Annaliese Witschak Is George Soros First Wife Who Shared His Arts Passion

Billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros is renowned for his successful career in finance and tireless dedication to social causes. But, not many knew of the woman who stood by his side in his early days in America— Annaliese Witschak, his first wife.

George Soros' first wife, Annaliese Witschak, shared his passion for the arts and stood by his side as he worked to build his fortune in America.

Annaliese Witschak is the former wife of Soros, a prominent Hungarian-American businessman and philanthropist who made his name as a hedge fund tycoon.

Soros managed client funds in New York for over four decades, accumulating a fortune of approximately $6.7 billion. His success is more than just in the finance industry.

His dedication to social causes through his Open Society Foundations is also noteworthy. As Soros built his wealth, Witschak shared his passion for the arts and was a constant source of support in his early days in America.

Annaliese Witschak Met George Soros Before He Made His Big Money

Soros and his family were forced to hide in the spring of 1944 to avoid being deported to a concentration camp by the Nazis. Three years later, in 1947, Soros left Hungary and immigrated to Great Britain. Nearly a decade later, in 1956, Soros moved to the United States.

Soros settled in New York, where she met Witschak. He worked hard to earn money, eventually purchasing a used Pontiac and renting his own beach house in the Hamptons.

Soros met Witschak at an outdoor concert at Tanglewood in the Berkshires, one of his early outings in America. She was a young and elegant German woman who immigrated to America as an orphan and war survivor.

With few ties to Germany, she came to New York to work for an insurance company, entering data on punch cards. Soros and Witschak, who shared interests in classical music and the arts, began dating and would spend weekends at the beach house together.

Soros was an avid sportsman and loved playing tennis, swimming, and skiing. One day, while playing tennis with Witschak, she, unfortunately, broke her leg.

Without hesitation, Soros took her to his apartment, where his parents took care of her. As she recovered, she formed a close bond with his family.

This bond grew stronger over time, and in 1959, Soros left his father's house and moved into Witschak's flat in Greenwich Village, which marked a new milestone in their relationship.

Annaliese Witschak Had Money to Have a Maid but Passionately Cooked for Herself

Soros and Witschak tied the knot in 1961. At that time, Soros was still employed at F. M. Mayer and resided in a modest apartment with his wife. During their marriage, Soros, a successful businessman and investor, spent most of his time on his work.

Nevertheless, Witschak remained optimistic that he would eventually place greater importance on his personal life once he had attained financial security.

Soros and Witschak had three children: Jonathan, Robert, and Andrea. Soros preferred not to invite business colleagues to his home, choosing to spend time with people like Francis Booth, an architect, and his wife, Patricia, a therapist.

Robert remembered that his father often talked about his wartime memories, how important it was to stay alive, and how he survived despite the conflict.

They often discussed literature, ideas, culture, and about their children. They frequently went out for dinner; during summers, the Booths often visited the Soros beach house.

Soros and his family lived a luxurious life enriched with artistic sensibilities. Their apartment with four bedrooms had a picturesque view of Central Park.

Soros went through a midlife crisis, resulting in dramatic changes in his life.

Their house was adorned with original artwork by Hungarian artists. Despite not hiring a chauffeur, they employed a maid, although Witschak enjoyed cooking herself.

George was passionate about food and savored a variety of cuisines, such as French, Italian, and Asian dishes. Robert and Andrea attended pricey boarding schools, and Jonathan attended private day school.

Although their lifestyle was comfortable, it was not overly luxurious. Despite his aversion to charity, he made a donation to a worthy cause.

There Were Several Reasons Annaliese Witschak Divorced With George Soros

Soros went through a midlife crisis, resulting in dramatic changes in his life. His desire for a more public life caused his 20-year marriage to Witschak to break down.

Witschak wanted more privacy, but Soros wanted a "grand persona." But, he then recognized his shortcomings as a father and sought therapy to deal with his own childhood traumas.

The strain of his troubled marriage affected his business despite the success of his fund in the late 1970s. Soros and Witschak separated in 1978.

On the day of his separation from his wife, Soros met Susan Weber. Subsequently, after he finalized his amicable divorce from Witschak in 1981, he married Weber in 1983.

Later on, Witschak led a private life. In 1997, according to the New York Times, she served on the board of Young Concert Artists Inc., a New York-based organization that offers resources and opportunities to gifted young classical musicians.

Additionally, she took pleasure in attending family events. Her notable public appearance was when she graced her son Jonathan's wedding to Jennifer Allan in 1997.

In 2000, Witschak also attended Soros' 70th birthday party at Southampton College, where he invited 500 friends and associates to a party themed after Hungarian music and dance.

Witschak and Soros seem to be friends still even though they are no longer together. They continue to support each other from a distance. However, after his marriage to Weber ended in 2005, Soros married his third and current wife, Tamiko Bolton, in 2013.

The former pair are among the celebrity couples who ended with amicable divorces, like Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, and Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin.