Robert Austin Markus
Robert Austin Markus, (8 October 1924 – 8 December 2010), born Róbert Imre Márkus, was a Hungarian-born British historian and philosopher best known for his research on the early history of Christianity. Early life Róbert Imre Márkus was born in Budapest, Hungary on 8 October 1924. Both of his parents were Jews with strong ties to Christianity. His father, Gyözö (Victor) Márkus (1897–1971), was the director of a heavy engineering firm which had been founded by Robert's grandfather Márkus Lajos, originally a locksmith. Robert's mother, Lili (Lily) Elek (1900–1962), was the daughter of the manager of an enormous forest in Osijek, modern-day Croatia. She was an internationally recognized ceramicist. Robert's father had converted to Lutheranism as a young man, but later regretted his decision and applied for readmission to the synagogue. Márkus was baptized in the Lutheran church as an infant. Education Márkus attended the Áldás elementary school in Budapest, and later boarding schools in Lausanne and Bern. His family emigrated to England in 1939 and settled in Glossop, where his father and uncle had arranged with the local MP Hugh Molson, Baron Molson to establish Ferrostatics, a small engineering factory at Hollingworth. The factory was soon producing precision machine