Hungarian Leader. He commanded the Austro-Hungarian naval fleet during World War I. After the communist leader Bela Kun seized power in Hungary in 1919, Horthy was put in charge of the forces fighting against it. He would take power later in the year after Romanian troops helped to oust Kun. In 1920 he was named regent and head of the state. Despite several unsuccessful attempts by the former monarch to regain power, Horthy would hold on and lead Hungary in the period leading up to and during World War II. He was an ardent anti-Communist and guided his nation into an alliance with Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany. During World War II Horthy was pressured by Germany to follow the Nazi policy toward individuals of the Jewish faith, but his regime would often "drag their feet" in this area. Despite Horthy's opposition, German troops occupied Hungary in March of 1944. In October of 1944 he announced the surrender of Hungary to the Allies. The Germans immediately forced Horthy to take back his order and resign. A much harsher regime in Hungary was imposed by the Nazis and Horthy was arrested by German troops and taken to Bavaria. He was later freed by U.S. troops. After appearing as a witness at the Nuremburg war-crimes trial in 1946, he settled in Portugal where he passed away. Even in his later years, he was still very anti-Communist and was distraught when Soviet forces invaded his homeland in 1956. In his will, he asked that his body not be returned to Hungary "until the last Russian soldier has left". In 1993, two years after Soviet troops had left Hungary, his body was returned home.
Hungarian Leader. He commanded the Austro-Hungarian naval fleet during World War I. After the communist leader Bela Kun seized power in Hungary in 1919, Horthy was put in charge of the forces fighting against it. He would take power later in the year after Romanian troops helped to oust Kun. In 1920 he was named regent and head of the state. Despite several unsuccessful attempts by the former monarch to regain power, Horthy would hold on and lead Hungary in the period leading up to and during World War II. He was an ardent anti-Communist and guided his nation into an alliance with Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany. During World War II Horthy was pressured by Germany to follow the Nazi policy toward individuals of the Jewish faith, but his regime would often "drag their feet" in this area. Despite Horthy's opposition, German troops occupied Hungary in March of 1944. In October of 1944 he announced the surrender of Hungary to the Allies. The Germans immediately forced Horthy to take back his order and resign. A much harsher regime in Hungary was imposed by the Nazis and Horthy was arrested by German troops and taken to Bavaria. He was later freed by U.S. troops. After appearing as a witness at the Nuremburg war-crimes trial in 1946, he settled in Portugal where he passed away. Even in his later years, he was still very anti-Communist and was distraught when Soviet forces invaded his homeland in 1956. In his will, he asked that his body not be returned to Hungary "until the last Russian soldier has left". In 1993, two years after Soviet troops had left Hungary, his body was returned home.
Bio by: Mr. Badger Hawkeye
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