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DIPLOMACY IN A WHIRLPOOL |
APPENDIX
LIST OF DOCUMENTS
* 1. Count Stephen Bethlen's view on Hungary's international situation in 1926.
2. Memorandum concerning the case of the Czech and Slovak settlers in Southern Slovakia.
3. British standpoint of October 26, 1938, concerning the settlement of the Hungaro-Czechoslovak question by an Italo-German arbitration.
4. Cipher instructions sent by the Hungarian Foreign Minister, Laszlo Bardossy, to the Hungarian Minister to Germany, Dome Sztojay, on December 11 1941, concerning Hungary's solidarity with the Axis Powers.
5. Cipher instructions sent by the Hungarian Foreign Minister, Laszlo Bardossy, to the Hungarian Minister to Germany, Dome Sztojay, on December 12, 1941, concerning the state of war with the United States.
6. Nazi Proposal concerning various alternatives for the Absorption of Hungary, March 11, 1944.
7. The list of the members of the Provisional National Government elected by the Provisional National Assembly on December 22, 1944.
8.The Hungarian Armistice Agreement signed in Moscow on January 20, 1945.
9.Text of a Soviet letter transmitted on July 12, 1945, to the representatives of the United States and United Kingdom Governments on the Allied Control Commission in Hungary. (Annex I to the Potsdam Protocol of August 2, 1945.)
10. Note of the Hungarian Government to the British, Soviet and United States Governments concerning the expulsion of the Germans from Hungary, December 1, 1945.
11. Note Verbale of the Hungarian Foreign Ministry to the British and United States Governments concerning the expulsion of the Germans from Hungary, December 15, 1945.
12. Memorandum of the United States Mission in Budapest concerning the transfer of the national minorities in Czechoslovakia, June 12, 1945.
13. Reply of the United States Government to various Hungarian proposals concerning the problems of the Hungarians in Czechoslovakia, February 9, 1946.
14. Reply of the British Government to the various Hungarian proposals concerning the problems of the Hungarians in Czechoslovakia, March 19, 1946.
15. "The Spirit of Hungary. Leaders' efforts to establish democratic state." London Times, October 31, 1946.
16. Memorandum of the Hungarian National Bank on Hungary's Reparations, November 24, 1945, prepared for the confidential information of the British and United States Missions in Budapest.
17. Excerpts from the minutes of the meeting of the Hungarian Council of Ministers, October 12, 1945, dealing with the ratification of the Economic Cooperation Agreement signed by Hungary and the Soviet Union.
18. United States Memorandum addressed to the Hungarian Government October 31, 1945, concerning the Soviet-Hungarian Economic Cooperation Agreement.
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19. British Note Verbale addressed to the Hungarian Government, November 19, 1945, concerning the Soviet-Hungarian Economic Cooperation Agreement.
20.Note Verbale addressed by the Hungarian Ministry for Foreign Affairs to the Political Mission of the United States of America on December 20, 1945, concerning the Soviet-Hungarian Economic Cooperation Agreement.
21. Excerpts from the Hungarian Note of August 14, 1945, addressed to the British, United States and Soviet Governments on the peace aims of Hungary.
22. Excerpts from the memorandum addressed by Stephen Kertesz to Prime Minister Zoltan Tildy on December 28, 1945, concerning the Hungarian peace preparations.
23. Population-breakdown of Hungary according to mother tongue from 1910 to 1941.
*Documents 2, 4, 5, 10, 11, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 are unpublished documents from
the files of the Hungarian Foreign Ministry. For the French text of Documents
10 and 21, see La Hongrie et la Conference de Paris, Tome Ier (Budapest,
1947), pp. 37-39 and 7-14. I obtained Documents 16 and 17 through the courtesy
of Count Geza Teleki.
DOCUMENT 1
COUNT STEPHEN BETHLEN'S VIEW ON HUNGARY'S INTERNATIONAL SITUATION IN 1926. 1
Today, we may not clearly realize that the small states formed from the
territory of the late Monarchy may become eventually vassals of either Russia
or Germany. As a result of the great struggle, not only the Monarchy has been
cut to pieces, but also the Russian Empire has been torn by a violent
revolution for a decade. Thus, fate has provided us with a breathing spell for
the beginning of a new life. But how long is this state of affairs going to
persist? There can be no doubt at all for a thinking man that the great
Russian nation is going to become a factor in world politics sooner or later,
and that the great German nation will also recuperate from its defeat. We,
Hungarians, do not want to become a vassal of the Russians, and want to
maintain our independence of the Germans, as we have done for a thousand
years, in spite of all the historical and cultural bonds between us. We want
to remain Hungarians and live our independent national life.
1 Extract from the Memorial Speech of Count Stephen Bethlen on Count Stephen
Tisza, delivered on April 22, 1926. Grof Bethlen Istv_n beszedei es irasai
(Budapest, 1933), Vol. II, p. 120.
DOCUMENT 2
A MEMORANDUM CONCERNING THE CASE OF CZECH AND SLOVAK SETTLERS IN SOUTHERN
SLOVAKIA.
This memorandurn was prepared under the supervision of a leading official of
the Hungarian Foreign Ministry, Paul Sebestyen, in August 1946 for the
information of members ot the Hungarian Peace Delegation. He represented the
Hungarian Government in the negotiations conducted with Czech, Slovak and
German representatives concerning the case of Czech and Slovak settlers in
territories returned to Hungary.
231
The Czechoslovakian Government used the land reform to Slavonize the Magyar
areas of Southern Slovakia. The local Magyar peasants received none or, at
most, very few allotments from the large estates which were divided in the
Magyar districts, because these lands were allotted to Slovak and Czech
settlers brought into the Magyar districts from distant regions for this
purpose. Of the 170,000 hectares distributed under the agrarian reform, in the
contiguous purely Magyar districts, 130,000 were allotted to Slovak and Czech
settlers. For example, on the purely Magyar Danubian Island, Csallokoz, only
6,617 hectares were allotted to the local Magyar population, while 31,673
hectares were allotted to Slovak and Czech settlers brought there from remote
districts. Though these settlers formed only four percent of the population of
Csallokoz they received eighteen percent of the land. Several thousand Slav
families, numbering about 30,000 people, settled in the Magyar districts. This
situation, understandably resulted in tension between the local Magyar
population and the newly arrived settlers, because the Magyars were, of
course, grieved by the fact that land, which had been cultivated by their
ancestors as serfs for centuries, had now been allotted to foreign settlers.
After the Vienna award, November 2, 1938, nearly all of the Czech settlers,
and part of the Slovaks voluntarily left their lands before the entry of
Hungarian troops. Only at one place did an armed clash take place between
Hungarian soldiers and Czech settlers. This occurred at Kobolkut, in the
district of P_rk_ny. Twenty nine Czech and two Slovak settlers lived there.
The Czechs were former members of the Czech Legion in the First World War, and
had been rearmed on the occasion of the Czechoslovakian mobilization in the
fall of 1938. A few of these Czech legionnaires had remained after their
families had left. They possessed a machine-gun with which they opened fire on
the entering Hungarian army; the latter reciprocated and three settlers were
killed.
The problem of the Czech and Slovak settlers was settled by three
international agreements arrived at between the Hungarian Government and the
German Government with regard to the Czech settlers, and with the Slovak
Government in the case of the Slovak settlers.
Under the provisions of the Agreement signed on October 16, 1940, Hungary
agreed to pay 135 million Czech crowns to the Government of the Protectorate
as compensation for 20,816 hectares and its appurtenances. Of this amount,
ninety million Czech crowns were actually paid in cash at the time of the
conclusion of the agreement, while the rest was paid in pre-arranged
instalments as long as the war events permitted.
Prior to this agreement, another one had been concluded between the Hungarian
and German Governments on May 29, 1940, dealing with the property rights and
treatment of the Czech and Moravian people who returned or wanted to return to
the Protectorate. Under this agreement they were entitled to take with them
their cash, securities, savings-bank books, personal jewelry and that of their
families, furniture, all objects of personal use, tools, machines, agricultural
inventory, live stock, merchandise, crops, etc. No customs or other duties had
to be paid on these goods, and the Hungarian Government guaranteed the
personal security and property of the returners and their assistants or
representatives. The Hungarian Government also supplied the necessary wagons
for the transportation of these items and set a time limit of six months for
the completion of the task. In order to facilitate the contacts of Czech
individuals with the Hungarian authorities, a mixed Commission was formed
under the previously mentioned
232
agreement. The Commission resided in Budapest. This Commission also helped the
departing Czech settlers and remaining holders of land to assert their rights
under the mentioned two agreements. This Commission, consisting of three
delegates from each government, functioned until September, 1944.
The agreement concluded between the Hungarian and Slovak Governments on
August 2, 1941, settled the claims of the Slovak settlers. The substance of
the Agreement was that the Hungarian Government paid 110 millions of Slovak
crowns to the Slovak settlers, who returned to Slovakia, as compensation for
their 18,000 hectares of land with its appurtenances. In addition the
Hungarian Government undertook the settlement of the mortgage debt on those
lands in the amount of forty seven million Slovak crowns.
The Hungarian Government guaranteed those Slovak settlers who did not leave
the country free possession of their houses and about 11.5 hectares of land,
and compensation for land exceeding this area.
DOCUMENT 3
BRITISH STANDPOINT OF OCTOBER 26, 1938, CONCERNING THE SETTLEMENT OF THE
HUNGARO-CZECH05LOVAK QUESTION BY ITALO-GERMAN ARBITRATION. Document No. 227 1
Viscount Halifax to the Earl of Perth (Rome) No. 476 Telegraphic (C
12924/2319/1 2) FOREIGN OFFICE, October 26, 1938. 9:20 P.M. Berlin telegram
No. 632.1
Czechoslovak Minister informed me this morning on instructions that his
Govermment regarded as quite unacceptable the Hungarian demand for plebiscites
in the disputed districts on the basis of the 1910 census. On the other hand,
the Czechoslovak Government would be in favour of arbitration by Germany and
Italy. In response to an enquiry, M. Masaryk later ascertained from Prague that
his Government were opposed to Poland being included among the arbitrators and
thought that if Poland were included, Roumania should be included also. M.
Masaryk said that the Czechoslovak Government would have to reply today to the
Hungarian demand, and before doing so wished to have the views of His
Majesty's Government on their attitude.
In reply the Czechoslovak Minister was informed this afternoon that His
Majesty's Government saw no objection to the settlement of the Czech-Hungarian
question by means of arbitration by Germany and Italy, if the Czechoslovak and
Hungarian Governments agreed to settle their differences in this way. It was
added that if the two parties to the dispute preferred to refer the matter to
the four Munich Powers, His Majesty's Government would be ready to join in any
discussions.
If the views of the Italian Ambassador, reported in Berlin telegram under
reference, represent those of his Government, it seems that the Italian
Government would prefer that Great Britain and France, as signatories of the
Munich Agreement, should participate in any arbitration. If this is indeed the
attitude of the Italian Government, it is no doubt occasioned by their desire
to obtain support against Germany, who is believed to oppose the acquisition
of Ruthenia
---------1 British Documents, Third Series, Vol. III, pp. 202-203.
233
by Hungary. Herr von Ribbentrop may of course settle the whole question when
he arrives in Rome tomorrow, but it may be of value to the Italian Government
to have an indication of our views on this question before the German Minister
for Foreign Affairs arrives.
I should therefore be glad if you would seek an early interview with the
Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs and inform him that while it is difficult
for us to adjudicate between the line claimed by the Hungarians and that
offered by the Czechs, and to decide whether or not the 1910 census offers a
fair basis, His Majesty's Government are, in principle, in favour of the
return to Hungary of those districts in which the population is predominantly
Hungarian, subject possibly to certain modifications that may be desirable for
economic reasons, e. g., Bratislava. The holding of plebiscites in those
regions where the races are so ethnographically entangled and where there is a
difference of opinion regarding the figures to be taken as a basis for the
voting would, however, in the view of His Majesty's Government be extremely
difficult, especially at such short notice as the Hungarian Government propose
(before November 30).
His Majesty's Government would, therefore, be happy to see the Czechs and
Hungarians agree to settle their differences by reference to arbitration by the
Italian and German Governments. If, however, it were deemed preferable or
necessary that the questions in dispute between the Czechoslovak and Hungarian
Governments should be referred to the four Munich Powers, His Majesty's
Government would be ready to take their part in trying to bring about an agreed
settlement.
An expression of the views of His Majesty's Government on the above lines
might, I feel, be welcome to Signor Mussolini as an indication that they are
anxious to co-operate with him in the discussion of European questions. You
will, of course, appreciate that His Majesty's Government do not wish to give
the impression of trying to profit by any Italo-German disagreement over the
future of Ruthenia.
Repeated to Berlin, Warsaw, Prague, Budapest, Bucharest, Belgrade and Paris
No. 404.
DOCUMENT 4
CIPHER INSTRUCTIONS SENT BY THE HUNGARIAN FOREIGN MlNISTER, LASZLO BARDOSSY,
TO THE HUNGARIAN MINISTER TO GERMANY, DOME SZTOjAY, ON DECEMBER 11, 1941,
CONCERNING HUNGARY'S SOLIDARITY WITH THE AXIS POWERS.1 No. 377
Exung
Berlin
I ask Your Excellency to officially inform the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of
the contents of the communication made via telephone.
I emphatically ask Your Excellency to restrict Yourself to the text of the
communication and not to enter into its interpretation. Your Excellency should
point out the following:
Barely a few hours after the declaration of war between Germany and the
United States of America we had ostentatiously stated our solidarity and had
--------- 1 The same instructions were sent to the Hungarian Minister to Italy
with the omission of the allusion to Weizsacker and to the Hungarians in the
United States.
234
severed diplomatic relations. The Hungarian Government is convinced that we
have fulfilled to the maximum what could be expected from us. Without delay we
reached the conclusions hinted at by Weizsacker to you.
If however they want to start a conversation regarding the interpretation of
the Government's decision, the following should serve as guidance to Your
Excellency's words, expressed as Your private opinion.
Having immediately declared our solidarity and having broken diplomatic
relations we have done the maximum that could be expected from us. The
Tripartite Pact does not oblige us to do more. The Pact mentioned only
political, economic and military assistance. With the declaration of solidarity
we gave full political support. Economically we are constantly aiding the Axis
to our utmost. There could be no practical question of our military support
against the United States.
I ask Your Excellency also to refer to the fact, that the Hungarian Government
could not do more, since it would seriously imperil the fate of the nearly one
million Hungarians living in the United States.
I emphatically ask your Excellency to maintain the above standpoint for the
time being as your own private opinion.
In this respect it will be Your Excellency's task to secure acceptance of the
above position in case of necessity.
Bardossy
DOCUMENT 5
CIPHER INSTRUCTIONS SENT BY THE HUNGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, LASZLO BARDOSSY,
TO THE HUNGARIAN MINISTER TO GERMANY, DOME SZTOJAY, ON DECEMBER 12, 1941,
CONCERNING THE STATE OF WAR WITH THE UNITED STATES.
Telephonecipher Berlin
The Italian Envoy and the German Charge d'Affaires have informed me this
morning of the following:
The Axis Powers concluded from the aggresive acts committed against them that
they were obliged to declare the existence of a state of war.
Since it has been established that Germany and Italy are the victims of
aggression, in their opinion it is the duty of the states having signed the
Tripartite Pact to declare the existence of a state of war. Hungary is among
the signatory states. The Axis Powers attach great importance to the fact that
this should happen, for reasons of higher political interests and as a
demonstration of European solidarity.
I answered as follows:
We have already stated our solidarity with the Axis Powers yesterday. It is
our opinion that we have thus fulfilled our obligations emanating from the
Pact. In the following I have given the reasons mentioned in paragraph 5 of my
cypher No. 337.
The Italian Envoy and the German Charge d'Affaires in their answer have not
contested the legal validity of our standpoint without having admitted it.
They pointed out, that the quick and spontaneous manifestation of our
solidarity undoubtedly made a very good impression in Berlin and in Rome.
Their in ---------1 The same instructions were sent to the Hungarian Minister
to Italy.
235
structions were dated in Berlin and Rome at a time when the attitude of the
Hungarian Government could not yet have been considered by their Governments,
therefore they will ask their Governments for new instructions. Nonetheless,
they emphatically called my attention to the fact that higher political reasons
make it necessary that the European states should take a unanimous stand. If
we were to maintain our original standpoint, it might easily happen that all
the other states uhich have joined the Tripartite Pact would declare war and
Hungary would remain alone with her declaration of solidarity.
I answered that in this case we would reconsider the situation.
I presume that Your Excellency has made communications in accordance with the
cypher No. 337. If, in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, they told Your
Excellency that a declaration of war was considered absolutely necessary, I ask
You to call on the Foreign Minister again, without awaiting further
instructions, and inform him of the following:
The Hungarian government is convinced, that in declaring its solidarity it
has fulfilled entirely its obligations emanating from the Tripartite Pact. The
"declaration of solidarity", however, really means that in order to document
the unity of the signatory parties in accordance with the spirit of the Pact,
we are willing to take steps without legal obligations. Therefore, if all
signatory powers to the Pact declare war, the Hungarian Government now
authorizes the Governments of the Reich and the Kingdom of Italy to interpret
our declaration of solidarity in this sense.
In order to avoid misunderstandings, please inform the Minister of Foreign
Affairs that when the American Envoy asked me yesterday evening as to whether
our decision meant a declaration of war, I answered according to our legal
standpoint, that we have spontaneously and immediately declared our solidarity
but that this did not mean a declaration of war for the time being. If all
states signatory to the Pact declare war, we shall give such interpretation of
our declaration of solidarity to the American Envoy in Budapest and to the
Government in Washington.
I ask you to act most urgently. Try to find out what is known there of the
attitude of the Bulgarian and Rumanian Governments. Report this via
telefonecypher at once, so that I can make corrections accordingly to the
American Envoy.
Bardossy
DOCUMENT 6
NAZI PROPOSAL FOR ABSORPTION OF HUNGARY. 1
[Typewritten draft for a memorandum. It is undated, but one page is written on
the back of an unfinished letter dated 11 March, 1944]
(Handwritten corrections made to the original typewritten script by Krallert
Weneck, Kaltenbrunner, Flotte and Urban, are given in brackets with their
initials, viz., Kr., W., K., & U., the crossed out phrase being underlined
[italics].)
From the point of view of the Reich, an incorporation of the Hungarian
---------1 Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, Supplement A (Washington, 1947), pp.
908-913.
236
area as a fundamental part of the old Habsburg sphere of power is in the long
run inadmissible.
This aim can be achieved by force (by intervention K.), or as the result of
an evolutionary process.
In spite of the extraordinary geopolitical and economic importance of Hungary
for the Reich, German foreign policy has made no serious attempt during recent
years to gain an influence on developments in Hungary and to make use of this
to attain the goal by means of evolutionary methods (apart, perhaps, from
direct personal endeavors by the Fuehrer to win Horthy over to the dismissal of
Kallay and the elimination of the Bethlen influence K.).
Those Hungarians who look back, in the field of foreign policy, to a centuries
old tradition as a great power, incline fundamentally towards a conspiratorial
policy. The complete lack of German attempts at influence has inevitably
trained them to follow that policy of playing off one power against another
which has now attained an intolerable character as the "proofs" have clearly
revealed. (Underlining by W.)
(+) Instead of recognizing therein the necessity of seeking, in the numerous
positive forces, bases for a solution which will both secure the total
utilization of Hungarian potentialities for the prosecution of the war at the
moment, and create for the future the prerequisites for the final aim striven
for an attempt at a military solution by force now threatens. This will by no
means lead (underlining by U.) to the complete fulfillment of the military and
economic demands of the Reich in this area, and will, on the contrary,
obstruct forever the road to an evolutionary development ( (+) the whole
paragraph is crossed out and the following substituted: I fear that the road
to a future evolutionary development might be blocked by immediate military
operations, without achieving for the present the seizure of the military and
economic potentialities. K.).
On the Hungarian side there stands against all this the fear of falling a
victim to Bolshevism on the defeat of Germany, which is taken for granted. It
is believed that the only way to exercise this danger is by an early adherence
to the Anglo-American side. To this is added the deep dislike of the leading
upper class towards us as the bearers of a social revolution which will, in
the long run, make impossible the continuation of the feudal system of life in
Hungary the beneficiary of which is this very upper class.
The consideration that a possible English intervention would have to be met
in good time was one of the main reasons for the origination of the plan for a
solution by force. (Indecipherable alterations have been made by K. and the
whole paragraph has been struck out.)
Against this, I consider for reasons arising from the geographical situation
alone, the probability of an attempt at an invasion to be very slight.
(Firstly, because of the geographical situation and then because of an
undertaking so unpredictable does not tempt the English who are not minded to
take risks. K.) I believe, on the other hand, that the approach of Bolshevism
will in itself soon make even those of the upper class forces which are
inimical to us, ready to negotiate, out of despair of the possibility of
English aid and out of fear of the even greater Bolshevist danger.
The vitally essential demands of the Reich in this area are now as follows:
(1) Clomplete exhaustion of all economic and especially agricultural resources
in order to safeguard the basis of Germany's and Europe's food supply, in view
of the loss of the Ukranian areas.
(2) Employment of all reserves of manpower for carrying on the war and
237
DIPLOMACY lN A WHIRLPOOL
(3) Complete relaxation of tension, in order to set free the Rumanian troops
also, for use on the Eastern front.
The military action will create the following state of affairs, especially in
the event of participation by the Rumanians and Slovaks:
(1) A united defense front, such as has never been seen before from the
Communists to the Arrow and Cross party (Pfeilkreuzler).
(2) The impossibility of forming any government; at the most some mercenary
persons would be found.
(3) Horthy's immediate resignation.
(4) Military, political and economic chaos. The country one center of
resistance, partisan activity on the greatest possible scale.
(5) And this point carries particularly great weight when the present German
military situation is taken into consideration numerous German divisions will
be tied down for an unlimited period.
The desired aims will therefore not be attained. The carrying out of the
military action at the time of the cultivation of the land in the spring, in
itself decisively damages the prospects for the harvest. Ownership of large
estates and the activity of Jewish middlemen, neither of which can be
eliminated at short notice, will further lessen results. The partisan activity
that can be expected for certain, finally destroys any hope of an increase in
productivity.
The Hungarians have for centuries had experience in the organization of
national resistance. Even the efforts of the old monarchy, which went on for
twenty years, from 1848 to 1867, making use of all means of power, resulted in
total failure. On the contrary, they decisively contribute to the creation and
intensification of Hungarian national chauvinism. A recruitment of the
Hungarian reserves of manpower for the German war effort is out of the question
under these circumstances. On the other hand, continuous partisan warfare will
ensue in the area occupied by us. As a result of the clash of the two
opponents, warfare on a large scale would ensue in Transylvania and would
presumably last a long time.
Even assuming the more advantageous case of a final Rumanian victory, the
losses the Rumanians would have suffered and the necessity of suppressing
northern Transylvania would make the employment of Rumanian troops in the East
impossible for some months at least, if not permanently. We would, therefore,
not see our present hopes fulfilled, would probably close the road o a later
appeasement and final solution and would also evoke far-reaching reactions in
the fields of strategy and of foreign politics. The zones of unrest created
behind our enemies, with an operational intention, would be closed to form a
belt reaching from the Adriatic to the Baltic Sea, if a mutinous Hungary and a
Transylvania in a state of war were added to them. Simultaneously, we thereby
cut those supply routes, the safe functioning of which is vitally necessary to
the southern wing of the Eastern front. If the Soviet intention of cutting,
one after another, the supply routes that run parellel to and outside the
Carpathians until the last railway line is cut, succeeds, then the supply
lines through the Carpathian basin will alone be the basis for further
resistance. But, also, those supply lines into the Balkans which are today the
only safe ones and which would be vitally necessary in view of the possibility
of a war against Turkey or a (of a K.) landing in the Balkans (there K.)
would be endangered.
Almost equally important are presumably the political effects abroad. The
German attitude on the Transylvanian question, once again executing a volte
face, would entail such a loss of prestige even in friendly foreign countries
that
238
no one could have faith in (doubts would arise as to K.) our ability and our
will for a New Order in Europe. The effects must be disastrous (will be
oppressive K.) even in friendly nations such as Bulgaria, where it would be
feared that a possible German agreement with the Serbs or Greeks might one day
result again in the loss of Macedonia or Thrace. Thus we would drive the
Bulgarians too into the arms of the Anglo-Americans in the endeavor (who will
endeavor K.) to make it possible to retain (to obtain a guarantee from them
(Sewoff) K.) the territories they have gained, by changing sides in time.
The effects to be expected in Finland, the Baltic States, etc., would be
quite similar.
I am therefore convinced that the intended military coercive measures
(intervention K. ) will not only not (will not necessarily K.) attain any of
the (the K.) aims set, will create new and unforseeable difficulties
(situations that are difficult to get a bird's eye view of K.) in the fields
of strategy and of foreign politics. A successful attempt at a new order on an
evolutionary basis on the other hand (however K.), would mean:
(1) An internally consolidated Hungary, friendly to Germany,
(2) Horthy's remaining in his position as a "historical" personality, who
would continue to guarantee the functioning of the national institutions.
(3) The Honved and the security units would remain entirely in step and would
thus be at the disposal of the Reich's military requirements.
(4) The total economic draining of the Hungarian area is fully guaranteed.
(5) The elimination of all arguments on Rumania's part that she needs troops
in Transylvania, makes these troops available for the East, and can postpone
the present Transylvanian problem to a later date by clever promises.
(6) Therefore, not only will Hungarian and Rumanian troops be gained, but
numerous German divisions will be spared.
(7) A distribution of German troops throughout Hungary, which might become
necessary for the purpose of security and against a British invasion, can be
carried out unhindered, by means of troops in training, in the same way as has
been done in Rumania.
These far reaching results can be attained by comparatively simple means.
The point of departure would have to be a personal message from the Fuehrer
to Horthy who, as is known, is (has been K.) always most strongly (strongly
K.) impressed by the personality of the Fuehrer. The go-between for this
message could be a diplomat such as von Papen who is not only known as an
honest broker, but who enjoys moreover the personal confidence of Horthy. This
message would have to refer to the debit balance of the government (Kallay's
K.) which had been hostile to Germany and express the thought that the full
employment of Hungary's potentialities for Germany's and Europe's aims could
alone assure Hungary's future existence. The condition and the guarantee for
the carrying out of these demands would have to be created by a complete
change of regime (in any case with German occupation K.). Following on this,
the Regent will legalize a new government on the broadest (a broad K.) basis
from the right wing of the Government throughout the Party for Hungarian
Renewal and the Hungarian National Socialist Party to the Arrow and Cross
Party (Underlining by V.)
The Putsch-like carrying out of this change of government must be organized
in such a manner that the entire public remains unaware of the actual
connections, as a result of the authoritative decision of the Regent and that
antagonistic forces do not get a chance to act. The putting into effect of this
plan is
239
guaranteed by the existence of plenty of suitable personalities with whom we
have close connections through my collaborators (underlining by W).
(x) The most important of these men, who could take up leading parts in a new
government, are:
Lieutenant-Fieldmarshal of the Reserve Ratz, a respected general who enjoys
the confidence of the entire right wing opposition, and who seems certain to
be acceptable to the Regent as Prime Minister.
Lieutenant-Fieldmarshal Ruszkay, a highly qualified soldier of pure German
descent, who enjoys the very highest respect of the officer class, and who, on
taking over the Honved Ministry, would be a certain guarantee that Hungary's
military forces would stand unconditionally at the side of the Reich.
The former Prime Minister Imredy, a man of great qualities as an economic
leader and financial expert, who meets with very great approval, particularly
among the Hungarian intelligentsia.
Major General of the Reserve Baky (deputy Kr), one of the organizers of the
Hungarian gendarmerie, who are generally and quite rightly looked upon as
being the surest instrument for peace and order, and who have, at the same
time, always been entirely sympathetic to Germany.
A number of popular party leaders of the right wing, as well as acknowledged
experts, would also immediately be at our disposal (passage from (x) sidelined
by F.).
(+ +) Conclusion.
I dare say that such an attempt could, through my collaboration, bring about
a government consisting of the above-named people within 3 days. The military
undertaking (transports to the Eastern Front) will make its own contribution
towards this. The Troian method remains assured, but so does our good
reputation as well.
The discussions taken down on the 13.3 did not even become a "D-day."
It rests with the (?) and the "proofs"! (+ + K.).
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DIPLOMACY IN A WHIRLPOOL |