Nándor Orbán

As a student of the Ludovika Military Academy, Nándor Orbán became acquainted with many sports, and finally focused on modern pentathlon. In 1932, in his first competition, he finished second and in two years he was considered the best in Hungary. He competed at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, finishing fifth. He performed particularly well in riding and swimming, finishing fourth and second, respectively. He won the modern pentathlon competition in Budapest in 1938, and in 1941 he finished his last competition in third place.

In 1945 Orbán returned from World War II with severe eye injuries. His life was tumultuous and twisting, working in many places – he was a hauler, an agent, a railway assistant, and a horse trainer. At the request of his former artillery regiment, in 1956, during the Hungarian anti-Communist uprising, he became commander of the National Guard in the city of Nagykanizsa. After the defeat of the revolution, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison, but was given amnesty and was released after six years.

After his release, Orbán operated a riding school in Siófok, and coached modern pentathletes in shooting in Budapest. He retired in 1972 but worked for a while as a janitor at the Ethnographic Museum. Thirteen years after his death, the demotion order of Nándor Orbán was overturned and he regained his rank as a colonel posthumously.