he grew up in largely rural hungary and served in the hungarian military during world war ii. when russia invaded hungary in april 1945, he and his family fled to allied-occupied austria and lived in a displaced persons camp for six years. in 1951, they emigrated to chicago, sponsored by the presbyterian church. within the year his former commanding officer suggested to the u.s. government that they hire bánáthy as a hungarian instructor at the army language school in monterey, california. while living in monterey, he founded the white stag leadership development program.