Sometimes Eastern European states are thought of as disloyal Nazi client states during the war. There is evidence for that, but a more nuanced look at situation Hungary was in shows what an intricate dance its aged Regent left over from the Hapsburgs was doing. He had to try to keep Hungary in the middle of the road. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
The design of this stamp resembles some fascist issues. One clue that this is something else though is that Regent Nicholas Horthy is referred to as Admiral. This is a title held by him most recently in 1918 in the service of the then Hapsburg Austria-Hungarian Navy. The peace treaty forced on Hungary after World War I did not allow for the return of the Hapsburgs, however Hungary was still an Empire and Horthy as Regent was head of state. He had opponents on the right and left but was trying to help Hungary recover despite the danger all around.
Todays stamp is issue A92, a 2 Pengo stamp issued by the Hungarian Empire on June 18th, 1941. It was a three stamp issue in various denominations displaying Head of State Regent Nicholas Horthy. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 40 cents used.
Hungary lost a great deal of land after World War I with Hungarian lands passing to Romania, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia. This left Hungary small and landlocked. As the war ended a mainly Jewish uprising for a short while was able to establish a Hungarian Soviet Socialist Republic. Most Hungarians thought this another foreign incursion and rebelled. See https://the-philatelist.com/2018/03/12/hungary-climbs-out-of-the-trenches-too-soon/ .The treaty ending the war did not allow for a return of the long ruling Hapsburgs but former Admiral Horthy was accepted as Regent. Overthrowing the Jewish communist government was violent and considered anti Semitic. Horthy replied that hell being let loose on earth cannot be repelled by the flapping of an angels wings.
Horthy stayed on as Regent for many years and was thought to be fairly democratic as he never allowed his Prime Ministers to dissolve Parliament or take on dictator powers. If he was rough with the Communists he was also rough with the local right wing Arrow Cross party, whose leader spent much time in jail.
The expansionism of Nazi Germany had opened the possibility of the return of Hungarian land with German help. Czech lands were annexed peacefully and a deal was struck with Romania for former Hungarian lands. A barrier was crossed with the German invasion of Yugoslavia in 1941. German troops were allowed passage through Hungary a price Prime Minister Teleki was so opposed to he killed himself when it happened. Old Hungarian land though was returned after the invasion was successful. Now however Hungary was a full ally of Germany and obliged to send troops for the invasion of the Soviet Union. The Hungarian army paid a terrible price at the battle of Stalingrad.
With Germany in retreat, Horthy looked to switch sides and sent out feelers to Stalin. Germany was not ready for that and in October 1944 overthrew Horthy in Operation Panzerfaust that put in power the Arrow Cross party. Horthy went into SS custody in a castle in Bavaria. Arrow Cross had their own Stalingrad planned for the Red Army at Budapest. Budapest had many German defenders plus the forces of the Arrow Cross who would have no future in a red Hungary. There was also a plan called Operation Conrad where German tank units counterattacked and hoped to surround the Red Army at Budapest. Other still German cities in Poland were holding out for something similar. Operation Conrad got within 20 miles of encirclement before Soviet resistance held. It was a long shot at best but then so was the Soviet counterattack at Stalingrad. In April 1945, the SS guards faded away as Americans approached. Horthy testified against Nazis at the Nuremburg trials and afterward was allowed to go into retirement in Portugal. From there he watched in horror as the uprising against the Soviets was put down violently in 1956. He died in 1957. Post war Hungary was shrunk back to circa 1920 borders.
Well my drink is empty and I am left to wait till tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.