Born on July 6 1924 in Budapest during father’s diplomatic/military mission there.

Father: Col Hugh Merton Graham MC, (Military Cross earned in Gallipoli) BritIntel, only Hungarian speaking General Staff Officer in the British Army, was part of an international effort to restore the legitimacy of the Magyar government following a Communist takeover sponsored by the USSR in 1919.  Of the Graem/Graham, Scotland’s premier clan’s Montrose branch. One of Douglass’ heroes is James, first Marquess of Montrose (of the Graem clan) hero of the Scottish resistance against English domination –  in 1650 publicly hanged in Edinburgh where now a statue memorializes his martyrdom.[See also section “Poet-painter.]

Mother: Ellen Charlotte, Baroness Podmaniczky of Aszod and Podmanin, descendent of an ancient protestant aristocratic family with records going back before the 14^th Century – supplied many distinguished contributors to society, incl. writers, poets, statesmen governors, astronomers and bishops. One of Douglass’ heroes is his great-great-uncle Baron Frederick b. 1824 whose career as a an officer resisting Habsburg domination of Hungary, P.O.W., founder and first director of the National Theater Budapest, Leader of the Liberal Party, Chairman Adria Insurance, and for decades Vice-Chairman of the Municipal Council of Budapest where a statue stands in his honor and whose achievements he tried to emulate in his own life. In fact many of his own: including resistance leader, P.O.W.., cavalry officer,  subsequently partner of pioneering  Wall Street investment bankers; founder of a top American art museum, mirror some of Baron Frederick’s a century earlier.

Papi:- Dr. Tibor Eckhardt

Profoundly influenced by him – the second husband of his mother she married when a one year baby. Charismatic leader of the Small-Holders Party, anti-Nazi activist, ambassador to the League of Nations – denounced their supine appeasement of Hitler – before the Nazi occupation of Hungary, fled to the USA at the invitation of FDR. When in 1946 the Small-Holders Party won a landslide election, he was nominated President of the Republic, promptly vetoed on the personal orders of Stalin. For more about their collaboration - see below.

Education:  at Piarist Fathers (BA in 1944), Vienna’s World Trade University, LSE, New York Institute of Finance – now N.Y.U. - (MBA 1958), Academy of Real-Estate Denver (Real-estate Broker License 1975)

Children

from marriage to Eva Dadanyi, of the royal house of Dadian of  Caucasian Georgia 

Robert, b.1947, Sandhurst graduate and BritIntel Officer

Christopher, b.1949, also Sandhurst graduate, honored with an M.B.E.

Anabel, b.1960, after Oxford, teacher at the Sorbonne Paris.

From marriage to Nancy Cromwell Smith:

Ian, b. 1962, Youth minister (M.A), photographer

From marriage to Linda Marie Ohlson

Isis Marina, b.1984 – Honor student, University of Colorado

Political/Military

Freedom is not free – in Her Majesty’s Service

Inextricably linked by virtue of his family heritage. B.A.(1942). Upon attaining majority, inherits considerable landed estates near Lake Balaton and the historic Podmaniczky townhouse in the heart of the Citadel district of Budapest. There is sheltered the glamorous Sally Perry, ‘under cover’ as governess  -- subsequently Sally, Duchess of Westminster – who with her sister, spy for the British (escape just a few days before Hungary is invaded by the Nazis). Joins a royalist anti-Nazi underground cell headed by the Marquess Pallavicini, who soon captured and executed by the Gestapo. Also arrested by the Gestapo and taken to Andrassy Street, notorious for exquisite torture practices  - released as able to convince his captors – he is deaf-mute/retarded. After a brief stint at a tabloid (Kis Ujsag) re-joins the top anti-Nazi hierarchy as senior editor the daily ‘Magyar Nemzet’ (Hungarian Nation) a post‘ ’vacated’ by his Papi , then in distant Washington DC – with automatic membership of general staff of Anti-Nazi underground forces – as youngest of 12, given the cover-name Benjamin – frequently signing his articles ‘B-n’.  Liaised with French (via Count Dampierre) and Polish underground (Prince Orlowski), getting Papi’s guidance via CIA’s Central-European rep and the Swiss Consulate in Budapest. His journalistic coup: first to report in Nazi-occupied European Continent the Allied invasion of June 1944.

During Nazi occupation, he saves the lives of Jews including Klari Rothschild’s (his mother was partner of Klari’s famed haute couture establishment in Budapest) favorite model by brazenly escorting her out of a SS guarded ghetto building – works with Swiss and Swedish diplomats, led by Count Wallenberg to save Jews and others. During the siege of Budapest – one million fanatic Germans and two Soviet-Ukrainian armies are engaged.

Soviet Tyranny: -  reports to Field-Marshall Malinowski’s HQ with data on German order of battle. Promptly arrested as Germany spy & when he verified his Allied credentials, interrogated personally by local chief of Soviet Intel – Colonel Yuri Andropov, later Supreme Leader of the USSR. – who sent him on a death-march under mounted guard to die in a gulag – the bitter realization sets in that humanity just jumped from the frying pan into the fire – exchanging  Fascist  terror with the even worse Communist  nightmare – with no end in sight. Escapes in snowstorm in January 1945 when the number of POWs in a moving column is reduced from 5,000 to 300. Rescued by Ukrainian peasant family.  After recovering from near fatal afflictions including gastric typhoid, he campaigns for Papi’s Small Holders Party, which wins a signal victory in 1946 in the only free elections held in Central Europe after the descent of the Iron Curtain.(see  the also ‘Political Life’) As leader of Small Holders Party, Papi is nominated president of the republic at a parliamentary session held in Debrecen. This was immediately vetoed by Marshall Voroshilov, Stalin’s crony and personal rep in Hungary. ( Papi  forcibly replaced by a more compliant elected deputy.)  He works with US and British members of the Allied Commission in Budapest.to stem the tempo of inevitable absolute Soviet domination. In 1946 the Foreign Office (London) sends a creaky Douglas (DC3) aircraft to airlift him to the UK when London determines his “safety can no longer be guaranteed”.

Royal Scots Dragoon Guards: - in 1946, advised by family friend Sir Thomas Moore CBE, Scottish MP, joins the Royal Scots Greys (Scotland’s premier regiment) then an armored unit, part of the famed Desert Rats Division – now renamed The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. Undergoes standard rigorous Special Forces training/boot-camp, including parachute jumping - soon on Intel duties where his five language skills come useful. Town-commander of the ancient Hanseatic city Lubeck, then near-total ruin - in between postings to the Austro-Hungarian and German-East-German border as chief counterintel officer to prevent infiltration of Soviet agents into Free Europe.  First to report the stunner: Stalin has the A-bomb – so confirmed by a defecting Magyar general he interrogates in Austria. Finds time to co-author official English-Hungarian and Hungarian-English Military Dictionary. Papi, now professor at Georgetown U., warned by  CIA that his son is likely to be on arch-traitor BritIntel chief Philby’s list of agents to be eliminated.

America!America! Long displeased by the War Office’s (London) shabby treatment, Papi’s urging gives him the final push to emigrate to the USA. “Best decision of my life”. Papi gets him involved to unify the large Magyar émigré population on the EastCoast..Pope John 23 for their efforts to create harmony among New York State’s large community of Hungarian Protestants, Catholics and Jews. Again, at Papi’s side - help raise over one million dollars for relief efforts under the banner “First Aid for Hungary. (Papi made this easier by securing the patronage of President Hoover,) during the 1956 historic Magyar revolt against Soviet occupation, again in Rockefeller’s gubernatorial campaigns. After Papi’s death in 1972, he suspends most political engagements until the cliffhanger presidential elections in Florida (see below)

 

>>>>>>>Military Works<<<<<<<

Many ‘top secret’ intel reports

The official English-Hungarian and Hungarian-English Military Dictionary co-authored by Major JHS Martin, published by War Office London, circa 1958.

 

Political Life

Serving Others

In 1945 actively campaigns nationwide for Papi-led Small-Holders (Peasant) Party, making as many as 3 speeches a day – the only free elections ever held behind the Iron Curtain. To the painful surprise of Soviet occupiers, Small-Holders achieve stunning electoral upset, winning some 60% of the popular vote.

In 1958 campaigns in New York State for Nelson Rockefeller, who wins governorship for 4 consecutive terms.

In  2004 campaigns for the Bush brothers in Florida.- gets a “Dear Douglas” letter of appreciation (with many others) from President George W. Bush dated Dec 21, 2004.

 

>>>>>>>Political Works<<<<<<<

“The Eastern question & the Strait of the Dardanelles” – private thesis with graphic  spread-sheet showing fluctuations between war & peace, circa 1946

 

Banking/Wall Street/Real Estate

Towards a Global Supermarket

Security analyst, senior security analyst, director of research, partner at R.W. Pressprich and Mitchell Hutchins, [1960] then co-founder of William D. Witter – an institutional research company. Pioneers concept of pairing a BUY recommendation with a SELL, a big hit (to this day) with the world’s great institutional clients - also first to initiate comprehensive research of all types of financial institutions beyond banking and insurance – mutual fund management companies, Fannie May and other then esoteric financial stocks, Also publishes regular economic forecasts – bests the best with accuracy of forecasts - Norman Stabler, financial editor of the New York Herald Tribune dubs him ‘Canny Scot Genius’. In 1955 organizes the Government Securities Committee of the Investment Association of New York, - offices at One Wall Street - with young tigers from top firms like Morgan Stanley, Salomon Bros and Smith Barney as members. Issues monthly reports on the state of the money markets to the Federal Reserve Board and US Treasury Department, Washington DC. -  annual visits to top officials in D.C. with members of his committee. Also becomes non-executive director of Midwestern Financial, a financial conglomerate in Denver, an association which lasts two decades. Fails to persuade management, and also the local United Bank, to become a model for a business plan he outlines in his pamphlet “The World’s First Financial Supermarket  (followed by many of the global financial heavyweights in the following decades, notably Citicorp) – both Midwestern and United prefer to sell out to larger competitors.

Upon Papi’s death and discouraged by increasing corruption in Wall Street, moves to Denver for a complete career change into art (see below) but continues his association with Midwestern Financial, as Chairman of the Executive Committee, organizes the International Bank of Colorado and becomes owner of a small bank in Lafayette, CO

In 1970 becomes managing real-estate realtor of a development company which converts the100 unit Cambridge Square into condos – first such project in the Rocky Mountain states – successfully completed in less than two years.

>>>>>>>Financial works<<<<<<<

Numerous research reports include. ‘The MacDonnell Corporation – Five Year Projections” which forms a basis of merger with Douglas Aircraft, circa 1961, The Money Market (updated monthly), advisory reports to the board of the Federal  Reserve & US Treasury Dept.

‘The World’s First Financial Supermarket” – circa 1965 – concept turned down by two financial institutions in Denver, including his own- monograph acquired by Citi Bank which followed the blueprint outlined there faithfully to our days.

Art collector/Museum founder.

Achieving Financial Independence for Art and Culture

Website: www.turnermuseum.org

Organizes in 1973 The Turner Museum as a 501(c)(3) public trust. Opens museum in a rejuvenated Victorian mansion [doubles as his home] in the Capitol Hill Historic District of Denver. Curates numerous art exhibits featuring JMW Turner, Thomas Moran & other masters. In 1980’s a pleasant surprise: The Turner listed, with 98 others, starting in 1989, in every ‘America’s Museums’ supplement of the prestigious Atlantic monthly featuring the top 99 American Art Museums [out of some 10,000]. "Douglass pioneered the concept and executed so successfully at The Turner
to present art to the public by appleaing to our five senses
SIMULTANEOUSLY". When properly applied, his concept to appeal to all our five senses simultaneously when presenting art to the public,  enables most non-profit museums to become financially independent.

>>>>>>>Art related works – Art Books and Catalogs<<<<<<<

Turner’s Rivers of France – New York

Hungarian Masters exhibitions [2 or 3]  – New York

Durer and Domjan [with Met Museum,] – New York – 1972

Turner and Moran – Denver

Turner’s Canines – Mount Vernon, IL

Turner’s Hand – The Master’s Touch – Denver

Genius Manifest - Denver

Flamenco Fusion – photographs of Candice Bevier Heredia – Denver

Catalog of works by JMW Turner at The Turner Museum, in five volumes – Denver

JMW Turner – a catalog of Touched Proofs & other Rarities in the author’s collection

Turner’s Angels – three venues in Colorado - with chamber music program

Turner’s Rainbows – Denver – with chamber music program & electronic projection of a rainbow across the Museum Galleries.

Turner’s Children – Denver – with chamber music program

Turner’s  Cosmic Optimism – 1982 – U.C. Boulder & Denver 1982/5. [ disgracefully downsized by an ultra-liberal faculty in favor of a major show honoring an arch-traitor]

Leslie Atkinson Carlson – A Body of Works  - Hillyard’s – Denver - 1982

Turner’s Powerful Allegories – with chamber music program

Five Master-classes in Art and Music – Turner’s Liber Studiorum – with chamber music         program

>>>>>>>>>All subsequent art exhibitions can be viewed/are available by visiting www.turnermuseum.org<<<<<<<<<<

@Turner and Renoir – with courtesy Nationalmuseum, Stockholm

@Triple Turner Treat - 2002

First Treat - Ascending Turner – his life ‘written’ by his art

Second Treat - The Adventures of an Intrepid Collector

Third Treat – The Complete Graphic Works of JMW Turner – a new chronological list

@Beautiful Scotland – Princely Turner – Partnership between Turner & Sir Walter Scott

@Birth of Engraving – Genius Unfolding

@Cosmic Moments

>>>>above 3 shows include details of all exhibited works

 called COSMIC MOMENTS – which materialize  by a click on the image<<<<

Introducing Turner to Florida – The Turner’s 30^th Anniversary Retrospective  - 2003

The Great Wave - Hokusai and Turner – 2007 –

see The Turner Museum Gift Shop on eBay

"Hokusai and Turner - 2007"
"Matisse and Turner - 2008 Prof. Selby Whittingam guest curator"

Moran and Turner – Mountainous Masterworks [in preparation]

NOTE - @ = currently exhibited /available – see www.turnermuseum.org

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Endnote<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Two major works: A Strong and Mighty Wind  and One Thousand Love Letters, do not fit conveniently into any of above categories of writings.