Forrai, Sándor (Alexander) (Munkács, now Mukacheve, Ukraine, 18 March, 1913 - Budapest, 25 May, 2007) - Historian of the runic script. At home in his youth he already got acquainted with Hungarian history, runic writing and patriotism. His family had to escape from Munkács due to the annexation of Carpatho-Ukraine to the newly created Czechoslovakia by the Dictated Peace Treaty of Trianon in 1920. After studying in the Lutheran high school in Nyíregyháza and graduating from the high school of Újpest, he served in the army. In 1935 he was employed as clerk by the Hungarian Royal Police Force. Here he learned shorthand writing and typewriting. From 1974 onward he published articles on ancient Hungarian writing. He organized a traveling exhibition of runic writing consisting in 125 pictures and explanation. It was first exhibited at the Reformed Congregation of Frangepán Street, Budapest in 1935. His books are: From Little Christmas to Sylvester Evening (Küskarácsonytól Sülvester estig) (1985). In it he offers a review on the history of Hungarian runic writing and its related subjects. In his view Hungarians were not the receivers but transmitters of runic writing, and runic writing was most suitable for recording the Hungarian language. His next book entitled: The Cradle of Writing and the Hungarian Runic Writing (Az írás bölcsője és a magyar rovásírás) (1988). In 1994 his next book appeared, entitled: The Ancient Hungarian Runic Writing from Ancient Time to our Days (Az ősi magyar rovásírás az ókortól napjainkig) (1994). In it he summarized the results of his research and his theories. His last book was a textbook, published in 1996 entitled: Learning Hungarian Runic Writing (A magyar rovásírás elsajátítása). In it he sided with the view that the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin in 896 did not occur because of a sudden Petcheneg attack, but actually it must have been a reconquest since Hungarian presence there was much earlier as it is proved by documentary findings and runic fragments of Transylvania (Erdély, now in Romania). He wrote the Ten Commandments of Hungarian National Conciuousness (A Magyar Nemzettudat Tízparancsolata). His writing about, and also teaching, his lifework gave an impetus to research and study of the ancient Hungarian writing-system. - B: 1818, T: 7103.