Hungarian First Army
Encyclopedia
The Hungarian First Army was a Hungarian field army which saw action during World War II
.
, Hungary
was an Axis
state at the beginning of the Europe
an conflict. On 1 March 1940, the small Hungarian Army formed three field armies. All three Hungarian armies were to ultimately see action on the Eastern Front
against the Red Army
. But, unlike the Hungarian Third Army
which took part in the invasion of Yugoslavia
(1941) and the Hungarian Second Army
that fought at the Battle of Stalingrad
(1942), the Hungarian First Army did not see much combat at the start of the war.
The troops of the Hungarian First Army, like all Hungarian troops, were part of the one-million-plus non-German Axis troops on the Eastern Front
. While the majority of these Axis troops were Romanian
, there were also significant contingents of Hungarians, Finns, Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians, Italians, Slovakians, Croatians, Frenchmen, Danes, Norwegians, Belgians, and Spaniards.
. This region of Romania was awarded to Hungary as a condition of the Second Vienna Award.
From 1940 to mid-1944, the Hungarian First Army saw little action other than occupation duties.
in May 1944. The Hungarians were placed in defensive positions north of the Romanian Fourth Army
and south of Army Group North Ukraine.
From 13 July to 29 July 1944, the Hungarian First Army fought against the Soviet Lvov-Sandomierz Offensive
. At this time the Hungarians were attached to the German First Panzer Army
commanded by Colonel-General (Generaloberst) Gotthard Heinrici
, which, in turn, was part of Army Group North Ukraine.
Later in 1944, Soviet
troops entered Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary. The Romanians capitulated. The Bulgarians capitulated. The Hungarians tried to capitulate twice, but unsuccessfully. In the end, the Hungarian First Army continued its precarious existence.
On 28 December, a newly formed Hungarian government, under acting Prime Minister Béla Miklós
, officially declared war against Nazi Germany
. But the Germans and the pro-German Hungarians in Hungary fought on against the Soviets. However, there are indications that some elements of the Hungarian First Army went over to the Soviets at about this time. Béla Miklós
had been the commander of the Hungarian First Army from 1 August 1944 to 16 October 1944.
Between 1 January and 16 February 1945, most of what remained of the Hungarian First Army was over-run, bypassed, or destroyed about 200 kilometers north of Budapest when the Soviet 40th Army advanced through the area. But, even after this, the Hungarian First Army did not cease to exist. The remnants fought on as an attachment to Heinrici
's German First Panzer Army
. Fighting as they went, they moved progressively westward into Slovakia
. The army was not officially disbanded until 8 May 1945, the end of the war. That is when the last commander of the Hungarian First Army, Lieutenant-General László Dezső, surrendered.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Commanders
- Lieutenant-General Vilmos Nagy - March 1, 1940 – February 1, 1941
- Lieutenant-General István SchweitzerIstván SchweitzerIstván Schweitzer was a Hungarian military officer, who served as Commander of the Hungarian First Army during the Second World War.-References:*...
- February 1, 1941 – August 1, 1942 - Lieutenant-General István NádayIstván NádayIstván Náday was a Hungarian military officer, who served as Commander of the Hungarian First Army during the Second World War.-References:*...
- August 1, 1942 – April 1, 1944 - Lieutenant-General Géza LakatosGéza LakatosKnight Géza Lakatos de Csíkszentsimon was a general in Hungary during World War II who served briefly as Prime Minister of Hungary, under governor Miklós Horthy from August 29, 1944, until October 15,...
- April 1, 1944 – May 15, 1944 - Lieutenant-General Károly BeregfyKároly BeregfyKároly Beregfy was a Hungarian military officer and politician, who served as Minister of Defence between 1944–45....
- May 15, 1944 – August 1, 1944 - Lieutenant-General Béla MiklósBéla MiklósKnight Béla Miklós de Dálnok was a Hungarian military officer and politician who served as acting Prime Minister of Hungary, at first in opposition, and then officially, from 1944 to 1945.-Early career:...
von Dalnoki - August 1, 1944 – October 16, 1944 - Lieutenant-General Dezső LászlóDezso Vitéz LászlóDezső Vitéz László was a Hungarian Officer during World War I and World War II.- Awards :* Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross - References :...
- October 16, 1944 – May 8, 1945
Background
Under Regent, Admiral Miklós HorthyMiklós 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...
, 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...
was an 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...
state at the beginning of the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an conflict. On 1 March 1940, the small Hungarian Army formed three field armies. All three Hungarian armies were to ultimately see action 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...
against the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
. But, unlike the Hungarian Third Army
Hungarian Third Army
The Hungarian Third Army was a Hungarian field army which saw action during World War II.-Commanders:* Lieutenant General Elemér Gorondy-Novák from 1 March 1940 to 1 November 1941* Lieutenant General Zoltán Decleva from 1 November 1941 to 1 December 1942...
which took part in the invasion of Yugoslavia
Invasion of Yugoslavia
The Invasion of Yugoslavia , also known as the April War , was the Axis Powers' attack on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia which began on 6 April 1941 during World War II...
(1941) and the Hungarian Second Army
Hungarian Second Army
The Hungarian Second Army was one of three field armies raised by the Kingdom of Hungary which saw action during World War II. All three armies were formed on March 1, 1940...
that fought at the Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...
(1942), the Hungarian First Army did not see much combat at the start of the war.
The troops of the Hungarian First Army, like all Hungarian troops, were part of the one-million-plus non-German Axis troops 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...
. While the majority of these Axis troops were Romanian
Romania during World War II
Following the outbreak of World War II on 1 September 1939, the Kingdom of Romania officially adopted a position of neutrality. However, the rapidly changing situation in Europe during 1940, as well as domestic political upheaval, undermined this stance. Fascist political forces such as the Iron...
, there were also significant contingents of Hungarians, Finns, Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians, Italians, Slovakians, Croatians, Frenchmen, Danes, Norwegians, Belgians, and Spaniards.
Occupation Duties
The first commander of the Hungarian First Army was Lieutenant-General (or Altábornagy according to the Hungarian army rank) Vilmos Nagy. After 30 August 1940, under Nagy, the Hungarian First Army took part in Hungary's annexation and occupation of northern TransylvaniaTransylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
. This region of Romania was awarded to Hungary as a condition of the Second Vienna Award.
From 1940 to mid-1944, the Hungarian First Army saw little action other than occupation duties.
Action
By 30 April 1944, the Hungarian First Army was used to bolster Army Group South Ukraine. This army group was pushed back during the Battle of Târgul FrumosBattle of Târgul Frumos
The Second Battle of Târgu Frumos, part of the First Jassy-Kishinev Offensive, was a military engagement primarily between the Wehrmacht and Red Army forces in May 1944, near Iaşi, Romania....
in May 1944. The Hungarians were placed in defensive positions north of the Romanian Fourth Army
Romanian Fourth Army
The 4th Infantry Division Gemina is one of three major units of the Romanian Land Forces, with its headquarters in Cluj-Napoca. Until June 15, 2008 it was designated as the 4th Territorial Army Corps "Mareşal Constantin Prezan" .-Structure in April 2007 :This structure was in force when the...
and south of Army Group North Ukraine.
From 13 July to 29 July 1944, the Hungarian First Army fought against the Soviet Lvov-Sandomierz Offensive
Lvov-Sandomierz Offensive
The Lvov-Sandomierz Offensive or the L'vov-Sandomierz Strategic Offensive Operation was a major Red Army operation to force the German troops from Ukraine and Eastern Poland...
. At this time the Hungarians were attached to the German First Panzer Army
German First Panzer Army
The 1st Panzer Army was a German tank army that was a large armoured formation within the Wehrmacht Heer field forces during World War II.-Formation:...
commanded by Colonel-General (Generaloberst) Gotthard Heinrici
Gotthard Heinrici
Gotthard Heinrici was a general in the German Army during World War II.-Personal life:Heinrici's was born in Gumbinnen , East Prussia, on Christmas Day, 1886, to Paul Heinrici, a local Lutheran minister of the Prussian Church, and his wife Gisela, née von Rauchhaupt, who was of recent Jewish descent...
, which, in turn, was part of Army Group North Ukraine.
Later in 1944, Soviet
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....
troops entered Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary. The Romanians capitulated. The Bulgarians capitulated. The Hungarians tried to capitulate twice, but unsuccessfully. In the end, the Hungarian First Army continued its precarious existence.
On 28 December, a newly formed Hungarian government, under acting Prime Minister Béla Miklós
Béla Miklós
Knight Béla Miklós de Dálnok was a Hungarian military officer and politician who served as acting Prime Minister of Hungary, at first in opposition, and then officially, from 1944 to 1945.-Early career:...
, officially declared war against Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. But the Germans and the pro-German Hungarians in Hungary fought on against the Soviets. However, there are indications that some elements of the Hungarian First Army went over to the Soviets at about this time. Béla Miklós
Béla Miklós
Knight Béla Miklós de Dálnok was a Hungarian military officer and politician who served as acting Prime Minister of Hungary, at first in opposition, and then officially, from 1944 to 1945.-Early career:...
had been the commander of the Hungarian First Army from 1 August 1944 to 16 October 1944.
Between 1 January and 16 February 1945, most of what remained of the Hungarian First Army was over-run, bypassed, or destroyed about 200 kilometers north of Budapest when the Soviet 40th Army advanced through the area. But, even after this, the Hungarian First Army did not cease to exist. The remnants fought on as an attachment to Heinrici
Gotthard Heinrici
Gotthard Heinrici was a general in the German Army during World War II.-Personal life:Heinrici's was born in Gumbinnen , East Prussia, on Christmas Day, 1886, to Paul Heinrici, a local Lutheran minister of the Prussian Church, and his wife Gisela, née von Rauchhaupt, who was of recent Jewish descent...
's German First Panzer Army
German First Panzer Army
The 1st Panzer Army was a German tank army that was a large armoured formation within the Wehrmacht Heer field forces during World War II.-Formation:...
. Fighting as they went, they moved progressively westward into Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
. The army was not officially disbanded until 8 May 1945, the end of the war. That is when the last commander of the Hungarian First Army, Lieutenant-General László Dezső, surrendered.
See also
- Hungary during the Second World War
- Military of Hungary - 1940/45
- Second Vienna Award - 1940
- Lvov-Sandomierz OffensiveLvov-Sandomierz OffensiveThe Lvov-Sandomierz Offensive or the L'vov-Sandomierz Strategic Offensive Operation was a major Red Army operation to force the German troops from Ukraine and Eastern Poland...
- 1944 - Battle of BudapestBattle of BudapestThe Siege of Budapest centered on the Hungarian capital city of Budapest. It was fought towards the end of World War II in Europe, during the Soviet Budapest Offensive. The siege started when Budapest, defended by Hungarian and German troops, was first encircled on 29 December 1944 by the Red Army...
- 1944/45 - Eastern Front (World War II)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...
- Hungarian Second ArmyHungarian Second ArmyThe Hungarian Second Army was one of three field armies raised by the Kingdom of Hungary which saw action during World War II. All three armies were formed on March 1, 1940...
- Hungarian Third ArmyHungarian Third ArmyThe Hungarian Third Army was a Hungarian field army which saw action during World War II.-Commanders:* Lieutenant General Elemér Gorondy-Novák from 1 March 1940 to 1 November 1941* Lieutenant General Zoltán Decleva from 1 November 1941 to 1 December 1942...
- GyorshadtestGyorshadtestThe Gyorshadtest was the most modern and best-equipped mechanized unit of the Royal Hungarian Army at the beginning of World War II. However, the "Rapid Corps" name was something of a misnomer as it was only "mechanized" compared to other Hungarian units...
- Szent László Infantry DivisionSzent László Infantry DivisionThe Szent László Infantry Division was an elite Hungarian infantry unit formed in the final year of World War II. It was made up of a mix of army and air force personnel. The division saw action at Budapest, in western Hungary, and in southeastern Austria....