Ferenc Münnich
Encyclopedia
Ferenc Münnich ˈfɛrɛnts ˈmynːiç (born 18 November 1886, Seregélyes
– 29 November 1967, Budapest
) was a Hungarian
Communist politician who served as Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the People's Republic of Hungary
from 1958 to 1961.
He served in the Austro-Hungarian Army
in World War I, and fought in the Eastern front
. He was captured in 1915, then deported to a lager in Tomsk
, Siberia
.
In 1918, he was freed and returned to Hungary. He participated in the government of the 1919 Hungarian Soviet Republic
.
He fought in the Spanish Civil War
and was commissar of Rakosi Battalion
of XIII International Brigade
He joined the Hungarian Communist Party
in October 1945. After World War II, he returned from exile and became a chief police superintendent of Budapest
. In 1956 Hungarian Revolution
, first he was officially part of the Imre Nagy
government, serving as interior minister
from 27 to 31 October, then fled to Soviet Union. He returned with János Kádár
and served as a minister in his "Revolutionary Worker-Peasant Government". On 4 November 1956 he was restored to his position as interior minister and also became defense minister, holding these positions until 1 March 1957. A couple of months later, he organized the Worker's Militia
. In 1965 and 1967, he was decorated with the Lenin award of the Soviet Union
.
Seregélyes
Seregélyes is a village in Fejér county, Hungary.- External links :*...
– 29 November 1967, Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
) was a Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
Communist politician who served as Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the People's Republic of Hungary
Council of Ministers of the People's Republic of Hungary
The Council of Ministers of the People's Republic of Hungary was created following the founding of the People's Republic of Hungary. Along with the state itself, it was dissolved on 23 October 1989...
from 1958 to 1961.
He served in the Austro-Hungarian Army
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
in World War I, and fought in the Eastern front
Eastern Front (World War I)
The Eastern Front was a theatre of war during World War I in Central and, primarily, Eastern Europe. The term is in contrast to the Western Front. Despite the geographical separation, the events in the two theatres strongly influenced each other...
. He was captured in 1915, then deported to a lager in Tomsk
Tomsk
Tomsk is a city and the administrative center of Tomsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Tom River. One of the oldest towns in Siberia, Tomsk celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2004...
, Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
.
In 1918, he was freed and returned to Hungary. He participated in the government of the 1919 Hungarian Soviet Republic
Hungarian Soviet Republic
The Hungarian Soviet Republic or Soviet Republic of Hungary was a short-lived Communist state established in Hungary in the aftermath of World War I....
.
He fought in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
and was commissar of Rakosi Battalion
Rakosi Battalion
The Rakosi Battalion was a volunteer unit, formed predominantly of Hungarians, who fought in the XIII International Brigade during the Spanish Civil War .-Prominent veterans:...
of XIII International Brigade
XIII International Brigade
This article is about the 13th International Brigade - often known as the XIII Dabrowski Brigade - which fought for the Spanish Second Republic in the Spanish Civil War in the International Brigades. The brigade was dissolved and then reformed on four occasions.-1st Formation :The brigade was first...
He joined the Hungarian Communist Party
Hungarian Communist Party
The Communist Party of Hungary , renamed Hungarian Communist Party in 1945, was founded on November 24, 1918, and was in power in Hungary briefly from March to August 1919 under Béla Kun and the Hungarian Soviet Republic. The communist government was overthrown by the Romanian Army and driven...
in October 1945. After World War II, he returned from exile and became a chief police superintendent of Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. In 1956 Hungarian Revolution
1956 Hungarian Revolution
The Hungarian Revolution or Uprising of 1956 was a spontaneous nationwide revolt against the government of the People's Republic of Hungary and its Soviet-imposed policies, lasting from 23 October until 10 November 1956....
, first he was officially part of the Imre Nagy
Imre Nagy
Imre Nagy was a Hungarian communist politician who was appointed Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the People's Republic of Hungary on two occasions...
government, serving as interior minister
Interior minister
An interior ministry is a government ministry typically responsible for policing, national security, and immigration matters. The ministry is often headed by a minister of the interior or minister of home affairs...
from 27 to 31 October, then fled to Soviet Union. He returned with János Kádár
János Kádár
János Kádár was a Hungarian communist leader and the General Secretary of the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party, presiding over the country from 1956 until his forced retirement in 1988. His thirty-two year term as General Secretary makes Kádár the longest ruler of the People's Republic of Hungary...
and served as a minister in his "Revolutionary Worker-Peasant Government". On 4 November 1956 he was restored to his position as interior minister and also became defense minister, holding these positions until 1 March 1957. A couple of months later, he organized the Worker's Militia
Worker's Militia
Following the quelled Revolution in Hungary , the Revolutionary Worker's and Peasant's Government ordered on February 18, 1957 the formation of the Workers' Militia . It replaced the counter-revolutionary regime's special police force...
. In 1965 and 1967, he was decorated with the Lenin award of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.