Csaba Könczöl (1947–2004) was a Hungarian essayist, translator, editor, and opposition activist. Between 1965 and 1970 he studied Hungarian and Russian language and literature at the Loránd Eötvös University, and he was a member of the József Eötvös College. In 1967–1968 he was a student at the Lomonosov University in Moscow. He played an important role in the student movement in 1969: he was the founder and editor of the quickly censored and then banned university periodical Kari Híradó (Faculty News). Between 1970 and 1971 he was an editor at Magvető Publisher, then he worked at the Budapest History Museum until 1975. He was under police surveillance from 1973 to 1977. From 1975 to 1980 he was a freelance translator; between 1981 and 1984 he was a librarian at the Gorky State Library. From 1976 he was a member of the democratic opposition. From 1984 to 1986 he worked at the Newspaper Publishing Company. Between 1984 and 1985 he was a guest lecturer at the Janus Pannonius University of Pécs. He was a founding member of the Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ) in 1988. He was a co-worker at the periodical Hiány (Deficit, 1989–1994) and at Népszabadság (Free People, 1990–1997).