William Peterfi

Image of William Peterfi speaking at a Model UN competition 1975

William Peterfi was one of the early faculty at the University of Minnesota Morris, teaching at the institution from 1965-1991. A dissident and former political prisoner, Peterfi fled Hungary during the failed 1956 Revolution. His teaching and scholarship was international relations, foreign policy and comparative government. Peterfi was instrumental in the early development of the political science curriculum at UMN Morris, introducing new courses in international relations, foreign policy and comparative government.

Chronology

born in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia on May 30

completed undergraduate studies at Slovak University, Bratislava, Yugoslavia

received his PhD in Law and International Relations from the University of Budapest

imprisoned in Hungary

escaped from Hungary

arrived in the United States

became Instructor of Political Science at the College of New Rochelle

became Instructor of Political Science at Iona College

hired as a consultant at Rand Corporation, Santa Monica

became a Junior Research Consultant at UCLA

became a naturalized citizen of the United States

began as Instructor of Hungarian Language and Studies at the US Army Language Institute

became Instructor of Political Science and History at Pierce College in Los Angeles

became Assistant Professor of Political Science at UMN Morris

promoted to Associate Professor of Political Science at UMN Morris

promoted to Professor of Political Science at UMN Morris

retired from UMN Morris

died in Budapest, Hungary on May 18

Personal Life

William O. Peterfi was born May 30, 1924 in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia.[1] He received his undergraduate degree from Slovak University in 1945. In 1950 he received his PhD from the University of Budapest.[2] His doctoral dissertation was titled “The Ideas and Concepts of Pierre Dubois as the Forerunners of International Organization.”[3]

After graduating from the University of Budapest, Peterfi and some friends began publishing a counter-revolutionary newspaper. In 1951 he was arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced to life in prison by a Hungarian court for treason. These charges were in response to the editorials and articles written for the newspaper. He served six years in prison before the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. During a prison riot at the end of October, 1956 Peterfi and some of his fellow political prisoners were able to escape prison by tearing a bed apart and bashing down the door.[4] After their escape, they fled to Budapest, which was controlled by the revolutionaries. In December, after the revolution had failed, he was able to escape to Austria. Peterfi states, “I was one of the last ones to try and escape. My first attempt was Nov. 20. I was turned back four times. In the fifth try I made it to Austria. I remember it was Dec. 24 and I crossed the frontier in waist-deep snow.”[5] After a short time in Austria he was again on the move and this time to Munich. From there he flew to the United States, arriving January 12, 1957.[6] 

Before accepting a position at UMN Morris in 1965, he held a number of academic positions including post-doctoral research fellow at Yale University, visiting scholar in politics at UCLA, and visiting fellow in political science at Princeton University. He also taught at a number of institutions in California and New York.[7] In 1962, while living in California, he became a naturalized citizen.[8]

Research

Research and Teaching

William Peterfi researched contemporary political science, with areas of specialization in international relations, foreign policy and comparative government. While at UMN Morris, Peterfi was the editor and a contributor for two books: Issues and Trends in Contemporary Politics (1979) and Issues and Trends in Contemporary Politics, Revised Edition (1983). He was also a co-editor and contributor for a third book Politics and You: Issues in Contemporary Theory and Practice in 1976. He wrote more than twenty articles that were published in various journals.[9] These articles dealt with international issues such as world peace, human rights, disarmament, and Vatican diplomacy. 

In addition to his published books and articles, Peterfi wrote more than a dozen papers for presentation at the annual meetings of the Minnesota Academy of Sciences and other conferences. These papers dealt with such topics as international relations, human rights, foreign policy and nuclear disarmament. He also wrote book reviews for the Minneapolis Star and the Minneapolis Tribune

During his 26 years at UMN Morris, Peterfi taught courses on many topics, including international relations, world politics, United States foreign policy, diplomacy, governments and politics of Europe and Asia, international law and organization, and the politics of peace. He also led directed studies and seminar courses dealing mostly with peace studies.[10]

Campus Contributions

William Peterfi helped develop the Political Science Discipline at the University of Minnesota Morris, including creating new political science courses and influencing curriculum development. With the assistance of a grant from the Center for Educational Development in 1974 he introduced a simulation approach in two of his courses (US Foreign Policy and International Relations). These were designed to provide a more realistic learning experience for students. He collaborated with other faculty to create courses for non-political science majors, and was a participant in the Continuing Education program, teaching several courses on international politics and peace studies.
In 1977 Peterfi began offering an advanced seminar in peace studies.[11]

These seminars were offered during the spring with the meetings held at his farm Terra Pacis, near Pelican Rapids, Minnesota. In 1977 Peterfi and four of his former students formed the nonprofit World Peace Academy for the scholarly study of issues related to world peace.[12] In 1984 Peterfi founded and served as editor and publisher of The Journal of World Peace, a publication of The World Peace Academy.[13] The goal of the journal was to publish the results of original scholarly and scientific research dealing with the establishment and maintenance of world peace.[14] He continued to serve as editor and publisher until he retired from UMN Morris.[15]

Peterfi was active in campus life and was involved in various panels and campus governance committees. He was a faculty advisor for student groups relating to politics and international affairs, including the International Relations Club.[16] He made special effort to connect with students on and off campus, including evening meetings with students at the Country Kitchen Cafe to discuss politics and informal gatherings on his farm on the weekends and in summer for seminars and discussions.[17] Peterfi received the Faculty of the Year Award in 1968 and the Horace T. Morse-Amoco Foundation Award for outstanding contributions to undergraduate education in 1971.[18]

After UMN Morris

Following his retirement Peterfi returned to Hungary and lived in Budapest until his death in 2002.[19] While in Hungary he published 5 books in Hungarian between 1991 and 1996.[20]

Author
Tom Harren
Stephen Gross (Editor)
Naomi Skulan (Editor)

Footnotes

[1] Ancestry.com, U.S .Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
[2] William Peterfi, “Curriculum Vitae,” March, 1988
[3] Prof of the Week - Dr. William Peterfi,” Morris Weekly (Morris, MN), Nov. 5, 1986.
[4] Ralph Berenger, “He Was Sent to Jail for Publishing Views,” St. Cloud Times (St. Cloud, MN), Feb. 26, 1968
[5] Ralph Berenger, “He Was Sent to Jail for Publishing Views,” St. Cloud Times (St. Cloud, MN), Feb. 26, 1968
[6] Gail Voss, “Peterfi reflects: A prisoner, a refugee, and a professor,” Morris Weekly (Morris, MN), Jan. 23, 1980.
[7] Peterfi Retires at End of Winter Quarter,” UMM To You (Morris, MN), Summer 1991.
[8] Ancestry.com, U.S Naturalization Record Index, 1791-1992
[9] Examples of journals he published in are: The Journal of World Peace, Issues and Trends in Contemporary Politics, Canadian Peace Research Journal, L’Osservatore Romano, and Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Sciences
[10] William Peterfi, “Curriculum Vitae,” March 1988
[11] Peterfi Retires at End of Winter Quarter,” UMM To You (Morris, MN), Summer 1991.
[12] Gennie Haggerty, “Prof of the Week - Dr. William Peterfi,” Morris Weekly (Morris, MN), Nov. 5, 1986.
[13] University Relations, “Peterfi edits journal on world peace,” Morris Weekly (Morris, MN), March 13, 1985.
[14] The Journal of World Peace, Volume I, Number 1
[15] Peterfi Retires at End of Winter Quarter,” UMM To You (Morris, MN), Summer 1991.
[16] University of Minnesota, Morris, “Tentative Program of the International Relations Club, 1966-67,” 1966.
[17] Gennie Haggerty, “Prof of the Week - Dr. William Peterfi,” Morris Weekly (Morris, MN), Nov. 5, 1986.
[18] "Peterfi Retires at End of Winter Quarter,” UMM to You (Morris, MN), Summer 1991
[19] Ancestry.com, U.S. Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
[20] Book titles include: A zírosbödön : allegorikus dráma három felvonásban (1991); Az őfőméltóságú elnöki család krónikái, avagy, Választások Magyarországon 1994-ben (1994); Az élet szentsége (1994); A pozsonyi boszorkány (1995); A templomépítő (1996)

Contribute to this Biography

For assistance in using the UMN Morris Archives, call 320-589-6172 or complete the following form.