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BUDAPEST, Hungary — Hungary's far-right Jobbik party unveiled a statue of wartime leader Miklos Horthy, who presided over the country's alliance with Nazi Germany, in Budapest on Sunday, sparking protests and highlighting concerns about anti-Semitism in the country.
Right-wing nationalists attend a ceremonial unveiling the statue of wartime leader Miklos Horthy in central Budapest November 3, 2013. Hungary entered an uneasy and eventually disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany during World War II under the leadership of Horthy, who was unable to stop the deportation and killing of about half a million Jews.
In regards to Horthy, I am not a big fan of him, but to be fair, he did refuse to deport the Hungarian Jews to the death camps before the Nazis occupied Hungary in 1944 (due to Horthy's desire to end his alliance with Nazi Germany). It's sort of hard to do that much when another country is occupying your country.
Wonderful country and VERY wonderful people. I've visited several times.
Their Nazi past is far more complicated than a nation like Austria who was all in for Nazism.
Basically, they simply made a bad bet without realizing how bad things were gonna turn out in the end. Unlike Austria, I've seen no evidence that the average Hungarian wanted anything to happen to the Jewish people, but by the time of the German occupation, Hungary was in no position to stop the deportations. It's amazing that the Hungarian Jews lasted as long as they did given the precarious position of Hungary at that point. And geographically, they had no where to escape to with the Germans basically surrounding the country.
Unfortunately, even occupied nations that were hostile to German Occupation have their share of old Nazi fanatics that are proud of their collaborative past even if it was minimal.
In regards to Horthy, I am not a big fan of him, but to be fair, he did refuse to deport the Hungarian Jews to the death camps before the Nazis occupied Hungary in 1944 (due to Horthy's desire to end his alliance with Nazi Germany). It's sort of hard to do that much when another country is occupying your country.
He made a pact with the devil, but he was not a Nazi himself.
Wonderful country and VERY wonderful people. I've visited several times.
1. Their Nazi past is far more complicated than a nation like Austria who was all in for Nazism.
2. Basically, they simply made a bad bet without realizing how bad things were gonna turn out in the end. Unlike Austria, I've seen no evidence that the average Hungarian wanted anything to happen to the Jewish people, but by the time of the German occupation, Hungary was in no position to stop the deportations.
3. It's amazing that the Hungarian Jews lasted as long as they did given the precarious position of Hungary at that point. And geographically, they had no where to escape to with the Germans basically surrounding the country.
4. Unfortunately, even occupied nations that were hostile to German Occupation have their share of old Nazi fanatics that are proud of their collaborative past even if it was minimal.
This post has some good points.
1. Well, to be fair, wasn't the Nazi referendum in regards to the Anchluss (sp?) rigged?
2. I'm not sure if Horthy made a bad bet, but you are correct that he did try to save the overwhelming majority of the Hungarian Jews for as long as he could.
3. Certainly, though to be fair, if the Hungarian Jews were warned in time, many of them could have very well successfully fled to Romania (where the leader there back then was already toning down on his anti-Semitism, likely in an effort to save his skin after World War II).
He made a pact with the devil, but he was not a Nazi himself.
Sure, he allied himself with Hitler. I am not disputing this. However, his ideal vision for the Hungarian Jews was much different than Hitler's vision for them, and Horthy did make a decent effort at saving the overwhelming majority of the Hungarian Jews for as long as he could (which was until the Nazi occupation of Hungary in 1944).
Sure, he allied himself with Hitler. I am not disputing this. However, his ideal vision for the Hungarian Jews was much different than Hitler's vision for them, and Horthy did make a decent effort at saving the overwhelming majority of the Hungarian Jews for as long as he could (which was until the Nazi occupation of Hungary in 1944).
Yes, he did not want the Jews killed, like Hitler did. However, he said this about Jews:
As regards the Jewish problem, I have been an anti-Semite throughout my life. I have never had contact with Jews. I have considered it intolerable that here in Hungary everything, every factory, bank, large fortune, business, theater, press, commerce, etc. should be in Jewish hands, and that the Jew should be the image reflected of Hungary, especially abroad. Since, however, one of the most important tasks of the government is to raise the standard of living, i.e., we have to acquire wealth, it is impossible, in a year or two, to replace the Jews, who have everything in their hands, and to replace them with incompetent, unworthy, mostly big-mouthed elements, for we should become bankrupt. This requires a generation at least
Yes, he did not want the Jews killed, like Hitler did. However, he said this about Jews:
As regards the Jewish problem, I have been an anti-Semite throughout my life. I have never had contact with Jews. I have considered it intolerable that here in Hungary everything, every factory, bank, large fortune, business, theater, press, commerce, etc. should be in Jewish hands, and that the Jew should be the image reflected of Hungary, especially abroad. Since, however, one of the most important tasks of the government is to raise the standard of living, i.e., we have to acquire wealth, it is impossible, in a year or two, to replace the Jews, who have everything in their hands, and to replace them with incompetent, unworthy, mostly big-mouthed elements, for we should become bankrupt. This requires a generation at least
That doesn't say much about the "regular" Hungarian people IF their "Jews" basically ran things.
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