deák and József Eötvös were all accomplished lawyers and Professor Mádl’s read several works of theirs by the suggestion of his father.

The young man from a poor farming family, who had graduated from high school with excellent grades, had his application for admission supported unanimously by the admissions committee. Thus Ferenc Mádl was able to begin his university studies at the University of Pécs in the autumn of 1951.

Ferenc Mádl’s own hand drawing of US President Lincoln. For the young Mádl, Lincoln was the main inspiration for his choice of a career in law. (Photo: Endre Domaniczky)