Civil War Scholar and Gettysburg College Professor Gabor Boritt Dies at 86

Boritt founded the Civil War Institute and helped establish the prestigious Lincoln Prize.

Feb. 5, 2026 at 11:47pm

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Gabor S. Boritt, a history professor at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania who wrote extensively about the Civil War and President Abraham Lincoln, has died at the age of 86. Boritt, a Hungarian immigrant who survived World War II and the Hungarian Revolution, joined the Gettysburg College faculty in 1981 and founded the Civil War Institute. He also helped establish the $50,000 Lincoln Prize for Civil War scholarship.

Why it matters

Boritt was a renowned Civil War scholar who played a key role in preserving the legacy of the Battle of Gettysburg and advancing the study of Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War era. His passing marks the end of an era for Gettysburg College and the broader Civil War historical community.

The details

Boritt was born in Budapest in 1940 and survived World War II, though some of his relatives were killed in the Auschwitz Nazi death camp. After the Hungarian Revolution was crushed in 1956, he immigrated to the United States, where he worked in a New York hat factory before earning a history doctorate from Boston University. Boritt taught at several universities before joining the faculty at Gettysburg College in 1981, where he founded the Civil War Institute and helped establish the prestigious Lincoln Prize.

  • Boritt died on Monday, February 6, 2026 in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.
  • A documentary about Boritt's life, 'Budapest to Gettysburg,' will be screened on February 12, 2026 - Abraham Lincoln's birthday.

The players

Gabor S. Boritt

A history professor at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania who wrote extensively about the Civil War and President Abraham Lincoln. He founded the Civil War Institute and helped establish the Lincoln Prize.

Jake Boritt

Gabor Boritt's son, who created a documentary about his father's life titled 'Budapest to Gettysburg.'

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

What’s next

A screening of 'Budapest to Gettysburg,' the documentary about Boritt's life, will be held on February 12, 2026 in Gettysburg.

The takeaway

Gabor Boritt's legacy as a renowned Civil War scholar and his contributions to preserving the history of the Battle of Gettysburg will continue to inspire future generations of historians and students.