Ferenc Szombathelyi
Encyclopedia
Vitéz Ferenc Szombathelyi (né Knausz or Knauz; 17 May 1887 - 4 November 1946) was a Hungarian
military officer, who served as Chief of Army Staff during the Second World War.
and was promoted to lieutenant in 1907 infantry regiment No. 16. From 1911 he studied at the k.u.k.
War School in Vienna
. After participating in the First World War he joined the newly founded Royal Hungarian Army. From 1926 he taught at the Ludovica Military Academy
in Budapest
. From 1931 to 1933 he was then Chief of Staff of the 3rd mixed brigade adjutant from 1935 to 1936 of the High Command of the armed forces until 1938 and then commander of the Ludovica Academy. From 1934 he used the surname of his mother instead of his German name.
From 1938 to 1939 he held the post of deputy chief of staff. From 1939 to 1941 he commanded the VIII Corps, before he was appointed commanding general of the "Carpathian group" (Kárpát Csoport), with which he took part in Operation Barbarossa
. On 6 September he was appointed by Regent Miklós Horthy
, to succeed the pro-German Henrik Werth
as Chief of General Staff. Szombathelyi assessed the prospects of war with the Soviet Union
, skeptical, and did not know that to leave his German counterpart. Shortly after his appointment, he was present at the meeting between Hitler and Horthy, when he promised to send more troops. He hesitated but beyond this measure successfully, to prevent it was no longer following the setback of the German army
in the winter of 1941/42 and the increased commitment of Romanian. In April 1942 he sent the Second Army of Gusztáv Jány on the Eastern Front
. Previously, he was in reaction to alleged attacks of communist partisans and Chetniks in the annexed Batschka arranged an intervention by the military under General Ferenc Feketehalmy-Czeydner
, which evolved into a criminal action against Serb-inhabited villages and culminated in the massacre of Novi Sad
.
In response to the catastrophic defeats of the second Army in the winter of 1942/43 (→ Operation Ostrogoschsk-Rossosh) tried to Hungary more and more to take away from his Axis
partner. Szombathelyi of the proposed use and of Hitler greeted by Hungarian divisions to garrison purposes in the Balkans as a substitute for the failure of the second Army was rejected by Prime Minister
Miklós Kállay
. There have been initiated contacts with the Western powers, which was next to Kállay, Szombathelyi also played a leading role. After the German invasion of Hungary in April 1944 Szombathelyi was removed from office and placed under house arrest. He was arrested in October 1944 after the Arrow Cross Party
took power. Szombathelyi was deported to Germany, then taken into custody by the Americans, however they delivered to Hungary shortly. He was convicted by the Hungarian people's court to life imprisonment, then extradited to Yugoslavia
. The Yugoslav authorities, because of his involvement in the massacre of Novi Sad, brought him to justice and executed by hanging in November 1946. The Hungarian sentence against Szombathelyi was canceled in 1994.
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...
military officer, who served as Chief of Army Staff during the Second World War.
Military career
Knausz joined in 1902 as a cadet in the Austro-Hungarian armyAustro-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...
and was promoted to lieutenant in 1907 infantry regiment No. 16. From 1911 he studied at the k.u.k.
K.u.k.
The German phrase kaiserlich und königlich , typically abbreviated as k. u. k., k. und k. , or k. & k., refers to the Court of the Habsburgs in a broader historical perspective . Some modern authors restrict its use to the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary from 1867 to 1918...
War School in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. After participating in the First World War he joined the newly founded Royal Hungarian Army. From 1926 he taught at the Ludovica Military Academy
Ludovica Military Academy
The Royal Hungarian Ludovica Defense Academy , shortened to Ludovica or Ludovica Academy, was Hungary's officer cadets training institute prior to 1945. The main edifice of the Academy was erected in 1836 at the Ludovica Garden, in the centrally located VIIIth district...
in 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...
. From 1931 to 1933 he was then Chief of Staff of the 3rd mixed brigade adjutant from 1935 to 1936 of the High Command of the armed forces until 1938 and then commander of the Ludovica Academy. From 1934 he used the surname of his mother instead of his German name.
From 1938 to 1939 he held the post of deputy chief of staff. From 1939 to 1941 he commanded the VIII Corps, before he was appointed commanding general of the "Carpathian group" (Kárpát Csoport), with which he took part in Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
. On 6 September he was appointed by Regent Miklós Horthy
Miklós Horthy
Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya was the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary during the interwar years and throughout most of World War II, serving from 1 March 1920 to 15 October 1944. Horthy was styled "His Serene Highness the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary" .Admiral Horthy was an officer of the...
, to succeed the pro-German Henrik Werth
Henrik Werth
Henrik Werth was a Hungarian military officer, who served as Chief of Army Staff during the Second World War.-References:*...
as Chief of General Staff. Szombathelyi assessed the prospects of war with 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....
, skeptical, and did not know that to leave his German counterpart. Shortly after his appointment, he was present at the meeting between Hitler and Horthy, when he promised to send more troops. He hesitated but beyond this measure successfully, to prevent it was no longer following the setback of the German army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
in the winter of 1941/42 and the increased commitment of Romanian. In April 1942 he sent the Second Army of Gusztáv Jány on the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
. Previously, he was in reaction to alleged attacks of communist partisans and Chetniks in the annexed Batschka arranged an intervention by the military under General Ferenc Feketehalmy-Czeydner
Ferenc Feketehalmy-Czeydner
Vitéz Ferenc Feketehalmy-Czeydner was a Hungarian military officer, who had a significant role in the Novi Sad massacre during the Second World War.-Military career:...
, which evolved into a criminal action against Serb-inhabited villages and culminated in the massacre of Novi Sad
Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....
.
In response to the catastrophic defeats of the second Army in the winter of 1942/43 (→ Operation Ostrogoschsk-Rossosh) tried to Hungary more and more to take away from his Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
partner. Szombathelyi of the proposed use and of Hitler greeted by Hungarian divisions to garrison purposes in the Balkans as a substitute for the failure of the second Army was rejected by Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Miklós Kállay
Miklós Kállay
Dr. Miklós Kállay de Nagykálló was a Hungarian politician who served as Prime Minister of Hungary during World War II, from 9 March 1942 to 19 March 1944....
. There have been initiated contacts with the Western powers, which was next to Kállay, Szombathelyi also played a leading role. After the German invasion of Hungary in April 1944 Szombathelyi was removed from office and placed under house arrest. He was arrested in October 1944 after the Arrow Cross Party
Arrow Cross Party
The Arrow Cross Party was a national socialist party led by Ferenc Szálasi, which led in Hungary a government known as the Government of National Unity from October 15, 1944 to 28 March 1945...
took power. Szombathelyi was deported to Germany, then taken into custody by the Americans, however they delivered to Hungary shortly. He was convicted by the Hungarian people's court to life imprisonment, then extradited to Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. The Yugoslav authorities, because of his involvement in the massacre of Novi Sad, brought him to justice and executed by hanging in November 1946. The Hungarian sentence against Szombathelyi was canceled in 1994.