Tag: Hungary stamp

In the chaos after World War I, Hungary was briefly declared a Soviet Socialist Republic. Obviously such a government was mainly Jewish outsiders. In their one stamp issue, they introduced the country to a cast of historical figures that give some basis for their government. In this case, Serbian Jacobin Ignac Martinovics. 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.

I always have a good time looking at the design of the early communist stamps. There was still a hint of the old Royal look as the commies were obviously torn as to how much of the old grandiosity to retain now that it was in their hands. On the other hand, it is also easy to spot the wild ride the whole country was on with the cheap paper and indeed slightly deranged look of the old would be hero. When a country is in the midst of a reign of terror, everybody is a little deranged.

Todays  stamp is issue A17, a 60 Filler stamp issued by Hungary on June 12th, 1919. It was a five stamp issue in various denominations. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth $4.00 unused.

Ignac Martinovic’s father migrated to Pest in Hapsburg era Hungary. To hear Martinovic tell it, his father was either a nobleman soldier or a Serb tavern keeper. Obviously both could be true in different periods and Hungary was playing host to many Serbs on the run from the Ottomans. In Hungary, he converted to Catholicism  and married a local German girl.

It is not clear where the money for it was coming from, but Martinovic was well educated. During his education he became involved in intellectual francophone Jacobin secret societies modeled on the reign of terror era French Jacobin societies under Robespierre. For the Jacobins he engaged in many secret missions on their behalf. He also lead a more mainstream life as a university professor in Lemberg, now called Lviv and in the Ukraine. The Jacobins were half satisfied with reform minded Emperor Joseph II  and even worked as a part time agent for Leopold II, but when he was succeeded by more conservative Francis II the Jacobins became more radicalized. They began to assert that the aristocracy was the root of Hungary’s troubles and deserved elimination. Lack of self awareness did not let them see that by logic a bunch of haughty French speaking heringguts at the universities should therefore be high on their lists of those that should go. Jacobins then tried to stir up trouble among serfs and the Emperor Francis II  had Martinovic and six other “Hungarian” Jacobins beheaded for their subversion.

This 1919 issue was not Martinovic’s only Hungarian stamp. The later communist regime did one in 1947. yes again with the cheap paper. As with many such people, Martinovic was also a Mason, and the Masonic Temple in Budapest is named for him. Interestingly both stamps that I have so far written up from this set were executed by the Hapsburgs. Probably still a worry for the then Hungarian Soviet Socialists.

Well my drink is empty and I will pour another to toast the use of stamps to signal rehabilitation. Come again soon for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting. First published in 2020.

A Czech CSA Il-62 airliner flying over Africa. Exciting isn’t it. If you go back 46 years it seems more so. The Il-62 replaced ex Cubana Bristol Britannia turboprops on CSA’s long haul services. Now I have a fondness for the Britannia as my father was a mechanic on them in 1950s England and later Canada, but the Il-62 flew 20% more passengers 40% longer distances at a speed 40% faster. Changing how we travel, not just bogged down in the economics of getting there cheaper as the modern planes offer. 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.

This is a little bit of a strange stamp issue. Various model airliners, in their national airline livery are flying over maps where you then might have spotted them. Local airline Malev flying a Soviet Tu-154 over central Europe is only one from Hungary and the lowest denomination. Well it was the time when so many of Hungary stamp issues were prepared outside the country for the world stamp market.

Todays stamp is issue C379, a 2 Forint airmail stamp issued by Hungary on October 26th, 1977. It was an eight stamp issue in various denominations. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents used. This stamp also exists as an imperforate, that would raise the value to $4.35.

Work began on the Ilyushin Il-62 in 1960. It is a close contemporary of the British VC-10 airliner but is larger and more economical. The two airliners share the otherwise unique trait of four engines mounted on the tail two on each side. This improves the aerodynamics of the wings and makes the cabin quieter. It can also cause trouble if one engine is overheating both engines on that side of the airplane have to be shut down adding much instability. The engines in the back also make the plane tail heavy so when parked a jack folds out of the back to prevent the plane from tipping backwards off it’s tricycle undercarriage. The Il-62 was a great success with production of 292 over 30 years. The last plane was built in 1997 to serve VIP duties for Sudan. One does not think enough about Sudanese VIPs. Others are still in service with the Russian Air Force, Rado airlines in Belarus and Air Koryo in North Korea. At the height of it’s career, it even served Air France and KLM on their services to the eastern bloc. Interestingly given the Hungarian stamp, the Il-62 was never bought by Hungary although at one point in the 1960s they were listed as having them on order. Apparently Tupelov offered Hungary a better deal on their airliners and Hungary cancelled the Ilyushin order. Communism or is it capitalism in action.

CSA Czech Airlines began operations in 1923 with a flight between Prague and Bratislava. Then an internal flight. After a gap during the German occupation, the airline came back after the war but with shorter flights. In 1950, the airline faced the first mass hijacking when 3 DC-3s were hijacked at the same time to the American airbase at Erdin near Munich. 2/3rds of the passengers were not in on the “freedom” flight and returned home treated as heroes. CSA got back into long haul routes with a flight to Havana using Bristol Britannias leased from Cubana in 1962. CSA ordered VC10s to replace them but then canceled them in favor of the Il-62. They became the first foreign Il-62 user in 1969. They eventually operated 21 of them and kept them in service until 1997.

CSA has faced many struggles since the end of the cold war. Most of the long haul services are gone and the airline has lost 75% of it’s employees. After an equity stake by Korean Air was not successful, in 2018 the rump of the airline was sold to low cost carrier Smartwings. Most of their A319 are leased out and their single long haul A330 is a lease from Korean Air. They have recently ordered the small A220 jet to replace their small ATR turboprops.

Well my drink is empty and so I will signal the stewardess to bring another. Come again soon for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting. First published in 2020.

The 1950s was a wonderful time of innovation and optimism. It was also a time of cold war between East and West. Some prominent scientists on both sides, wondered if advancements could happen quicker if they were able to work together on basic research with all results shared. 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.

60 countries participated in the I. G. Y., and many issued stamps. In my opinion the Japanese stamp is the most attractive. Since I only write up stamps in my collection, I am left writing up this still solid effort from Hungary showing the Soviet Antarctic Station.

Todays stamp is issue A276, a 40 Filler stamp issued by Hungary on March 14th, 1959. It was a seven stamp issue in various denominations and was also available as a imperforate presentation set. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents.

The International Geophysical Year, I. G. Y., had it’s roots in two earlier, 1882 and 1932, International Polar Years that had focused the world on exploring and studying the earth’s poles. The 1932 year was somewhat discredited because many of it’s projects were abandoned and results lost in the runup to war. It was decided that all nations would be invited and all data shared in multiple locations. Only China refused to participate as they were annoyed that Taiwan was invited to participate as if it was a real country. It was further decided that the the subject of the year would expand from just the poles to include peaceful space exploration.

In the runup to the year, it was announced that the USA would launch 2 manmade satellites as part of it’s contribution. Four days later the Soviets announced that they too would launch a man made satellite. The American Project Vanguard faced several failed launches  and the world was shocked and impressed when the Soviets launched successfully Sputnik 1 as part of Soviet involvement in the I.C.Y. Project Vanguard was abandoned in the USA and a version of the Jupiter missile substituted with a new reentry cone and a scientific payload. The Americans eventually got  two rechristened Explorer satellites in space for the year, but it was not forgotten that two Sputniks were there first. America had some consolation in that one of their satellites discovered the Van Allen radiation belts that surround earth.

The poles were not forgotten during the IGY. Japan set up an intended to be year round manned science station in Antartica called Showa. The first year proved to be sort of a fiasco and the ship assigned to keep the station supplied got stuck in the ice. It was eventually freed by an American ice breaker but was unable to resupply the Showa station. The Japanese researchers were airlifted out by helicopter. The discusting losers left behind 15 Sakhalin Husky sled dogs chained up in the station. When the station was returned to a year later, seven of the dogs had died on their chain, six had disappeared. and two dogs named Taro and Jiro were still alive and in residence. they had escaped their chains and survived eating penguins  becoming national heroes in Japan as examples of perseverance and fortitude. Upon their natural deaths in 1960 and 1970 Taro and Jiro were stuffed and put on display.

Overall the IGY was a great success and lead to much later cooperation. In the early 1980s the Steely Dan singer Donald Fagin  had a top 20 solo hit with the song IGY, what a beautiful word. I was familiar with the song but never knew what he was singing about. You can hear the song here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Di0_KYtmVKI.

The optimism did not last into this century. In 2008 a new International Polar Year was organized. Why I say it lost the optimism is that it was centered around climate change. What a bunch of gloomy Guses that must have been.

Well my drink is empty, and I think four toasts are in order for the two Sputniks and  Taro and Jiro. Come again soon after I sober up for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.

As we consider 21st century stamps, I wonder if we have defined down too far who was deserving of a stamp issue. As we get into pretty obscure figures, there is more chance of learning new stories. The guy today even died under mysterious circumstances in a brothel. I hope I have not just given Hungary an idea who to put on their next 45 stamp issue. 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.

I was drawn to this stamp by the dull colors that defined Hungarian stamps after the cold war regime and the bright colored kid oriented farm out issues of that period to before the modern era where the look and feel of those issues has been recreated. Looking up the stamp however shows it part of a 45 stamp issue that came out over twelve years. Was Hungary that important in furniture? It isn’t now though nearby Germany and Poland are big exporters of furniture. China is far and away the largest producer.

Todays stamp is issue A1091, a 200 Florint stamp issued by Hungary in 2001. 7 stamps of the ultimate 45 came out that year. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents used.

This stamp features a settee made by furniture maker Sebestyen Vogel in 1810. Mr. Vogel’s family came from Saxony in Germany but his father died when he was 6 and the next year his widowed mother remarried a guild belonging furniture wood joiner in Budapest. After working in his stepfather’s shop he got a valuable apprenticeship in Vienna. Remember this was the period of Hapsburg rule of both places. Returning to Budapest, Vogel had great ambitions that would see his furniture widely exported to places like Russia and Transylvania. He thought that the volume of Hungarian wood needed would expand new avenues of trade. With this as a premise, he petitioned the Kaiser to be allowed the use of duty free Royal warehouse located in many cities throughout the empire. After several years, Vogel was granted what he sought and his workshop employed over 130 furniture builders and was tied for the biggest furniture operation in the Empire, and the largest in Budapest.

The furniture style being made was not original. More ornate/gaudy versions of French styles called Egyptized. It was the time of Napoleon. The concern was also able to do copies of the German Biedermeier style and the British Hepplewhite style.

By the 1820s, the style of the furniture changed but not due to developing something unique. Rather the commissions coming in were for standardized simple designs appropriate for government and big business offices.

I can find no work of what became of Vogel’s workshop after his death in the Theresianstadt brothel in 1837 at age 58. Not much of the furniture survives although the Museum of Applied Arts in Budapest has a few pieces including the settee on the stamp.

Well my drink is empty. Come again next Monday for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.

The communist promise plentiful jobs. Hard to do when agriculture was requiring fewer workers to do the same jobs and families were still large. Hungary was now a small country instead of an integral part of a big empire. Maybe that means that there will be an opportunity to add processing jobs in country. Like say aluminum metalworking to take advantage of long standing bauxite mining. 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.

I like the stamps of authoritarian regimes when they try to show off something that they are doing for the people. My favorite of these was an Albanian stamp I did here, https://the-philatelist.com/2017/11/09/communism-provides-smokes-for-atheists-and-then-a-refugee-camp-for-muslims/   . There are always 2 questions I hope to answer when writing about such a stamp years later. Did the regime really do what they were claiming credit for. Also does the operation still go on, thereby proving that it really was something important. Spoiler Alert; yes and yes.

Todays stamp is issue A202, a 50 Filler stamp issued by Hungary in 1958. This was a 14 stamp issue in various denominations over several years with the later versions like this one shrunken down. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents used.

Bauxite mining was done in Hungary for many years previous to the Aluminum metalworking plant displayed on the stamp opening. The operations were largely owned by German(Germany) private companies with the processing occurring outside Hungary. This was not going to do after the iron curtain descended. The Inotal metalworking plant opened near Budapest in 1952. It started as just a smelter but later added more precision work involving wires and slugs. Slugs are the cases of small batteries.

In 1995 the management of the plant was able to achieve a management buyout that kept the plant open and got it into private hands. In 2002 the main smelter closed as the firm concentrated on the higher margin precision work.  In 2006, management sold out to still Hungarian Inotal PLC. Inotal in 2019 bought out rival Salker. All the modern corporate machinations have no doubt played havoc with the number of employees but I cannot find an account of workforce size over time.

Hungary has paid a price environmentally for the activities involving bauxite and aluminum. In 2010 toxic red sludge leaked into the Danube River.

Well my drink is empty and part of me wants to pour another for a toast for the long lasting plant, I can’t get past that sludge image. Apparently you could see it from space. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.

Hungary was left an ethnic rumpstate after World War I, one that had lost 77% of it’s land. The ruling class had failed the people and deserved blame. So a new communist government was understandable, if only they could remember they work for Hungarians. A great time to invoke a previous rebellion lead by Gyorgy Dozsa against another discredited gentry. If Soviet Hungarian Republic President Sandor Garbai knew his history he would have worried. Hey wasn’t Dozsa fried and then eaten? So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult, lock your door if you are part of the landed gentry. and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist,

Hungary was only the second country to go Communist after Russia. It was a worldwide movement so they probably didn’t think too hard about the label Soviet. It wasn’t implying a Russian colony, except of course that was exactly what they were selling. The local Communists did think to appoint a gentile figurehead, President Garbai, to somewhat shield who they were. A later communist leader joked that Garbai was picked so that they would have someone to sign death warrants on the Sabbath.

Todays stamp is issue A18 a 75 Filler stamp issued by the Hungarian Soviet Republic on June 12th, 1919. It was the only issue of the Soviet Republic and consisted of five stamps in various denominations. My stamp has the later vertical watermark that did not make it into postal use before the short lived Soviet Republic ended. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth $7.50 unused.

The Soviet Hungarian government came in peacefully but with a little trickery. The Hapsburg Regency ordered the center left social democrats to form a government not knowing they had merged with the still officially banned communists. The communists than ordered the Hapsburg regent and any social democrats in the government arrested. This was directly on orders from Soviet leader Lenin. The people who had such a time dealing with defeat were willing to give the communists a chance. They were desperate for anyone that could restore Hungary to its prewar status. The Reds had no trouble recruiting an army that duly marched into the old upper Hungary, then the Czech and Slovak Republic. The army made some progress but then declared a Slovak Soviet Republic in the conquered territory. This was about an ideology not restoring to Hungary it’s lost territory. The army and people rebelled and the Soviet republic fell. The Hapsburg Regency was restored and there was a “White Terror” against the Communists and the Jews who the government felt had betrayed the country. Many of the top Communists escaped the terror into exile including the top leadership and actor Bela Lugosi, who was head of the communist actors union. Lugosi went of course on to America to play a Hungarian Count from Transylvania not too unlike Gyorgy Dozsa. The rest of the leadership went on to the Soviet Union where many then fell victim to Stalin’s 1930s purges of those he suspected of being untrustworthy.

Gyorgi Dozsa was a Hungarian Count from Transylvania who lived around 1500 AD when Transylvania was part of a greater Hungary. After a meeting with the Pope the Hungarian Chancellor passed on his issuance of a Crusade against the Ottomans. Count Dozsa duly raised an army staffed by peasants to fight the Ottomans. The peasants felt the Army was not getting enough support from the Hungarian gentry that had initiated the war. The army turned against the Hungarian government while still under Count Dozsa and burned several hundred manor homes and castles and killing many of the gentry, often by Crucifixion. The King withdrew the crusade against the Ottomans and ordered the peasants back to the farms under “pain of death”. He also raised a new mercenary army to personally go after Count Dozsa. He was duly captured in battle in Tannesvar, in what is now Romania. After capture, he was mocked by being made to sit on an iron throne and wear an iron crown the had both been warmed in a fire until nearly molten. Still alive he was then cut with pliers also heated in the fire. Then fellow rebel prisoners were offered a way to avoid death by taking a bite of Count Dozsa’s flesh.

The Communists of 1919 were just trying to weave a little history into their story of a glorious future. In retrospect the message is more clear, Don’t Screw with the Hungarian Gentry.

Well my drink is empty and faced with a choice of a controlled by outsider mob of peasants and a gentry that takes names and gets their revenge I will chose the gentry. At least they live better in the meantime, Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.

History buffs may remember that the Ottomans were stopped at the gates of Vienna. They did occupy sometimes empire sister city Budapest for 200 years ending in 1686. Yes that did make a difference. 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 palace was built in a grand Gothic style for Hungarian Kings. The Ottomans used the complex as a fortification and armory with it’s finery long gone. Thus the return of the Hungarians must have seemed a restoration of civilization. This is captured well on the stamp by using Gyula Bencur’ s much later painting.

Todays stamp is issue A806, a 4 Forint stamp issued by the People’s Republic of Hungary on September 2nd, 1986.  This was a single stamp issue. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 30 cents used.

Buda castle is located on the high ground facing the Danube River. The first Royal Residence there was built for Hungarian King Bela IV around 1250 AD. The last Royal occupant was Hapsburg Regent Admiral Miklos Horthy until 1944. The palace was greatly expanded in the Gothic style to serve as the main residence of Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund around 1400. Hungary evacuated the town before the arrival of the Ottomans in 1526. The town was looted and burned but the castle left intact. The treasures were carted back to Constantinople by Sultan Sulieman the Magnificent. He was not magnificent enough to preserve what he liberated as most was destroyed in rebellions there a few years later.

Budapest, it was three separate towns then, went into a decline during the Ottoman years. Those of Hungarian or German heritage mostly departed for the still Hapsburg ruled Royal Hungary. The population and importance of Budapest declined and in addition to Ottomans numbers of Gypsies and Jews increased. With no local Royals to house, Buda Castle became an Armory. In 1686 troops of 13 Christian European nations fought to retake Budapest from the Ottomans. During the fighting the armory that was Buda Castle exploded. The force was so great that a wave on the Danube wiped out artillery batteries on both sides of the river. The Castle was a ruin but was later rebuilt in even a grander style by Hapsburg Queen Marie Theresa as thanks for Hungarian support of her during the War of Austrian succession. The elaborate grounds were the center of Hungarian political life.

During World War II, Buda Castle was again destroyed. The Germans in defeat had hoped for a Stalingrad like turnaround in Budapest. It was hoped to bog down the Soviets in winter house to house fighting in Budapest while German tank units encircle them. The Germans were not able to encircle the Soviets, they got within 20 miles of it. There was however much house to house fighting with the last holdouts being on the grounds of Buda Castle.

Interestingly the post war Red government decided to rebuild Buda Castle not in the Hapsburg style but more as it was at the time before the Ottomans. Medieval Castles were  also of course fortifications and the war had showed that what happened before could always happen again.

Well my drink is empty and I will pour another to toast the residents of modern Budapest. In October, I enjoyed a great trip there were I was able to wonder the grounds of Buda Castle as well as enjoy the excellent food and drink and yes tour their stamp museum. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.

The Hungarian Army lost many comrades during the war. However for the most part they were fighting as allies of Germany in order to reclaim the land lost at the end of World War I. Hungary fell to the Red Army and was not going to get back any lost land, so those lost in that struggle were going unremembered. That does not mean Hungarian Communists could not find a list of approved victims, and give them stamps. 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.

Poet Miklos Radnoti, not his real name, was one of the victims chosen to be part of this issue of stamps issued on the thirtieth anniversary of their war deaths. Seven leaders were chosen, none had served in combat units that had taken such a beating in Stalingrad and elsewhere. This fellow even had a pen name identifying him with a place in Bohemia where he had ancestors, instead of his own Budapest birthplace. Still enough of a Hungarian hero for government work.

Todays stamp is issue A494, a 1 Forint stamp issued by Hungary on November 11th, 1972. Mr. Radnoti received a single stamp. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents whether used or unused. There is an imperforate version of the stamp that ups the value to $3.00.

Miklos Radnoti, then Glatter, was born into a wealthy family of Jewish merchants. His twin brother was stillborn and his mother died in the aftermath of childbirth. He was raised with the family of a strict uncle. He received university training in business and married but was pining for a different life in the arts. Luckily  for Radnoti, that’s what money is for and he quit the family firm and studied philosophy and French  at the University of Szeged. He earned a PhD there. He then set out as a poet. He was helped in this by the fact that his father in law headed an important Hungarian publisher.

His work was mainly romantic  views of simple peasant life as he had viewed previously as a merchant. Today many of the chronicles we have of this long ago East European life comes from the class of mainly Jewish merchants that interacted with them. The peasants themselves did not return the love to the merchants, as they often felt taken advantage of.

In 1940, Radnoti was drafted into an army construction battalion set aside for Jews. The government did not trust the Jews to fight for them if armed. He ended up working at a copper mine in Bor, Serbia. This was a massive operation and Radnoti was promoted to Kapo, a supervisory position. At this point Radnoti and his wife professed a conversion  to Catholicism, probably to improve his lot. In October 1944, the unit gave up on the copper mine with the enemy approaching and began marching back toward Hungary. The government had gotten much more right wing that month and the Jews of the battalion did not see a future in Hungary. 20 of the 3600 marchers refused to go on and were shot near Abda, Hungary. Radnotti was 35.

Radnotti has several statues to him around Hungary and a large school named in his honor. Many of the Communist figures have been downgraded in esteem by the modern Hungary. So far Radnoti’s heritage has saved him that fate. His widow lived till 2014 so there was also still someone to make his case.

Well my drink is empty and I will pour another for those that had to go to great lengths to survive a war they did not believe in. Not all made it through. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.

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.