Magyar Posta is marking the 125th anniversary of the establishment of Richter Gedeon Nyrt. by issuing a promotional personalised stamp. Thirty-five thousand copies of the definitive stamp with a label designed by Piroska Keserü using a photograph by Tamás Bujnovszky were produced by the banknote printing company Pénzjegynyomda Zrt. The new issue goes on sale at Filaposta, philately specialist services, certain post offices and www.posta.hu from 23 September 2026.
The history of Richter Gedeon Nyrt., which is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2026, unfolded from the story of an extraordinary life, the sense of mission of its founder, Gedeon Richter, and the commitment of the managers and staff who followed him in the successive generations, leading to the company today being one of the outstanding global success stories of Hungarian innovation.
Gedeon Richter, who lost his parents at a very young age, embarked on a career in pharmacy with the mission of finding cures for hitherto incurable diseases. After studying in Europe, in 1901, he purchased the Sas (Eagle) pharmacy on Budapest’s Üllői út. It was from its basement that theflagship of the Hungarian pharmaceutical industry was launched through pioneering research into organotherapy. Before long, Gedeon Richter’s ingenuity turned the laboratory into a pharmaceutical factory in Kőbánya, and through iconic products, such as Kalmopyrin, he had established a network covering five continents by the time of the Second World War. Although the vicissitudes of history deprived him of his company, Gedeon Richter remained faithful to his life’s work to the last. Instead of taking the opportunity of fleeing to Switzerland, he remained in Hungary, where he supported the operation of his factory in secret until his tragic martyrdom at the hands of the Arrow Cross regime in 1944. It is this intellectual and human legacy that also defines the company’s global presence today. The business that began in a Budapest pharmacy has evolved into a multinational company with a direct presence in over 50 countries and exporting its products to more than 100 countries. Its international market successes and its social commitment in Hungary are closely related: the company reinvests a considerable part of the profits generated in foreign markets in Hungary, thereby contributing to the development of the country’s economy. Furthermore, it devotes special attention to supporting healthcare, education and fostering the next generation of scientists in Hungary, as well as on implementing programmes that promote public awareness of preventive healthcare, and healthy habits and lifestyle. On the occasion of Richter’s 125th anniversary, the company continues to befittingly uphold its founder’s humanitarian approach and innovative legacy.
