Born in the village of Gyöngyöstarján, Heves County, in 1900, József Adorján proved himself to be an astute businessman who established a successful winery. After WWII, he became more involved in politics and joined the Kisgazda Párt (Smallholders Party) of which he eventually became the secretary and was elected to the Hungarian Parliament. Arrested by the Hungarian secret police – AVH – in 1950, József Adorján was brutally imprisoned for several years, only to be released a few months prior to the revolution. During the revolution he became a member of the newly created Hungarian Parliament. Following November 4, József Adorján fled to the West with his daughter, and eventually settled in the United States. He died in 1975.