Gyula Gömbös
Encyclopedia
Gyula Gömbös de Jákfa (26 December 1886 – 6 October 1936) was the conservative
prime minister of Hungary from 1932 to 1936.
, Hungary
, which had a mixed Hungarian and ethnic German population. His father was the village schoolmaster. The family belonged to the Hungarian Evangelical (i. e. Lutheran) Church.
Gömbös entered the Austro-Hungarian Army as a cadet in Pécs
and quickly became a member of the officer corps, serving as a captain during World War I. While in the army, Gömbös became a staunch advocate of Hungary
's gaining independence from Austria
and a bitter critic of the Habsburgs. After World War I ended and Hungary split from Austria, Gömbös joined Conservative Hungarian forces in Szeged
that were unwilling to support Communist Béla Kun
, who had seized control of Hungary in 1919, forming his own paramilitary
group, the Hungarian National Defence Association
(Magyar Országos Véderő Egylet, or MOVE). Gömbös became a close ally of Miklós Horthy
, the leader of the anti-Communist government in Szeged, and played a leading role in organizing Horthy’s army. For his services, Gömbös was made minister of defense in the Szeged government. After Kun’s government was ousted in August 1919, Gömbös helped direct the Conservatives’ purge of Communists from Hungarian society. Gömbös also supported the actions against Hungary’s Jews, who Gömbös and his colleagues believed were the primary backers of Communism, having noted that Kun and many of the ministers in his Communist government were Jews.
, which resulted in Hungary losing two-thirds of its territory to neighboring nations. Despite some disagreements with the military leader and regent Miklós Horthy
, Gömbös was active in the White Terror
and later organized mass military opposition to the Habsburg pretender Charles IV's plan to regain his throne in 1921, a move which kept Horthy firmly in control of Hungary. Later that year, Gömbös became one of the primary leaders of the political opposition against Conservative István Bethlen
, when Bethlen became prime minister of Hungary. During the 1920s, Gömbös was a major advocate of making Hungary a one-party state and reorganizing the country along totalitarian lines, implementing land reform, creating anti-Jewish laws, and withdrawing Hungary from the League of Nations
. In 1929, Gömbös was made a major general
and appointed Minister of Defense in the Bethlen government by Horthy in an attempt to appease the growing Right, but Gömbös’s ambition was not abated.
While prime minister, Gömbös was very active in international politics. One of his major goals was to align Hungary into an Axis with Italy
and Austria. Shortly after becoming prime minister, Gömbös flew to Italy and visited Benito Mussolini
. The two came to an accord, and Mussolini gave Gömbös his support for the revision of the Treaty of Trianon. Mussolini also promised Gömbös Italy’s aid if Hungary went to war with Yugoslavia
and Romania
in an attempt to regain Hungary’s former territory from those nations. However, Gömbös also harbored hopes of forming an alliance with Germany, especially when it seemed that the Nazi Party would gain control of the country. When Adolf Hitler
became Chancellor of Germany in 1933, Gömbös became the first head of a foreign nation to visit the Nazi leader. Shortly thereafter, Gömbös signed a major trade agreement with Germany which would greatly improve Hungary’s ailing economy as the 1930s progressed. The move alarmed many Hungarian political leaders, who believed Gömbös’s relations with Germany would damage Hungary’s ties with Italy, as Italy and Germany were in dispute over a proposed union between Germany and Austria. Gömbös eventually decided to align Hungary primarily with Italy and Austria when Hitler made it clear to Gömbös that while he would support Hungary in an effort to regain land from Czechoslovakia
, he would not support Hungary against Romania or Yugoslavia. Hitler was also against Gömbös’s plans to expand the size and power of the Hungarian military, while Mussolini supported the idea.
In early 1935, Gömbös’s luck greatly improved when he convinced Horthy to dissolve the Parliament and hold new elections. The elections resulted in Hungary’s right wing assuming control of the Parliament, which in turn led to a huge increase in Gömbös’s power. Gömbös expanded and re-equipped the army, filled it with sympathetic officers, and exerted greater control over the civil services by filling them with supporters. In 1936, Gömbös boasted to Hermann Göring
that within two years, Hungary would be completely remodeled along fascist lines with himself serving as dictator.
in Munich
on 6 October 1936.
Right-wing politics
In politics, Right, right-wing and rightist generally refer to support for a hierarchical society justified on the basis of an appeal to natural law or tradition. To varying degrees, the Right rejects the egalitarian objectives of left-wing politics, claiming that the imposition of equality is...
prime minister of Hungary from 1932 to 1936.
Background
Gömbös was born in the Tolna County village of MurgaMurga, Hungary
- External links :*...
, Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
, which had a mixed Hungarian and ethnic German population. His father was the village schoolmaster. The family belonged to the Hungarian Evangelical (i. e. Lutheran) Church.
Gömbös entered the Austro-Hungarian Army as a cadet in Pécs
Pécs
Pécs is the fifth largest city of Hungary, located on the slopes of the Mecsek mountains in the south-west of the country, close to its border with Croatia. It is the administrative and economical centre of Baranya county...
and quickly became a member of the officer corps, serving as a captain during World War I. While in the army, Gömbös became a staunch advocate of 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...
's gaining independence from Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and a bitter critic of the Habsburgs. After World War I ended and Hungary split from Austria, Gömbös joined Conservative Hungarian forces in Szeged
Szeged
' is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county town of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary....
that were unwilling to support Communist Béla Kun
Béla Kun
Béla Kun , born Béla Kohn, was a Hungarian Communist politician and a Bolshevik Revolutionary who led the Hungarian Soviet Republic in 1919.- Early life :...
, who had seized control of Hungary in 1919, forming his own paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
group, the Hungarian National Defence Association
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....
(Magyar Országos Véderő Egylet, or MOVE). Gömbös became a close ally of 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...
, the leader of the anti-Communist government in Szeged, and played a leading role in organizing Horthy’s army. For his services, Gömbös was made minister of defense in the Szeged government. After Kun’s government was ousted in August 1919, Gömbös helped direct the Conservatives’ purge of Communists from Hungarian society. Gömbös also supported the actions against Hungary’s Jews, who Gömbös and his colleagues believed were the primary backers of Communism, having noted that Kun and many of the ministers in his Communist government were Jews.
Rightward
After Horthy was made regent of Hungary in 1920, Gömbös became the primary leader of Hungary’s emerging Conservative political movement, which was gaining some support from the nation’s people as a response to the Communists’ rule and the signing of the Treaty of TrianonTreaty of Trianon
The Treaty of Trianon was the peace agreement signed in 1920, at the end of World War I, between the Allies of World War I and Hungary . The treaty greatly redefined and reduced Hungary's borders. From its borders before World War I, it lost 72% of its territory, which was reduced from to...
, which resulted in Hungary losing two-thirds of its territory to neighboring nations. Despite some disagreements with the military leader and regent 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...
, Gömbös was active in the White Terror
White Terror (Hungary)
The White Terror in Hungary was a two-year period of repressive violence by counter-revolutionary soldiers, with the intent of crushing any vestige of Hungary’s brief Communist revolution. Many of its victims were Jewish.-Background:...
and later organized mass military opposition to the Habsburg pretender Charles IV's plan to regain his throne in 1921, a move which kept Horthy firmly in control of Hungary. Later that year, Gömbös became one of the primary leaders of the political opposition against Conservative István Bethlen
István Bethlen
Count István Bethlen de Bethlen was a Hungarian aristocrat and statesman and served as Prime Minister from 1921 to 1931....
, when Bethlen became prime minister of Hungary. During the 1920s, Gömbös was a major advocate of making Hungary a one-party state and reorganizing the country along totalitarian lines, implementing land reform, creating anti-Jewish laws, and withdrawing Hungary from the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
. In 1929, Gömbös was made a major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
and appointed Minister of Defense in the Bethlen government by Horthy in an attempt to appease the growing Right, but Gömbös’s ambition was not abated.
Prime minister
By 1932, the Right had become such a force in Hungary that Horthy had no choice but to appoint Gömbös prime minister. However, Horthy forced Gömbös to recant his anti-Semitism and to agree not to dissolve the current Parliament and call for new elections. This severely limited Gömbös’s ability to bring about the kind of sweeping domestic changes he had in mind, as Parliament was packed with Conservative Bethlen supporters. However, Gömbös never gave up his plans for making Hungary a fascist state, and subsequently used what power he had and the backing of the secret police to establish a much more authoritarian government than those of his predecessors.While prime minister, Gömbös was very active in international politics. One of his major goals was to align Hungary into an Axis with Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Austria. Shortly after becoming prime minister, Gömbös flew to Italy and visited Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
. The two came to an accord, and Mussolini gave Gömbös his support for the revision of the Treaty of Trianon. Mussolini also promised Gömbös Italy’s aid if Hungary went to war with Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
and Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
in an attempt to regain Hungary’s former territory from those nations. However, Gömbös also harbored hopes of forming an alliance with Germany, especially when it seemed that the Nazi Party would gain control of the country. When Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
became Chancellor of Germany in 1933, Gömbös became the first head of a foreign nation to visit the Nazi leader. Shortly thereafter, Gömbös signed a major trade agreement with Germany which would greatly improve Hungary’s ailing economy as the 1930s progressed. The move alarmed many Hungarian political leaders, who believed Gömbös’s relations with Germany would damage Hungary’s ties with Italy, as Italy and Germany were in dispute over a proposed union between Germany and Austria. Gömbös eventually decided to align Hungary primarily with Italy and Austria when Hitler made it clear to Gömbös that while he would support Hungary in an effort to regain land from Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, he would not support Hungary against Romania or Yugoslavia. Hitler was also against Gömbös’s plans to expand the size and power of the Hungarian military, while Mussolini supported the idea.
In early 1935, Gömbös’s luck greatly improved when he convinced Horthy to dissolve the Parliament and hold new elections. The elections resulted in Hungary’s right wing assuming control of the Parliament, which in turn led to a huge increase in Gömbös’s power. Gömbös expanded and re-equipped the army, filled it with sympathetic officers, and exerted greater control over the civil services by filling them with supporters. In 1936, Gömbös boasted to Hermann Göring
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
that within two years, Hungary would be completely remodeled along fascist lines with himself serving as dictator.
Death in office
However, Gömbös never lived to see his ambitious plans come to fruition. Gömbös, after a long illness, died of testicular cancerTesticular cancer
Testicular cancer is cancer that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system.In the United States, between 7,500 and 8,000 diagnoses of testicular cancer are made each year. In the UK, approximately 2,000 men are diagnosed each year. Over his lifetime, a man's risk of...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
on 6 October 1936.
External links
- A Gömbös-kormányról „A háború árnyékában”, Szegedi Egyetemi Könyvtár
- Gömbös Gyula Gergely Jenő írása (mult-kor.hu)
- Az evangélikus Gömbös Gyula
See also
- History of HungaryHistory of HungaryHungary is a country in central Europe. Its history under this name dates to the early Middle Ages, when the Pannonian Basin was colonized by the Magyars, a semi-nomadic people from what is now central-northern Russia...