George Soros
Survived the Nazi occupation of Budapest at 13; arrived in London working as a railway porter.
George Soros was born in 1930 in Budapest, Hungary. George Soros's background is described as Hungarian Jewish; emigrated to the UK at 17, later the US. Growing up, the family was middle class — lawyer father; a comfortable household upended by war and occupation. Survived the Nazi occupation of Budapest at 13; arrived in London working as a railway porter.
- Born
- 1930 · Budapest, Hungary
- Roots
- Hungarian Jewish; emigrated to the UK at 17, later the US
- Family
- Middle class
- Lawyer father; a comfortable household upended by war and occupation.
- Education
- London School of Economics (philosophy, under Karl Popper)
- Started with
- $4M fund
- Launched the Double Eagle fund in 1969, including $250K of his own.
- Affiliations & societies
- None documented.
- Information only — claims like these are often unverifiable and may be wrong.
The pathway
- 1944 · age 13Survives the Nazi occupation
Lives under false identity papers his father arranged.
- 1947 · age 17Emigrates to London
Works as a railway porter and waiter while studying at the LSE.
- 1956 · age 26New York
Starts as an arbitrage trader.
- 1969 · age 39Double Eagle fund$4M
The fund that becomes Quantum.
- 1992 · age 62Shorts the pound~$1B
Reported ~$1B profit as sterling leaves the European exchange-rate mechanism.
- 2017 · age 87Transfers $18B to Open Society$18B
Lifetime giving to his foundations exceeds $32B.
Frequently asked questions
Where is George Soros from?
George Soros was born in 1930 in Budapest, Hungary. Their background is described as Hungarian Jewish; emigrated to the UK at 17, later the US.
When was George Soros born?
George Soros was born in 1930, in Budapest, Hungary.
What is George Soros's background or ethnicity?
George Soros's roots are described as Hungarian Jewish; emigrated to the UK at 17, later the US. These are broad categories drawn from public sources, not statements about how the person identifies.
Where did George Soros go to school?
George Soros's education: London School of Economics (philosophy, under Karl Popper).
What was George Soros's family background growing up?
At birth the family was middle class. Lawyer father; a comfortable household upended by war and occupation.
How did George Soros get started?
George Soros started with $4M fund. Launched the Double Eagle fund in 1969, including $250K of his own.
Sources
Compiled from these references and contemporaneous press reporting. Figures are approximate; verify before relying on them.