Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - An haifi Szokolyi a ranar 9 ga Yuni 1871 a Rónicz, Masarautar Hungary (yanzu Hronec, Slovakia) a matsayin ɗan fari na József Szokoly, injiniya da Emília Holub. A lokacin da yake da shekaru 3, iyayensa marasa iyaye, Alajos Schőnn, wani tsohon soja na juyin juya halin Hungary na 1848 ya karbe shi
da Amália Szokoly, 'yar'uwar mahaifin Alajos. Szokolyi ya tafi makarantar sakandare a Ipolyság (Šahy), daga baya ya kammala makarantar sakandare a Selmecbánya (Banská Štiavnica) da Léva (Levice). Ya yi fice tare da baiwarsa tun a makarantar sakandare, kasancewar an zabi shi a matsayin "mafi kyawun wasan motsa jiki na makaranta" yayin da yake aji na huɗu. An kuma ba shi lambar yabo a kai a kai a gasar wasan motsa jiki na makarantar. A cikin 1887 Szokolyi tare da danginsa sun ƙaura daga Ipolyság zuwa sabon gidan su a Bernece, yana kwance a gefen gefen kogin Ipoly. Shekaru biyu bayan haka ya shiga makarantar likita a Budapest.