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Bela (Bay-la) Kornitzer was born in Szerencs , Hungary on November 28, 1910. He was one of nine children, with five brothers and three sisters. According to a biographical form filled out by Kornitzer, he never graduated from high school, although all five of his brothers went on to receive University degrees. . In fact - due to widespread restrictive practices against Jews at the time - no one in his immediate family had the opportunity to pursue higher education and attain university degrees. At the age of 16, Kornitzer saw a future for himself as an artist, a career not encouraged by his father. In order to pursue his dream, he left home for Budapest , where he began his career as a journalist. His early publications were sketches and brief commentary of prominent men, which appeared in the city's major newspaper. An editor at the paper, more impressed with his writing, advised him to pursue journalism. Kornitzer went on to become the reporter-commentator in the Hungarian parliament for about a decade.
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