Chief of staff who blocked Horthy’s armistice in the army on 15 October 1944, later defence minister of the Provisional Government
Born in Csabrendek, he fought on the Russian and Italian fronts in the First World War and served as a general staff officer and War Academy instructor. When Germany occupied Hungary in March 1944 he was made colonel general and chief of the general staff for his pro-German reputation, and he consistently opposed resisting Germany. On 15 October he sent the army a “clarification” that the regent had merely announced armistice talks and the fighting must go on, undermining the armistice proclamation. After the Arrow Cross takeover he crossed to the Red Army at the end of October, became defence minister of the Provisional National Government in December and signed the armistice on 20 January 1945. Retired in 1946, he was arrested for espionage in 1949, sentenced to life and released in 1956.
Activities and affiliations
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1911–1946
Hungary state institutionsChief of the Hungarian General StaffMain
Military command -
1944–1945
Hungary state institutionsMinister of Defence
Government and administration
Career Timeline
- 1911Ensign in the Austro-Hungarian Common Army
- 1944.03.19Colonel general and chief of the general staff
- 1944.10.15Issues the “clarification” undoing the armistice proclamation
- 1944.10Crosses the front to the Red Army
- 1944.12.22–1945.11.15Defence minister of the Provisional National Government
- 1945.01.20Signs the armistice in Moscow
- 1949.03.25Arrested for espionage
- 1950.06.22Sentenced to life imprisonment
- 1956Released