Joseph Pulitzer - Early Life

Early Life

The first Pulitzers emigrated from Moravia to Hungary at the end of the 18th century. Joseph Pulitzer's native town was Makó, about 200 km south-east of Budapest in the Hungarian Empire. The Pulitzers were among several Jewish families living in the area, and established a reputation as merchants and shopkeepers. Joseph's father, Fülöp Pulitzer, was a respected businessman, regarded as the "foremost merchant" of Makó.

In 1853, Fülöp Pulitzer was rich enough to retire and move his family to Budapest, where he had the children educated by private tutors, and taught French and German. In 1858, after Fülöp's death, his business went bankrupt and the family became impoverished. Joseph attempted to enlist in various European armies before he emigrated to the United States.

Pulitzer arrived in Boston in 1864, his passage having been paid by Massachusetts military recruiters. Learning that the recruiters were pocketing the lion's share of his enlistment bounty, Pulitzer sneaked away from the Deer Island recruiting station and made his way to New York. He was paid $200 to enroll in the Lincoln Cavalry on September 30; he was 17. He was a part of Sheridan's troopers, in the First New York Lincoln Cavalry in Company L. where he served for eight months. Although he spoke three languages: German, Hungarian, and French, he learned little English until after the war because his regiment was composed mostly of German immigrants.