Budapest to Gettysburg: A Special Community Screening in Memory of Gabor Boritt

As we mourn the recent passing of Dr. Gabor S. Boritt, a world-renowned historian of Abraham Lincoln and the American Civil War, Gettysburg History invites the public to a free community screening of Budapest to Gettysburg, the biographical film created by his son, Jake Boritt, in 2007.

The screening will take place on what would have been Abraham Lincoln’s 217th birthday–a fitting day to remember a man who devoted his life to studying Lincoln and helping bring Gettysburg into the national conversation.

Budapest to Gettysburg tells Gabor Boritt’s remarkable story, from growing up in Hungary during World War II and the Soviet occupation to becoming one of the most influential historians of Lincoln and the Civil War. While he spent decades teaching and writing about America’s hardest moments, Gabor largely avoided speaking about his own painful past–his family’s suffering, his escape from Hungary, and the losses that shaped his life.

In this film, Jake Boritt gently turns the camera toward his father, inviting him to reflect on the history he lived through but rarely discussed. The result is an honest, moving portrait of a scholar, a father, and a man shaped by history in ways both public and deeply personal.

This screening is offered in memory of Dr. Boritt and in gratitude for the extraordinary impact he had on Gettysburg, its people, and all who care about Lincoln and the meaning of freedom.

All are welcome. No tickets or registration required.