February 4, 2026
Dear Colleagues,
It is with deep sadness that Gettysburg College and the Civil War Institute mourn the loss of Dr. Gabor Boritt, Fluhrer Professor of Civil War Era Studies and Director of the Civil War Institute Emeritus.
Dr. Boritt was known and loved by many throughout our community. In his nearly three decades at the College, Boritt was a beloved teacher and mentor to generations of Gettysburg students. A renowned scholar of the American Civil War and the life of President Abraham Lincoln, Boritt’s impressive list of publications positioned him at the forefront of his field—and his distinguished presence on our faculty helped draw young historians to the College at a time of change and growth in our institution’s history.
Dr. Boritt had a truly inspiring personal story and was a witness to some of the most transformational events of the 20th century. Born in Budapest during World War II, his family was involved in resisting the Nazi occupation of Hungary and, as a teenager, Boritt participated in the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. Following brutal Soviet crackdowns, he and his sister fled to Austria and then to the United States. His journey—one marked by courage and conscience—shaped both his worldview and scholarship.
Upon earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in South Dakota, Dr. Boritt received his Ph.D. from Boston University in 1968. After serving in Vietnam, he worked at the University of Michigan and published his first book, Lincoln and the Economics of the American Dream (1978).
President Lincoln and the Civil War drew Dr. Boritt to Gettysburg College in 1981, where he became the Fluhrer Chair of Civil War Era Studies. He believed deeply that history should not remain behind classroom doors, but instead, be shared widely and generously. It was this belief that motivated Boritt to establish the Civil War Institute that same year.
In his role as director, Dr. Boritt launched the CWI Summer Conference—an annual event that brought leading historians in the field of Civil War Era Studies together with attendees from all walks of life, and all ages, with an interest in the Civil War. The summer conference, which continues today, is a testament to Boritt’s conviction that the study of the Civil War should be accessible to everyone.
Over his long and prestigious career, Dr. Boritt wrote and edited over a dozen books on Civil War history—many with the help of student researchers. His last monograph, The Gettysburg Gospel, was widely praised.
For his contributions to scholarship, Dr. Boritt was awarded the National Humanities Medal from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) by President George W. Bush in 2008. He also received the Order of Lincoln by the state of Illinois and the Richard Nelson Current Award of Achievement by the Lincoln Forum.
While he received many honors, those who knew him best remember Dr. Boritt’s humility and kind and generous spirit. His life was the subject of a documentary in 2007—From Budapest to Gettysburg—created by his son and friend of the College, Jake Boritt.
Dr. Boritt adored Gettysburg. He lived with his wife Liz and three sons in a restored farmhouse just outside of town. After his retirement in 2009, he continued to be an active member of this community and returned often to our CWI conference.
Looking back on his remarkable life, Dr. Boritt’s own words capture the depth of his love and fondness for our Gettysburg community:
“By late June it is usually warm, even hot in Gettysburg. In the night at our farm, fireflies glow in the dark, fleeting specks illuminating the woods and turning Marsh Greek into a pageant. In the daytime along the side of the road, orange tiger lilies proclaim their eternal message. My heart overflows; it is time to see old friends again, time to make new ones. It is time for the Gettysburg Civil War Institute.”
May Dr. Gabor Boritt, a true Gettysburgian, always be remembered.
Sincerely,
Bob Iuliano
President
Jamila Bookwala
Provost