Pista Pipás

Viktória Fődi (February 23, 1882 – October 10, 1940), better known by his nickname Pipás Pista ("Pipe-smoking Steve"), was a Hungarian murderer and suspected serial killer responsible for at least two killings in Szeged in 1919 and 1922. A controversial, almost mythical figure in both contemporary and modern Hungary, he has been the subject of many books, plays and films dedicated to his case.

Early life Many conflicting accounts exist about Fődi's past, making it hard to distinguish which claims are fact and which are fiction. According to most, he was born circa 1886 in Szeged to impoverished farmers Lukács Fődi and Mária Tómbacz, but lived in and around Tompa for the majority of his life. His father was regarded as a violent alcoholic who frequently maltreated his family, leaving his young child with a great resentment towards men who acted like him. At the age of 13, in order to alleviate their debts, Fődi's parents sold him to work as a housemaid in Turócszentmárton, where he would pick up smoking as a regular habit.

Despite being considered an oddball by locals, Fődi, or Pipás Pista as he was known to most, was respected for his job as a day laborer and praised for his strong work ethic. The psychedelic folk metal band Virrasztók featured a song dedicated to Pipás Pista in their 2011 album Memento Mori!. In addition, the band All Inclusive Delicates made a ballad about the case. The 2025 Hungarian film Mayflies (Pipás in Hungary), directed by Emília Goldberg, depicts Pipás Pista's time in prison and a fictionalized story of love and companionship with Irma, the daughter of the prison pastor, who teaches him to read and write.