Károly Beregfy
Encyclopedia
Károly Beregfy was a Hungarian
military officer and politician, who served as Minister of Defence between 1944–45.
He was born as Károly Berger in Cservenka
. He fought in the First World War where he was seriously injured. Then he joined the Hungarian Red Army to fight against the rebel nationalities. Between 1939–43 he commanded the Military Academy.
He fought in the Second World War from 1943 as the commander of the Hungarian Third Army, later he led the troops of the First Army. In April 1944 he suffered a serious defeat by the Red Army
. The commission examining the reasons of the defeat established Beregfy's personal responsibility, so he was dismissed from his commanding position.
He sympathized with the Arrow Cross Party
from the beginning, although he couldn't join, as political parties' members may not have been officers in the Hungarian armies according to the sense of the valid provisions. After Operation Margarethe
Ferenc Szálasi
sought him out and asked him to assist in a coup if Miklós Horthy
tried to negotiate a surrender.
After the Arrow Cross Party's coup (15 and 16 October) the new Prime Minister Szálasi appointed Beregfy as Minister of Defence. He also served as Chief of Army Staff
. Beregfy declared Hungary
a manoeuvre area on 30 October and subordinated all attainable human and economical resources to the war. On 30 April 1945 he was captured by American troops. Before the People's Tribunal he denied his guilt throughout. The court did not accept his arguments (Beregfy referred to disability and compulsion) and sentenced him to death. Beregfy was hanged on 12 March 1946 along with Ferenc Szálasi, Gábor Vajna, former Interior Minister
in the Arrow Cross Party's cabinet and József Gera
, who was a Hungarist ideologist.
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 and politician, who served as Minister of Defence between 1944–45.
He was born as Károly Berger in Cservenka
Crvenka
Crvenka is a town located in the Kula municipality, in the West Bačka District of Serbia. It is situated in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
. He fought in the First World War where he was seriously injured. Then he joined the Hungarian Red Army to fight against the rebel nationalities. Between 1939–43 he commanded the Military Academy.
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...
. The commission examining the reasons of the defeat established Beregfy's personal responsibility, so he was dismissed from his commanding position.
He sympathized with 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...
from the beginning, although he couldn't join, as political parties' members may not have been officers in the Hungarian armies according to the sense of the valid provisions. After Operation Margarethe
Operation Margarethe
During World War II, the Germans planned two discrete operations using the codename Margarethe.Operation Margarethe I was the occupation of Hungary by German forces on 19 March 1944. The Hungarian government was an ally of Nazi Germany, but had been discussing an armistice with the Allies...
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...
sought him out and asked him to assist in a coup if 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...
tried to negotiate a surrender.
After the Arrow Cross Party's coup (15 and 16 October) the new Prime Minister Szálasi appointed Beregfy as Minister of Defence. He also served as Chief of Army Staff
Chief of Army Staff
The Chief of Army Staff or Chief of Staff of the Army is the most senior officer in the command structure of many armies. The title comes from the fact that the officer is the chief army aide to the Commander-in-Chief, who is usually the head of state...
. Beregfy declared 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...
a manoeuvre area on 30 October and subordinated all attainable human and economical resources to the war. On 30 April 1945 he was captured by American troops. Before the People's Tribunal he denied his guilt throughout. The court did not accept his arguments (Beregfy referred to disability and compulsion) and sentenced him to death. Beregfy was hanged on 12 March 1946 along with Ferenc Szálasi, Gábor Vajna, former 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...
in the Arrow Cross Party's cabinet and József Gera
József Gera
Dr. József Gera was a Hungarian physician and politician of the Arrow Cross Party.He fought in the First World War and he was honoured. After the war he practised as a paediatrician in Makó. He had been a member of the Arrow Cross Party - Hungarist Movement since 1939. From 1944 he was responsible...
, who was a Hungarist ideologist.
Sources
- Magyar Életrajzi Lexikon
- 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,...
: As I saw it: the tragedy of Hungary, EnglewoodEnglewoodEnglewood is a corruption of Dutch Engelse buurt, or "English neighborhood", which originally referred to Englewood, New Jersey's status as one of the few English-speaking settlements in Dutch-speaking New Netherland...
, N.J. : Universe Publishing, 1993. - Elek Karsai – László Karsai: A Szálasi per. Reform Kiadó, 1988.