Fidél Pálffy
Encyclopedia
Count Fidél Pálffy de Erdőd (6 May 1895, Szentgyörgy
/Svätý Jur
– 2 March 1946, Budapest
) was a Hungarian nobleman
who emerged as a leading supporter of Nazism
in Hungary
.
before returning to Hungary, where he was left bankrupt
by the Great Depression of 1929.
in 1933 and later merged it with two similar groups under Sándor Festetics and Zoltán Meskó
. By 1935 Pálffy had assumed sole control of this group, although it failed to prosper as support drifted to Gyula Gömbös
. Devoid of influence, Pálffy turned to Germany and became an agent of the RSHA
. Seeking to regain the initiative he worked variously with László Baky
and Ferenc Szálasi
in an attempt to launch a pro-German party. He finally achieved this goal in 1941 by relaunching the Hungarian National Socialist Party
with Baky, although the party was considered conservative when compared to the Arrow Cross Party
.
during his work on behalf of the SS in Budapest
. Ultimately, as Minister of Agriculture during the period of Nazi dominance, Pálffy was held to be guilty of collaboration
and was hanged for treason
in March 1946. His execution did prove somewhat controversial however as, beyond his pro-nazi writings and his membership of Szálasi's government there was little evidence of any crimes he had committed. Nonethelss Pálffy was one of the first members of the government to face trial and so the freshness of case, as well as his status as a member of one of the country's leading noble families, counted against him and so he was sent to the gallows.
Szentgyörgy
The Hungarian name Szentgyörgy can refer to:*Sväty Jur in Slovakia*Sfântu Gheorghe in Romania*Szentgyörgymező, Esztergom, Hungary...
/Svätý Jur
Svätý Jur
Svätý Jur is a small town northeast of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. The name means Saint George. Between 1960 and 1990, the Communist government forced the town to use a "non-religious" name Jur pri Bratislave. Svätý Jur has a population of almost 5,000.-Geography:Svätý Jur is situated in...
– 2 March 1946, 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 nobleman
Nobility and royalty of the Kingdom of Hungary
This article deals with titles of the nobility and royalty of the Kingdom of Hungary.-Earlier usage :Before the accession of the Habsburgs, the nobility was structured according to the offices held in the administration of the Kingdom...
who emerged as a leading supporter of Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
in Hungary
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...
.
Early life
After service in the First World War he lived on an estate in CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
before returning to Hungary, where he was left bankrupt
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
by the Great Depression of 1929.
Pro-Nazi activity
He founded a group called the Hungarian National Socialist PartyHungarian National Socialist Party
The Hungarian National Socialist Party was a political epithet adopted by a number of minor Nazi parties in Hungary before the Second World War.-Early National Socialist groups:The initial HNSP was organised in the 1920s, but did not gain any influence...
in 1933 and later merged it with two similar groups under Sándor Festetics and Zoltán Meskó
Zoltán Meskó
Zoltán Meskó de Széplak was a leading Hungarian Nazi during the 1930s. He led his own Nazi movement during the early 1930s but faded from the political scene when Hungary became a member of the Axis powers....
. By 1935 Pálffy had assumed sole control of this group, although it failed to prosper as support drifted to Gyula Gömbös
Gyula Gömbös
Gyula Gömbös de Jákfa was the conservative prime minister of Hungary from 1932 to 1936.-Background:Gömbös was born in the Tolna County village of Murga, Hungary, which had a mixed Hungarian and ethnic German population. His father was the village schoolmaster. The family belonged to the ...
. Devoid of influence, Pálffy turned to Germany and became an agent of the RSHA
RSHA
The RSHA, or Reichssicherheitshauptamt was an organization subordinate to Heinrich Himmler in his dual capacities as Chef der Deutschen Polizei and Reichsführer-SS...
. Seeking to regain the initiative he worked variously with László Baky
László Baky
László Baky was a leading member of the Hungarian Nazi movement that flourished before and during World War II....
and Ferenc Szálasi
Ferenc Szálasi
Ferenc Szálasi was the leader of the National Socialist Arrow Cross Party – Hungarist Movement, the "Leader of the Nation" , being both Head of State and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Hungary's "Government of National Unity" for the final three months of Hungary's participation in World War II...
in an attempt to launch a pro-German party. He finally achieved this goal in 1941 by relaunching the Hungarian National Socialist Party
Hungarian National Socialist Party
The Hungarian National Socialist Party was a political epithet adopted by a number of minor Nazi parties in Hungary before the Second World War.-Early National Socialist groups:The initial HNSP was organised in the 1920s, but did not gain any influence...
with Baky, although the party was considered conservative when compared to 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...
.
World War II activism and execution
Pálffy was considered to be a suitable candidate to lead Hungary by the SS, although ultimately the choice was not approved. He also became an important contact for Wilhelm HöttlWilhelm Höttl
Wilhelm Höttl or Hoettl was an Austrian Nazi Party member, SS officer, secret agent, author and doctor of history....
during his work on behalf of the SS 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...
. Ultimately, as Minister of Agriculture during the period of Nazi dominance, Pálffy was held to be guilty of collaboration
Collaboration
Collaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, — for example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing...
and was hanged for treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
in March 1946. His execution did prove somewhat controversial however as, beyond his pro-nazi writings and his membership of Szálasi's government there was little evidence of any crimes he had committed. Nonethelss Pálffy was one of the first members of the government to face trial and so the freshness of case, as well as his status as a member of one of the country's leading noble families, counted against him and so he was sent to the gallows.