Hungary and the Warsaw Pact, 1954-1989: Main Actors
compiled by László Ritter

APRÓ, ANTAL (1913–1994): member HWP PC 1953–1956; deputy prime minister, October 24, 1953–October 31,1956; member of the HWP Military Committee, October 26–31 1956; member HSWP PEC (later PC), November 1956–1980; minister of industry, November 1956–May 1957; deputy prime minister, 1957–1971; permanent representative to the COMECOM, 1961–1971.

BISZKU, BÉLA (1921–): secretary of the HWP Budapest 13th district committee, 1955–October 31, 1956; member HSWP PEC (later PC), November 1956–1980; minister of the interior, February 1957–1961; deputy prime minister, 1961–1962, secretary of the HSWP CC for foreign affairs, December 1974–March 1975.

BOLDOCZKI, JÁNOS (1912–1986): minister of foreign affairs, July 1953–August 1956; ambassador to Moscow, April–August 1957.

BOLDOCZKI, JÁNOS (1912–1986): minister of foreign affairs, July 1953–August 1956; ambassador to Moscow, April–August 1957.

CZINEGE, LAJOS (1924–1998): member of the HWP Military Committee, October 26–31 1956; one of the organisers of the Workers' Militia, 1957; first secretary of the local HSWP committee in Szolnok Country, 1957–1960; minister of defense with the rank of army commander, May 1960–December 1984; candidate member HSWP PC, 1961–1970; deputy prime minister, 1984–1987.

CSÉMI, KÁROLY  (1922–1992): commander of the 1. security force regiment, November 1956–1957; commander of the Army Academy, 1957–1961; commander of the 5th army, 1961–1963; chief of the general staff, 1963–1973; deputy minister of defense, 1963–1973.

FEHÉR, LAJOS  (1917–1981): member of the HWP Military Committee, October 26–31 1956, member HSWP PEC (later PC), November 1956–1981; deputy prime minister 1962–1974.

FOCK, JENŐ  (1916–): member HSWP PC, June 1957–1980; deputy prime minister, May 1961–April 1967; prime minister, April 14 1967–May 15 1975.

GÁSPÁR, SÁNDOR (1917–2002): candidate member HWP PC, June–October 23 1956; member HWP PC, October 23–28 1956; candidate member HSWP PC 1959–1962; member HWP PC 1962–1988; general secretary (later president) of the National Council of the Trade Unions, 1965–1985.

GERŐ, ERNŐ (1898–1980): member HCP (later HWP) PC, 1945–October 25, 1956; deputy prime minister, 1952–October 25, 1956; minister of the interior, July 1953–July 1954; first secretary of the HWP July 17–October 25, 1956.

GRÓSZ, KÁROLY (1930–1996): first secretary of the local committee HSWP in Borsod–Abaúj–Zemplén Country, 1979–1984; first secretary of the HSWP committee in Budapest, 1984–1987; member HSWP PC, 1985–1988; head of the HSWP, May 1988–June 1989; prime minister, June 25, 1987–November 24, 1988.

HEGEDÜS, ANDRÁS (1922–1999): member HWP PC, 1951–October 25 1956; deputy prime minister, 1953–1956; prime minister, April 18, 1955–October 24, 1956; deputy prime minister October 25–27 1956.

HIDAS, ISTVÁN (1914–?): member HCP PC, 1951–October 25 1956; deputy prime minister, 1952–1953 and 1954–October 27, 1956.

HORN, GYULA (1932–): officer of the Soviet Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1951–1961; officer of the Hungarian embassy in Sofia, later in Belgrade, 1961–1969; senior officer at the department of foreign affairs of the HSWP Central Committee, 1969–1985; under–secretary of state for foreign affairs, 1985–1989; minister of foreign affairs, May 1989–May 1990.

KÁDÁR, JÁNOS ( (1912–1989): member HCP (later HWP) PC 1945–1951 and July–October 1956; elected first secretary of the HWP, October 25 1956; elected minister of state, October 31 1956; prime minister, November 4, 1956–January 28, 1958, then September 13, 1961–June 30, 1965; head of the HSWP, November 1956–May 1988; chairman of HSWP, May 1988–June 1989.

KÁLLAI, GYULA (1910–1996): member HSWP PEC (later PC), November 1956–1975; minister of cultural affairs, 1956–1958, minister of state, 1958–1960; deputy prime minister, 1960–1965; prime minister June 30, 1965–April 14, 1967; president of the National Assembly 1967–1971.

KÁRPÁTI, FERENC (1926–): head of the committee of the Hungarian People's Army of the HSWP, 1958–1970; chief of the political directorate of the People's Army, 1970–1985; deputy minister of defense, 1970–1985; minister of defense, December 1985–May 1990.

KELETI, FERENC (1910–1979): senior officer of the administrative department of the Central Committee of the HCP (later HWP), 1945–1956; ambassador to Bucharest, July 1956–November 1959; chairman of the Council of Pest Country, 1959–1963.

KOMÓCSIN, ZOLTÁN (1923–1974): head of the Department of Agitation and Propaganda of the HWP Central Committee, 1954–1955; first secretary of the local HWP (later HSWP) committee in Hajdú–Bihar Country, 1955–1957; candidate member of the HSWP PC, 1957–1962; member of the HSWP PC, 1962–1974; secretary of the HSWP CC for foreign affairs, June 1965–December 1974.

MÓD, PÉTER (1911–): officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, from July 1956; ambassador to the United Nations, December 1956–December 1961; deputy minister of foreign affairs, 1961–1968, ambassador to Paris, 1968–1974.

MÜNNICH, FERENC (1886–1967): ambassador to the USSR, September 1954–August 1956; ambassador to Yugoslavia, August 1956–October 26, 1956; member of the Military Committee, October 26–31 1956; minister of interior, October 27–31 1956; deputy premier, 3 November 1956–1958, member of HSWP PEC (later PC) November 1956–1966; prime minister January 28, 1958–September 13, 1961.

NAGY, IMRE (1896–1958): member of the HCP (later HWP) PC 1945–1949, 1951–1955 and October 23–30 1956; prime minister, July 4, 1955–April 18, 1955; expelled from the party, December 1955; readmitted on October 13, 1956; reappointed prime minister, October 24, 1956; took refuge in the Yugoslav embassy, November 4, 1956; deported to Romania on November 22 and arrested on April 14, 1957; sentenced to death June 15, 1958; executed on June 16.

NEMES, DEZSŐ  (1908–1985): rector of the Party Academy, 1956; candidate member of the HSWP PC, June 1957–1959; chief editor of the Népszabadság, the daily newspaper of the HSWP, 1957–1959 and 1977–1980; member HSWP PC, 1959–1980; secretary of the HSWP CC for foreign affairs, September 1961–June 1965.

NÉMETH, MIKLÓS (1948–): deputy head of the National Planning Institute, 1977–1981; head of the department of economic policy of HSWP CC, 1986; secretary in charge of economic policy of the HSWP CC, 1987–1988; member HSWP PC, 1988–1989; prime minister, November, 24 1988–May 23, 1990.

NYERS, REZSŐ  (1923–): vice–president of the National Alliance of Cooperatives, 1954–1956; minister of food industry and commissioner of provisions, August–November 1956; minister of finance, 1960–1962; candidate member of HSWP PC, 1962–1966; secretary of the HSWP CC, 1962–1974; member HSWP PC, 1970–1974 and 1988–1989; chairman of the HSWP, June–October 1989.

OLÁH, ISTVÁN (1926–1985): deputy chief of the training directorate of the Hungarian People's Army, 1964–1966; chief of the training directorate of the People's Army and deputy minister of defense, 1966–1973; chief of the general staff, January 1973–December 1984; minister of defense, from December 1984–December 1985.

PÉTER JÁNOS (1910–): protestant bishop of Debrecen, 1949–1957, deputy minister of foreign affairs, 1958–1961; minister of foreign affairs, September 1961–December 1973.

PUJA FRIGYES (1921–): ambassador to Stockholm, 1953–1955; ambassador to Vienna, 1955–1959; deputy minister of foreign affairs, 1959–1963; head of the foreign affairs department of HSWP CC, 1963–1968; deputy minister of foreign affairs, 1968–1973; secretary for foreign affairs, August–December 1973; minister of foreign affairs, December 1973–July 1983.

RÉVÉSZ, GÉZA (1902–1977): head of the Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, 1948–1953; deputy (military) president of the State Planning Office, 1955–1957; minister of defense, March 1957–1960; ambassador to Moscow, 1960–1963.

SZIRMAI, ISTVÁN (1906–1969): head of the Council of Ministers' Office of Information, December 1956–1957; head of the Department of Agitation and Propaganda of the HSWP CC, 1957–1959; head of the Agitprop Committee of the HSWP CC, 1959–1969; candidate member of HSWP PC, 1959–1962; secretary of the HSWP CC, 1959–1966; member of HSWP PC, 1962–1969.

SZURÖS, MÁTYÁS (1933–): officer, later senior officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1959–1962; deputy head of the department of foreign affairs of the HSWP CC, 1974–1975; officer of the Hungarian Embassy in Berlin, 1975–1978; ambassador to Moscow, 1978–1982; head of the department of foreign affairs of the HSWP CC, 1982–1983; secretary of the HSWP CC for foreign affairs, July 1983–March 1989; provisional president of the Hungarian republic, October 1990–May 1990.

VÁRKONYI, PÉTER (1931–): officer of the Hungarian Embassy in Washington D.C., London and Cairo, 1951–1958; head of the Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1958–1961; President of the Office of Information, 1969–80; chief editor of the Népszabadság, the daily newspaper of the HSWP, 1980–1982; secretary of the HSWP CC for foreign affairs, June 1982–July 1983; minister of foreign affairs, July 1983–May 1989.

VAS, ZOLTÁN (1903–1983): candidate member of the HWP PC, 1948–1953; president of the State Planning Office, 1948–1953; head of the Council of Ministers' secretariat, 1954–January 1955;deputy minister of trade, 1955; government commissioner of public supply, October 1956; took refuge with Imre Nagy in the Yugoslav Embassy on November 4, 1956; subsequently deported to Romania; allowed to return in Hungary in 1958.