József Pusztai

Born in Bellatincz, Muravidék, in Zala County of the Kingdom of Hungary (present-day Beltinci, Prekmurje, Slovenia), his parents were János Pozderecz and Franciska Nemecz.

His surname was modified to Pusztai because he thought of himself as a Hungarian and felt it was the duty of ethnic Slovenes to assimilate.

In Csáktornya (present-day Čakovec, Croatia) and Pécs he studied to be a teacher, graduating in 1883.

From 1889 until 1919 he worked in Mártonhely, near Muraszombat (present-day Martjanci, near Murska Sobota) where he wrote the first hymnal in Prekmurje Slovene.

He wrote articles for Muraszombat és Vidéke (Murska Sobota and District), for Értesítő in Szombathely, and for Dober pajdás (Good Friend) in Szentgotthárd.