Ferenc Rajniss
Encyclopedia
Ferenc Rajniss (24 July 1893 – 12 March 1946) was a Hungarian
journalist, socialite and fascist politician. He belonged to the pro-Nazi Germany
tendency within Hungarian politics
(at the time part of Austria–Hungary but now in Slovakia
) to a Swabian German
family, Rajniss's surname initially reflected his German origins before he changed it to a Hungarian version. As a journalist Rajniss belonged to the Szeged fascist
camp and was a supporter of Gyula Gömbös
. He founded his own weekly paper, Magyar Futár, in support of this movement and it soon became notorious for its anti-Semitism
. Before long he had secured funding from Nazi Germany for his political endeavours and this was to be one of his two main source of income, the other being acting as a 'toy boy' to a number of wealthy old women.
in the early 1930s, initially as a representative of the minor far right National Front. However he left this group in October 1937 to join with Zoltán Böszörmény
and Fidél Pálffy
in launching the United Hungarian National Socialist Party
, one of a number of largely failed attempts to bring Hungary's Nazis
under one umbrella.
Rajniss then became a supporter of Béla Imrédy
and in 1938 joined the governing party as a result of his change of position. He followed his leader into the Party of National Renewal when Imrédy founded this opposition group in 1940.
. By this time Rajniss had again switched his support, this time to Ferenc Szálasi
and in 1944 he formed his own political party, the pro-Szálasi "Nemzeti Szovetseg" (National Federation), which contained about 200 members of Parliament committed to continuing the war on the side of the Nazis. Rajniss played a leading role in Szálasi's rise to power and was apoointed part of the three man governing council with which the Germans replaced Miklós Horthy
in 1944, alongside Károly Beregffy and Sándor Csia. He was also appointed Minister of Education in the new government, a position he held until the fall of Szálasi in March 1945.
Arrested after the collapse of the government he was ajudged to ave been a leading figure in collaborationism
and was executed in Budapest
.
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...
journalist, socialite and fascist politician. He belonged to the pro-Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
tendency within Hungarian politics
Emergence
Born in BardejovBardejov
Bardejov is a town in North-Eastern Slovakia. It is situated in the Šariš region and has about 33,000 inhabitants. The spa town, mentioned for the first time in 1241, exhibits numerous cultural monuments in its completely intact medieval town center...
(at the time part of Austria–Hungary but now in Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
) to a Swabian German
Swabian German
Swabian is one of the Alemannic dialects of High German. It is spoken in Swabia, a region which covers much of Germany's southwestern state Baden-Württemberg, including its capital Stuttgart, the rural area known as the Swabian Alb, and Bavaria...
family, Rajniss's surname initially reflected his German origins before he changed it to a Hungarian version. As a journalist Rajniss belonged to the Szeged fascist
Hungarian National Defence Association
The Hungarian National Defence Association was an early fascist movement active in Hungary. The structure of the group was largely paramilitary and as such separate from its leader's later political initiatives....
camp and was a supporter of Gyula Gömbös
Gyula Gömbös
Gyula Gömbös de Jákfa was the conservative prime minister of Hungary from 1932 to 1936.-Background:Gömbös was born in the Tolna County village of Murga, Hungary, which had a mixed Hungarian and ethnic German population. His father was the village schoolmaster. The family belonged to the ...
. He founded his own weekly paper, Magyar Futár, in support of this movement and it soon became notorious for its 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...
. Before long he had secured funding from Nazi Germany for his political endeavours and this was to be one of his two main source of income, the other being acting as a 'toy boy' to a number of wealthy old women.
Member of the Diet
Rajniss was elected to the Diet of HungaryDiet of Hungary
The Diet of Hungary was a legislative institution in the medieval kingdom of Hungary from the 15th century, and in its successor states, Royal Hungary and the Habsburg kingdom of Hungary throughout the Early Modern period...
in the early 1930s, initially as a representative of the minor far right National Front. However he left this group in October 1937 to join with Zoltán Böszörmény
Zoltán Böszörmény
Zoltán Böszörmény was a leading exponent of Fascism in Hungary before the Second World War.The son of a bankrupt landowner, he initially worked a series of odd jobs, ranging from a labourer to a porter. He first flirted with politics in 1919 when he became involved in activity against Béla Kun,...
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:...
in launching the United Hungarian National Socialist Party
Hungarian National Socialist Party
The Hungarian National Socialist Party was a political epithet adopted by a number of minor Nazi parties in Hungary before the Second World War.-Early National Socialist groups:The initial HNSP was organised in the 1920s, but did not gain any influence...
, one of a number of largely failed attempts to bring Hungary's Nazis
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
under one umbrella.
Rajniss then became a supporter of Béla Imrédy
Béla Imrédy
Béla vitéz Imrédy de Ómoravicza was Prime Minister of Hungary from 1938 to 1939....
and in 1938 joined the governing party as a result of his change of position. He followed his leader into the Party of National Renewal when Imrédy founded this opposition group in 1940.
Nazism
Rajniss launched a second paper, Esti Ujság, which he continued to edit until 1944 and which offered a pro-Nazi agenda. He became a trusted ally of the Nazis and specifically collobrated closely with the RSHARSHA
The RSHA, or Reichssicherheitshauptamt was an organization subordinate to Heinrich Himmler in his dual capacities as Chef der Deutschen Polizei and Reichsführer-SS...
. By this time Rajniss had again switched his support, this time to 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...
and in 1944 he formed his own political party, the pro-Szálasi "Nemzeti Szovetseg" (National Federation), which contained about 200 members of Parliament committed to continuing the war on the side of the Nazis. Rajniss played a leading role in Szálasi's rise to power and was apoointed part of the three man governing council with which the Germans replaced 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...
in 1944, alongside Károly Beregffy and Sándor Csia. He was also appointed Minister of Education in the new government, a position he held until the fall of Szálasi in March 1945.
Arrested after the collapse of the government he was ajudged to ave been a leading figure in collaborationism
Collaborationism
Collaborationism is cooperation with enemy forces against one's country. Legally, it may be considered as a form of treason. Collaborationism may be associated with criminal deeds in the service of the occupying power, which may include complicity with the occupying power in murder, persecutions,...
and was executed in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
.