Magyar News Online

80 years ago, on September 1st, WWII began Karolina Tima Szabó Because the end of World War I deprived Hungary of 71% of its territory, it pushed the country into the arms of Hitler, who proclaimed that he would bring about a revision of the peace treaties. Given the results of the Treaty of Trianon, that was exactly what the Magyars so ardently desired. They saw in Germany their only hope of changing their situation for the better. This was partly realized by the two so-called Vienna Awards. The First, in No- vember of 1938, returned to Hungary part of the Felvidék which had become part of Southern Slovakia after World War I. The Second Vienna Award, in August 1940, returned to Hungary Northern Transylvania – including Kolozsvár – which had been taken over by Romania after WWI. Adolf Hitler, the German Chan- fused Hungary’s request to give cellor had a plan to take over back Northern Transylvania, Poland; the only reason he Partium and Székely land. postponed it was that Great Britain and France promised to By the summer of 1940, Teleki fight to save Poland. Finally, on had the Hungarian army lined September 1 st , 1939, at 4:40 in up at the Romanian-Hungarian the morning, the German air border. Hitler didn’t want a force started to bomb the Polish conflict between two of his al- city of Wielun. A false provoca- lies; and he needed Hungary’s tion was used: German soldiers rail line for his troops to reach dressed in Polish uniforms took the Soviet Union. So on August over the radio station in Gliwice, 30 th, by the Second Vienna a small border city. Award, he gave back Northern Transylvania and Székely land Prime Minister Count Teleki Pál Count Teleki Pál to Hungary, which forced Teleki let Hitler know that Hungary to become committed to the would remain neutral, and Germans. would not take part in the fight So how did Hungary get into against Poland. Indeed, he the war? In December, Count Teleki made it possible for tens of signed a permanent friendship thousands of Polish citizens to Romania had agreed to the re- agreement with Yugoslavia. A enter Hungary. The thousand quest of the Soviet Union, re- few months later, Hitler asked years’ friendship between Po- turning Bessarabia and giving Hungary to take part in the at- land and Hungary was a major up North Bukovina, which never tack on Yugoslavia. Teleki factor in his decision. belonged to Russia; but it re- found himself in a dilemma, and on April 3 rd , he allegedly com- ing. About 55 million people mitted suicide (an event which died, including 6 million Jews, is still debated to this day). 2.6-3.1 million Japanese. On both sides of the spectrum, the It was under Bárdossy László, terrors civilians and prisoners the new Prime Minister, that suffered were unprecedented, the areas of Bácska, Muraköz inflicted by the Japanese in and the so-called Baranya Tri- China and Manchuria and angle were reannexed from against the American prisoners; Yugoslavia. by the Soviets in Eastern Europe; by the Germans in the On June 26 th , 1941, bombing of England, and in the “unidentified” airplanes occupied Soviet territory, and in bombed Kassa and Munkács, the Holocaust. And by the Al- and Bárdossy declared war lies, who bombed Europe. against the Soviet Union. Considering the ratio of lives In 1942, the Germans or- Prime Minister Dr. Kállay Miklós lost to the total population, af- dered the Hungarian army, ter Poland, the Soviet Union 207,000 soldiers and 45,000 and Germany, Hungary lost the people on forced la- Ferenc the new Prime Minister, most lives. According to one bor (munkaszolgálatos) to the and resigned. Hitler immedi- source, approximate Hungarian Don River. In January of the ately had Horthy interned in losses amounted to 350,000 next year, that army was de- Germany. soldiers, 60,000-100,000 civil- stroyed at the Battle of Vo- ians, and 400,000 Jews. ronezh. Regent Horthy Miklós With that, Hungary’s darkest After the war, the relationship appointed Kállay Miklós to re- period of history began, with between the Allies – the United place Bárdossy. the rounding up and deporta- Sates and the Soviet Union – Kállay’s main aim was to get tion of the Jews and other anti- fell apart, and the long Cold the country out of the war, but Nazi individuals by Szálasi’s Ar- War began. his efforts were unsuccess- row Cross Party. This dark pe- ful. Hitler asked Horthy for a riod continued after the war Karolina Tima Szabo is a retired Sys- new army to send to the front, with the Rákosi era and up to tems Analyst of the Connecticut Post and also demanded that he re- 1990 when the Russians finally newspaper and Webmaster of Mag- yar News Online. place Kállay, which Horthy re- left Hungary. fused to do. Therefore, the Magyar News Online Germans occupied Hungary on The Soviet army entered Hun- 242 Kings Hwy Cut-off March 19 th , 1944. gary by the Valley of the Úz and Fairfield, CT 06824 Csobányos River on August www.magyarnews.org In October 1944, Regent Horthy 26 th , 1944. They completed the th Editor: Erika Papp Faber tried again to get out of the war country’s takeover on April 4 , Founder, Editor and Publisher by announcing that he was 1945, when the last of the Ger- Emeritus: Joseph F. Balogh making a separate peace treaty man army left Hungary by Editorial Board: with the Soviet Union. Hitler Nemesmedves. (In 1985, it Olga Vallay Szokolay, Éva Wajda Charles Bálintitt, Eliz Kakas, had Horthy’s son, ifj. Horthy came to light that the actual Judith Paolini Paul Soos, Joseph Ull, Miklós kidnapped. Seeing that date was April 13 th , and they Estevao Arato his other son, István, had lost left by way of Pinkamindszent.) Webmaster: Karolina Szabo his life in a “military airplane Assistant Webmaster: Zsuzsa Lengyel accident”, Horthy gave in to the In the history of the world, WW Treasurer : Zita Balogh blackmail. He named Szálasi II was the most devastat- Budapest to dition to her childhood memo- Erika introduced her cousin, ries, selections from her Dad's Peter Vajk and his wife Dr. Danbury diary and correspondence pro- Helen Vajk , who flew in from Olga Vállay Szokolay vide details of the daily lives of California for the occasion, rep- regular people who lived resenting his late parents Seven-Eleven , as a moniker for through World War II and after, "Uncle Raul" and "Aunt convenience stores in the details that one does not find in Louise". “Little Peter” was United States, obtained a history books. there with his siblings when the new meaning this sum- Papp family arrived at mer. On July 11 th , our be- the railroad station of loved Editor-in-Chief, Erika Princeton-Junction, New Papp Faber observed Jersey on that memora- th the 70 th anniversary of her ble July 11 , in 1949. arrival in America with her family. More than 50 of her The guests gave a warm friends and extended family appreciation to the cou- filled the lovely venue, An- ple of veterans – John thony’s Lake Club in Dan- Edmond , a Navy veteran bury, Connecticut for a festive Erika Papp Faber of World War II, and Paul luncheon, to partake in her Soos of Hungarian parentage celebration. who served as a Bombardier in Benediction by Father Gregg the Vietnam War. The rain of the forecast politely Mecca , Pastor of St. Peter’s waited until most of the guests Church, opened the festivi- A special treat of the occasion were leaving. Yet, few availed ties. Father Ivan Csete , whom was the participation of an themselves of the lovely terrace Erika met when he was still a Olympic champion. The world adorned with flowering plants, layperson standing in line to knows her as Ekaterina Sabo , overlooking Lake Kenosia. The hear Cardinal Mindszenty at but we call her Szabó Kati. She event’s attractions were plenti- Fordham University, followed is the sister of Zita Balogh , ful to keep people indoors. with greetings. Treasurer of our monthly web- Pictures from the Papp family’s page Magyar News Online. As life were projected in a continu- Erika welcomed the guests. part of her 20-medal collection, ous stream, courtesy of Zsuzsa She expressed thanks to all who Lengyel and Karolina Szabo . Kati won four gold medals in made the day possible: gymnastics at the 1984 Los An- geles Olympics. The guests were seated at ta- - to the good Lord for having bles of eight. The center pieces helped them through the war, The event was enhanced by the at each table, hand-crafted by its aftermath and kept her for Erika and her friends, had a visit of Erika’s paternal third 70 years; cousin, once removed, red-white-and-blue theme. At Haeffner Donát and his fian- each setting, a “party favor”, a - to her aunt and uncle who cée. Don just finished an as- copy of her new book “With helped her family survive and signment as Communications God’s Little Finger Over Us” who sponsored them to come and Press Officer at the Hun- greeted the participants. Title to this country; of the book was inspired by her garian embassy in Paris, France. Mother, who used to say that - and to the United States for they had survived that horren- taking them in and giving them Erika also introduced two non- dous bombing attack in April the opportunity to live free and 1945 only because "God held Hungarian fellow-immigrant to prosper.

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