Sándor Graf Festetics
Encyclopedia
Count Sándor Ágost Dénes Festetics de Tolna (31 May 1882, Dég
– 12 September 1956) was a Hungarian nobleman
and cabinet minister who later became an advocate of Nazism
in Hungary
.
), Count Festetics was amongst those chosen to serve in the cabinet of Mihály Károlyi
, being appointed Minister of Defence in 1918. Although this was to prove ill-fated, Festetics remained committed to parliamentary politics, becoming a supporter of István Bethlen
.
. By 1934, he had come together with Zoltán Meskó
and Fidél Pálffy
to form an alliance of their movements. Before long, however, he was expelled as his commitment to anti-Semitism
was seen to be weak; Festetics had continued to employ Jews on his estates.
He then became associated with minor movements led by István Balogh
and Kálmán Hubay, sitting in parliament from 1935 until his retirement in 1939 under various labels.
In keeping with some of his contemporaries who preached against the influence of the Jews, Festetics was attracted to the idea of Zionism
as a solution to what he saw as the Jewish problem in Europe. Indeed, in a 1934 session of Parliament, he announced that the Zionists should be encouraged because all people, including the Jews, had a right to live in their own land, and revealed that he had even allowed a Zionist organisation to use his land for an agricultural training programme for a group of Jewish youths who were preparing to migrate to Palestine
.
in 1956.
Dég
Dég is a village in Fejér county, Hungary.- External links :*...
– 12 September 1956) 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...
and cabinet minister who later became an advocate 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...
.
Background
Coming from one of Hungary's leading families (his father was Andor FesteticsAndor Festetics
Count Andor Festetics de Tolna was a Hungarian politician, who served as Minister of Agriculture between 1894 and 1895. He married to Lenke Pejacsevich de Verőcze. One of his two sons was Sándor Festetics, Minister of War who later became an advocate of Nazism in Hungary.-References:*...
), Count Festetics was amongst those chosen to serve in the cabinet of Mihály Károlyi
Mihály Károlyi
Count Mihály Ádám György Miklós Károlyi de Nagykároly was briefly Hungary's leader in 1918-19 during a short-lived democracy...
, being appointed Minister of Defence in 1918. Although this was to prove ill-fated, Festetics remained committed to parliamentary politics, becoming a supporter of István Bethlen
István Bethlen
Count István Bethlen de Bethlen was a Hungarian aristocrat and statesman and served as Prime Minister from 1921 to 1931....
.
Politics and embrace of Nazism
After a spell away from politics, Festetics, who had become convinced of Nazism, took charge of the tiny Hungarian National Socialist Peoples Party in 1933, using the fortune he had inherited from his uncle Prince Tassilo to seek to expand the group. This party was effectively a copy of the Nazi Party, taking over most of its 25 point programmeNational Socialist Program
The National Socialist Programme , was first, the political program of the German National Socialist Party in 1918, and later, in the 1920s, of the National Socialist German Workers' Party headed by Adolf...
. By 1934, he had come together with 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....
and Fidél Pálffy
Fidél Pálffy
Count Fidél Pálffy de Erdőd was a Hungarian nobleman who emerged as a leading supporter of Nazism in Hungary.-Early life:...
to form an alliance of their movements. Before long, however, he was expelled as his commitment to anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
was seen to be weak; Festetics had continued to employ Jews on his estates.
He then became associated with minor movements led by István Balogh
István Balogh (politician)
Father István Balogh was a Hungarian priest and anti-communist politician who later tolerated the rule of the Hungarian Communist Party.Initially associated with the Independent Smallholders Party he became a supporter of Nazism for a time during the 1930s and from his base in Debrecen formed a...
and Kálmán Hubay, sitting in parliament from 1935 until his retirement in 1939 under various labels.
In keeping with some of his contemporaries who preached against the influence of the Jews, Festetics was attracted to the idea of Zionism
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
as a solution to what he saw as the Jewish problem in Europe. Indeed, in a 1934 session of Parliament, he announced that the Zionists should be encouraged because all people, including the Jews, had a right to live in their own land, and revealed that he had even allowed a Zionist organisation to use his land for an agricultural training programme for a group of Jewish youths who were preparing to migrate to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
.
Retirement from politics
Festetics brought an end to his political career in 1939. He took no active part in politics during the Second World War, and died a private citizen at his home near Lake BalatonLake Balaton
Lake Balaton is a freshwater lake in the Transdanubian region of Hungary. It is the largest lake in Central Europe, and one of its foremost tourist destinations. As Hungary is landlocked , Lake Balaton is often affectionately called the "Hungarian Sea"...
in 1956.