Childhood and Education Journey of George Soros in Timeline

How education and upbringing influenced the life of George Soros. A timeline of key moments.

George Soros is a Hungarian-American investor and philanthropist with a net worth of $7.2 billion as of May 2025. He is known for his significant philanthropic contributions, having donated over $32 billion to the Open Society Foundations. Approximately $15 billion has already been distributed, representing 64% of his initial fortune. Forbes recognized him as the "most generous giver" in 2020 based on the percentage of his net worth donated.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1924: Parents Marriage

In 1924, George Soros's parents married.

August 12, 1930: George Soros Born

On August 12, 1930, György Schwartz, who later became George Soros, was born in Hungary.

August 1930: Birth in Budapest

In August 1930, György Schwartz (George Soros) was born in Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary.

January 3, 1934: Birth of Annaliese Witschak

Annaliese Witschak, George Soros's first wife, was born on January 3, 1934. She was an ethnic German immigrant and orphan of WWII.

1936: Name Change

In 1936, George Soros's family changed their name from Schwartz to Soros.

March 1944: Nazi Occupation of Hungary

In March 1944, when George Soros was 13 years old, Nazi Germany occupied Hungary.

1944: Survival during Nazi Occupation

In 1944, Soros's family survived the Nazi occupation by purchasing documents stating they were Christians, and he posed as a Christian godson to a government official.

1945: Survival of the Siege of Budapest

In 1945, George Soros survived the Siege of Budapest during which Soviet and German forces fought house-to-house through the city.

1947: Move to the United Kingdom

In 1947, George Soros moved to the United Kingdom after surviving the Nazi occupation of Hungary as a teenager.

1951: Bachelor of Science Degree

In 1951, Soros obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in philosophy from the London School of Economics.

1951: BSc in Philosophy

In 1951, Soros was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in philosophy from the London School of Economics.

1954: Master of Science Degree

In 1954, Soros earned a Master of Science degree, also in philosophy, from the London School of Economics.

1956: Moved to New York City

In 1956, George Soros moved to New York City and worked as an arbitrage trader for F. M. Mayer.

1960: Marriage to Annaliese Witschak

In 1960, George Soros married Annaliese Witschak, an ethnic German immigrant who had been orphaned during World War II.

1979: Soros Supports Dissidents in Eastern Europe

From 1979, George Soros began financially supporting dissidents in Eastern Europe, including Poland's Solidarity movement, Charter 77 in Czechoslovakia, and Andrei Sakharov in the Soviet Union, as an advocate of 'open societies'.

1980: Honorary Degree from University of Oxford

In 1980, George Soros received an honorary doctoral degree from the University of Oxford.

1983: Divorce from Annaliese Witschak

In 1983, George Soros and Annaliese Witschak divorced after being married since 1960.

1983: Marriage to Susan Weber

In 1983, George Soros married Susan Weber.

1984: Soros Founds First Open Society Institute in Hungary

In 1984, George Soros founded his first Open Society Institute in Hungary with a budget of $3 million, aiming to promote open societies and a free flow of ideas.

1988: Advice to the "No" campaign in Chile

In 1988, George Soros provided advice and support, including crucial data and studies, to the "No" campaign in the Chilean plebiscite, as stated by his friend Máximo Pacheco Matte. This support was instrumental in creating the campaign's influential television program and securing victory.

1991: Honorary Degree from Yale University

In 1991, George Soros received a Doctor of Humane Letters from Yale University.

1995: Honorary Degree from University of Bologna

In 1995, George Soros received an honorary laurea degree in economics from the University of Bologna.

1998: Statement on Religious Beliefs

In 1998, George Soros stated in an interview with CBS News that he was not religious and did not believe in God.

2000: Improving the image of Ricardo Lagos

In 2000, George Soros sought to improve the image of Ricardo Lagos, who was a presidential candidate at the time, among business circles.

2003: Soros Donates to Defeat President Bush

Until the 2003-2004 election cycle, Soros had not been a large donor to U.S. political campaigns. During the 2003-2004 election cycle, he donated $23,581,000 to 527 Groups aimed at defeating President George W. Bush.

2004: Soros Donates to Defeat President Bush

Until the 2004 United States presidential election, Soros had not been a large donor to U.S. political campaigns. During the 2003-2004 election cycle, he donated $23,581,000 to 527 Groups aimed at defeating President George W. Bush.

2005: Divorce from Susan Weber

In 2005, George Soros and Susan Weber divorced.

2006: Meeting with Mahathir Mohamad

In 2006, Mahathir Mohamad met with George Soros and subsequently stated that he accepted that Soros had not been responsible for the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

2006: Discussion at Los Angeles World Affairs Council

In 2006, Soros discussed his early career and how he transitioned from an immigrant to a financier at the Los Angeles World Affairs Council.

2008: Meeting Tamiko Bolton

In 2008, George Soros met Tamiko Bolton, who he would later marry.

September 27, 2012: Soros Donates to Priorities USA Action

On September 27, 2012, Soros donated $1 million to Priorities USA Action, a super PAC supporting President Barack Obama's reelection.

September 21, 2013: Marriage to Tamiko Bolton

On September 21, 2013, George Soros married Tamiko Bolton.

October 2013: Soros Joins Ready for Hillary Finance Committee

In October 2013, Soros donated $25,000 to Ready for Hillary, becoming a co-chairman of the super PAC's national finance committee.

June 2015: Soros Donates to Priorities USA Action Supporting Hillary Clinton

In June 2015, Soros donated $1 million to the Super PAC Priorities USA Action, which supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race.

December 2015: Soros Donates $6 Million to Priorities USA Action

In December 2015, Soros donated $6 million to the Super PAC Priorities USA Action, supporting Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race.

August 2016: Soros Donates $2.5 Million to Priorities USA Action

In August 2016, Soros donated $2.5 million to the Super PAC Priorities USA Action, which supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race.

2016: Soros Donates to Criminal Justice Reform Proponents

Since 2016, George Soros has donated sums exceeding $1 million to the campaigns of progressive criminal justice reform proponents through the Safety and Justice PAC in local district attorney elections.

2017: Soros Funds Larry Krasner's Campaign

In 2017, Larry Krasner was elected as the District Attorney of Philadelphia with the help of a $1.5 million ad campaign funded by George Soros.

May 16, 2018: Open Society Foundations Announces Move from Budapest to Berlin

On May 16, 2018, George Soros's Open Society Foundations announced they would move its office from Budapest to Berlin, citing an "increasingly repressive" environment in Hungary.

July 2019: Soros Donates to Democracy PAC

By July 2019, Soros had donated $5.1 million to Democracy PAC for the 2020 election cycle.

July 2020: Donation to Bard College

In July 2020, George Soros donated $100 million to Bard College to support the Center for Civic Engagement initiatives and the Open Society University Network.

2020: Soros Supports George Gascón and Kim Foxx Campaigns

In 2020, George Soros was the largest donor supporting George Gascón for Los Angeles County District Attorney and gave $2 million to a PAC supporting Kim Foxx's campaign for Cook County State's Attorney.

2020: Soros Donates to Joe Biden's Presidential Campaign

In the second quarter of 2020, George Soros donated at least $500,000 to presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, becoming one of the campaign's largest donors.

2020: Soros Launches Democracy PAC

Soros launched a new super PAC called Democracy PAC for the 2020 election cycle, donating $5.1 million to it by July 2019.

April 2021: Pledge to Bard College Endowment

In April 2021, George Soros pledged $500 million to the endowment of Bard College, marking one of the largest donations ever made to higher education in the United States.

August 2021: Donation to the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College

In August 2021, George Soros donated $25 million to the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College.

September 2022: Additional Donation to Bard College

In September 2022, George Soros made an additional $25 million donation to Bard College.

2022: Real Estate Holdings in 2022

As of 2022, George Soros owned homes on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, in The Hamptons on Long Island, and in Katonah, New York, within Westchester County.

2022: Soros was the largest donor to the Democratic Party in the election cycle

For the 2022 United States elections, Soros was the country's largest donor. He donated $128.5 million to support the Democratic Party in the election cycle.