# Kati Marton

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Hungarian-American writer

The native form of this [personal name](/source/Personal_name) is *Marton Kati*. This article uses [Western name order](/source/Personal_name#Western_name_order) when mentioning individuals.

Kati Marton Born (1949-04-03) April 3, 1949 (age 77)[1] Budapest, Hungary Education Wells College, 1965–67 Sorbonne and Institut d'Études Politiques, Paris, 1967–68 George Washington University, B.A., 1969, M.A., 1971 Occupations Journalist, human rights activist Agent(s) Amanda Urban, International Creative Management Notable credit ABC News Spouse Carroll Wetzel (div.) Peter Jennings ​ ​ (m. 1979; div. 1993)​ Richard Holbrooke ​ ​ (m. 1995; died 2010)​ Children 2

**Kati Marton** (born April 3, 1949) is a [Hungarian-American](/source/Hungarian-American) author and journalist. Her career has included reporting for [ABC News](/source/ABC_News_(United_States)) as a foreign correspondent and [National Public Radio](/source/National_Public_Radio), where she started as a production assistant in 1971, as well as print journalism and writing a number of books.

She is a former chairwoman of the [International Women's Health Coalition](/source/International_Women's_Health_Coalition), and a director (former chairwoman) of the [Committee to Protect Journalists](/source/Committee_to_Protect_Journalists) and other bodies including the [International Rescue Committee](/source/International_Rescue_Committee), [Human Rights Watch](/source/Human_Rights_Watch), and the [New America Foundation](/source/New_America_Foundation).

## Biography

### Early life

Marton was born in [Budapest](/source/Budapest), [Hungary](/source/Second_Hungarian_Republic),[2][3][4] the daughter of [UPI](/source/United_Press_International) reporter Ilona Marton and award-winning [Associated Press](/source/Associated_Press) reporter Endre Marton. Her parents survived the [Holocaust](/source/Holocaust) of [World War II](/source/World_War_II) but never spoke about it. They served nearly two years in prison on false charges of espionage for the U.S., and Kati and her older sister were placed in the care of strangers. Raised a [Roman Catholic](/source/Roman_Catholic), she learned much later, and by accident, that her grandparents were [Jews](/source/Jews), who were murdered at the [Auschwitz concentration camp](/source/Auschwitz_concentration_camp).[5] Among the many honors her parents received for their reporting on the [Hungarian Revolution of 1956](/source/Hungarian_Revolution_of_1956) was the [George Polk Award](/source/George_Polk_Awards). The family fled Hungary following the revolution and settled in [Chevy Chase, Maryland](/source/Chevy_Chase%2C_Maryland), where Marton attended [Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School](/source/Bethesda-Chevy_Chase_High_School).[6]

### Education

Marton studied at Wells College, Aurora, New York, the [Sorbonne](/source/University_of_Paris) and the [Institut d'Études Politiques](/source/Institut_d'%C3%89tudes_Politiques_de_Paris) in [Paris](/source/Paris). Growing up in Hungary, she had a [French](/source/French_people) [nanny](/source/Nanny), so she was raised speaking both [Hungarian](/source/Hungarian_language) and [French](/source/French_language), learning [American English](/source/American_English) when her family moved to the U.S. She has a master's degree in International Relations from [George Washington University](/source/George_Washington_University).

### Personal life

Marton has been married three times. She was first married to Carroll Wetzel, a retired international [investment banker](/source/Investment_banker) from Philadelphia, in the early 1970s. Her second husband was [ABC News](/source/ABC_News_(United_States)) [anchor](/source/News_presenter) [Peter Jennings](/source/Peter_Jennings); Jennings and Marton had two children together, Elizabeth and Christopher, before divorcing in 1993.

Her third husband was diplomat [Richard Holbrooke](/source/Richard_Holbrooke), from 1995 until his death in December 2010. Marton frequently traveled with Holbrooke during his diplomatic missions in the former [Yugoslavia](/source/Yugoslavia), and in the [Middle East](/source/Middle_East).[7][8] She wrote about their love, and recovering from his death in her 2012 [memoir](/source/Memoir) *Paris: A Love Story*.[9]

## Awards

Marton has received several honors for her reporting, including the 2001 Rebekah Kohut [Humanitarian](/source/Humanitarian) Award by the [National Council of Jewish Women](/source/National_Council_of_Jewish_Women), the 2002 Matrix Award for Women Who Change the World, the [George Foster Peabody Award](/source/George_Foster_Peabody_Award) (presented to WCAU-TV, Philadelphia, in 1973), and the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the [Republic of Hungary](/source/Republic_of_Hungary)—the country's highest civilian honor. She is also a recipient of The International Center in New York's Award of Excellence. Her book, *Enemies of the People: My Family's Journey to America*, was an [autobiography](/source/Autobiography) finalist for the [National Book Critics Circle Award](/source/National_Book_Critics_Circle_Award) in 2009.[10]

## Selected writing

- Marton, Kati (2021). *The Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel*. New York: Simon & Schuster. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781501192623](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781501192623). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [1236259986](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/1236259986).

- Marton, Kati (2017). *True Believer: Stalin's Last American Spy*. New York: Simon & Schuster. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781476763774](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781476763774). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [962006152](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/962006152).

- Marton, Kati (2012). *Paris: A Love Story*. New York: [Simon & Schuster]. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4516-9154-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4516-9154-2). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [778417065](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/778417065).

- Marton, Kati (2010). *A nép ellenségei : családom regénye* [*Enemies of the people*] (in Hungarian). Budapest: Corvina. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-963-13-5882-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-963-13-5882-7). [LCCN](/source/LCCN_(identifier)) [2011391425](https://lccn.loc.gov/2011391425).

- Marton, Kati (2009). [*Enemies of the people : My Family's Journey to America*](https://archive.org/details/enemiesofpeoplem00mart) (1st Simon & Schuster hardcover ed.). New York: Simon & Schuster. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4165-8612-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4165-8612-8). [LCCN](/source/LCCN_(identifier)) [2009014480](https://lccn.loc.gov/2009014480). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [759874746](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/759874746).

- Marton, Kati (2006). [*The great escape : nine Jews who fled Hitler and changed the world*](https://archive.org/details/greatescapeninej00mart). New York: Simon & Schuster. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-7432-6115-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7432-6115-9). [LCCN](/source/LCCN_(identifier)) [2006049162](https://lccn.loc.gov/2006049162). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [70864519](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/70864519).

- Marton, Kati (2008). *Kilenc magyar aki világgá ment és megváltoztatta a világot* [*Great escape*] (in Hungarian). (translator) Bart Dániel. Budapest: Corvina. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-963-13-5681-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-963-13-5681-6). [LCCN](/source/LCCN_(identifier)) [2008418162](https://lccn.loc.gov/2008418162). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [226076973](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/226076973).

- Marton, Kati (2001). [*Hidden power : presidential marriages that shaped our recent history*](https://archive.org/details/hiddenpowerpresi00mart_0) (1st ed.). New York: [Pantheon Books](/source/Pantheon_Books). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-375-40106-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-375-40106-7). [LCCN](/source/LCCN_(identifier)) [2001021351](https://lccn.loc.gov/2001021351). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [50625328](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/50625328).

- Marton, Kati (1996). *A death in Jerusalem* (1st Arcade ed.). New York: [Arcade](/source/Arcade_Publishing). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-55970-352-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-55970-352-0). [LCCN](/source/LCCN_(identifier)) [95051833](https://lccn.loc.gov/95051833).

- Marton, Kati (1987). [*An American woman*](https://archive.org/details/americanwoman00mart) (1st ed.). New York: [W.W. Norton](/source/W.W._Norton). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-393-02420-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-393-02420-2). [LCCN](/source/LCCN_(identifier)) [86016342](https://lccn.loc.gov/86016342).

- Marton, Kati (1995). *Wallenberg : missing hero* (1st Arcade ed.). New York: Distributed by [Little, Brown and Company](/source/Little%2C_Brown_and_Company). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-55970-276-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-55970-276-1). [LCCN](/source/LCCN_(identifier)) [94079600](https://lccn.loc.gov/94079600).

- Marton, Kati (1990). [*The Polk conspiracy : murder and cover-up in the case of CBS News correspondent George Polk*](https://archive.org/details/polkconspiracymu00mart) (1st ed.). New York: [Farrar, Straus & Giroux](/source/Farrar%2C_Straus_%26_Giroux). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-374-13553-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-374-13553-3). [LCCN](/source/LCCN_(identifier)) [89023384](https://lccn.loc.gov/89023384).

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Kati Marton"](http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/bic1/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?displayGroupName=Reference&disableHighlighting=false&prodId=BIC2&action=e&windowstate=normal&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CH1000112975&mode=view&userGroupName=fairfax_main&jsid=6ebae4b84ea0037d71de5e9886024236) (fee, via [Fairfax County Public Library](/source/Fairfax_County_Public_Library)). *[Contemporary Authors Online](/source/Contemporary_Authors_Online)*. Detroit: [Gale](/source/Gale_(publisher)). 2011. Retrieved 2011-09-30. Gale Biography In Context.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Marton, Kati (October 23, 2006). ["The Shadow of a Smile"](https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0A1EFF3C5B0C708EDDA90994DE404482). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. Retrieved December 14, 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Bumiller, Elisabeth](/source/Elisabeth_Bumiller) (July 23, 1998). ["PUBLIC LIVES; Mr. Secretary, Perhaps, and Ms. Ambassador"](https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0C15F63F5D0C708EDDAE0894D0494D81). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. Retrieved December 14, 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Furst, Alan (October 30, 2009). ["The Dossier"](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/01/books/review/Furst-t.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=kati%20marton&st=cse). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. Retrieved December 14, 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [The Daily Beast: "In Syria, Europe & Boston, the Past Is Never Finished" by Kati Marton](http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/05/11/in-syria-europe-boston-the-past-is-never-finished.html) May 11, 2013 |*Raised Catholic by my mother and father, I didn’t learn until adulthood that my maternal grandparents were in one of Adolf Eichmann’s early transports from the Hungarian countryside to Auschwitz. My parents, converted Jews, tried to shield me from the murderous hate they had experienced in Budapest; they had told me my grandparents had perished under the Allies’ bombs*

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Mansfield, Stephanie (April 28, 1987). ["Kati Marton's Hungarian Odyssey"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1987/04/28/kati-martons-hungarian-odyssey/a8de0aa4-7974-4c8d-8593-84ccb20b9554/). *The Washington Post*. p. D1.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [McFadden, Robert D.](/source/Robert_D._McFadden) (December 13, 2010). ["RICHARD C. HOLBROOKE, 1941-2010 : Strong American Voice in Diplomacy and Crisis"](https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/14/world/14holbrooke.html?pagewanted=all). *New York Times*. Retrieved 2012-08-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Richard C. Holbrooke"](http://www.nndb.com/people/173/000044041/). NNDB. Retrieved 2009-01-22.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Kati Marton, Recalling 'Paris' With Love And Longing"](https://www.npr.org/2012/08/18/158996276/kati-marton-recalling-paris-with-love-and-longing). *NPR Weekend Edition Saturday*. August 18, 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-18.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["National Book Critics Circle Announces Finalists"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100125233257/http://bookcritics.org/blog/archive/national_book_critics_circle_announces_finalists_january_23_2010/). NBCC Board of Directors. January 23, 2010. Archived from [the original](http://bookcritics.org/blog/archive/national_book_critics_circle_announces_finalists_january_23_2010/) on January 25, 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-17.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Kati Marton](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Kati_Marton).

- [Kati Marton](http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Kati-Marton/22190067) at [Simon & Schuster](/source/Simon_%26_Schuster)

- [Appearances](https://www.c-span.org/person/?9771) on [C-SPAN](/source/C-SPAN)

- [Kati Marton](https://charlierose.com/videos/229) on [*Charlie Rose*](/source/Charlie_Rose_(talk_show))

- [Kati Marton](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0617356/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

- [Acceptance speech](http://www.undispatch.com/kati-marton-lessons-i-learned-from-richard-holbrooke) for the [Leo Nevas Human Rights Award](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leo_Nevas_Human_Rights_Award&action=edit&redlink=1), [United Nations Association of the United States of America](/source/United_Nations_Association_of_the_United_States_of_America)

- [Kati Marton](http://video.idahoptv.org/video/2175165358) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20161103215439/http://video.idahoptv.org/video/2175165358/) 2016-11-03 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) Marcia Franklin talks with author Kati Marton. Produced by [Idaho Public Television](/source/Idaho_Public_Television)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Kati Marton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kati_Marton) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kati_Marton?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.