Journalist and editor, historian, literary translator.
He is one of the most outstanding, often quoted historians, who were born in Temesvár (Timisoara), in the Józsefváros (Iosefin) district. He completes his studies in his native town, at the charitable high-school in 1915, and then he attends the classes of Philosophy at the University of Science in Cluj. As he interrupts his upper studies, he becomes a journalist in Timisoara. In 1918 he works with Délmagyarország, a Christian socialist daily newspaper, he is a co-worker at the Temesvári Újság, he is one of the initiators and employee of Die Zeit – subsequently Der Morgen – . In summer 1920 the Episcopal Church from Cenad sells the paper although it has 7400 contributors.
In Bucharest he obtains the approval for the promotion of a new daily paper, the Bánsági Hírlap, but the local authorities represent an obstacle in the process. In Timisoara, between 1921 and 1922, he is the owner and main editor of the weekly A Hét paper, then between 1921 and 1924 he is the editor of the Socialist Mission Society’s paper, of the Ifjúság colourful magazine, while in 1933 he is the main editor of the weekly Katolikus Munkáslap. In the meantime he works for different Hungarian and German papers – Schwäbische Volkpresse, Bánáti Hírlap, Temesvári Hírlap – and is the correspondent of more Transylvanian newspapers. In the 1920s and 1930s he is the employee, editor and reporter of the Temesvárer Zeitung, then he works for the Erdélyi Lapok from Oradea, as a correspondent from Timisoara.
He edits numerous complex historical articles, reports and studies in German and Hungarian, in the newspapers, magazines, annuals and calendars between the two World Wars.
At the beginning of the 30s, he is the member, both of the Transylvanian „Pázmány Péter” Society and of the Transylvanian Catholic Academy. He takes distance from the Pan-German attempts and conceptual realms. He signs his German articles and his books with his official forename.
After the abolishment of the Temesvarer Zeitung, in 1939 led by Lovas Antal, then by Lovas Miklós, during the Second World War, he becomes the employee of the „Magyar Népközösség” Society in Banat. He manages, processes, organises and registers the stock of the Hungarian House’s Library, whose list he also publishes. He publishes his articles and studies in the Magyar Kisebbség, and Déli Hírlap papers, as well as in Bánsági Magyar Népnaptár – where he accepts the editorial task.
As an intellectual leader from South Transylvania, in 1944 he is taken to the internist camp from Târgu Jiu where, as the 44. prisoner, he collaborates in the publication of the single copy of the Rab-Szocialista. His camp writings are also published by other papers. After he is released, he returns to Timisoara where, between 1944 and 1949 he edits reports, political articles and historical writings in the Temesvarer Zeitung.
He is interested not only in suggesting the past of Timisoara town by using official data or correct information, but also in the colourful and emotional description of it’s novel-like atmosphere, it’s special and interesting events, characters and stories. He does not write meaningless dissertations or historical studies, but interesting, essential details and information, sensational realities regarding the history of the place.
His creation: Karl May: Feltámadás (translation, 1922); Die 150-jährige Temesvar-Josefstädter Pfarre (1925); Die letzte Belagerung Temesvars (1929); Unser Alt-Temesvár (1937); A Temeschburg név a történelem tükrében (1941); Régi idők, régi em-berek (1941).
Schiff Béla dies on September 18, 1950. in Timisoara. Today, his books, newspapers and magazines represent inevitable sources of information in the historians’ writings dealing with the historical and documentary aspect of Timisoara.
