André Kostolany
A stock market philosopher who turned market psychology and witty aphorisms into a fortune, charming Europe for decades.
1906–1999 (age 93)·Hungarian-born French stock broker·Birthday: February 9·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Born in Budapest, André Kostolany fled the upheavals of Central Europe to plant himself in the financial centers of Paris and Frankfurt. He was not a typical broker buried in charts; he was a charismatic speculator who viewed the market as a grand theater of human emotion. Kostolany made and lost several fortunes, treating capital as a tool for intellectual play and life enjoyment. He became a beloved public figure through his columns, books, and television appearances, where he dispensed sharp, often contrarian wisdom with the flair of a showman. His true legacy lies in framing investing as a psychological art form, teaching a generation that understanding greed and fear mattered more than complex formulas. He lived his philosophy fully, savoring fine food, wine, and conversation, earning France's Legion of Honour not just for finance, but for embodying a certain spirited joie de vivre.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
André was born in 1906, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When André Was Born
The biggest hits of 1906
André's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1906Born
San Francisco earthquake devastates the city
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1911Started school
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1919Became a teenager
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Could drive
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1924Could vote
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1927Turned 21
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1936Turned 30
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1946Turned 40
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1956Turned 50
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1966Turned 60
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 70
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 80
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1999Died at 93
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
Key Achievements
- Authored over a dozen bestselling books on finance and speculation, translated into multiple languages.
- Built a long career as a influential financial columnist for major German publications like 'Capital' and 'Börsenzeitung'.
- Was decorated as a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honour for his contributions.
- Gained fame through popular financial seminars and television shows in Germany during the 1980s and 90s.
Did You Know?
He claimed to have made his first major profit by short-selling Hungarian bonds in the 1930s, anticipating devaluation.
Kostolany was a gifted pianist and considered a career in music before turning to finance.
He was a polyglot, fluent in Hungarian, German, French, and English.
Despite his wealth, he reportedly never owned a computer, preferring to analyze markets through newspapers and intuition.
“The stock market is a pendulum that forever swings between unsustainable optimism and unjustified pessimism.”
