Mr. Hustle! The "German" helmet was already produed in Hungary since WW1. Hungary was not medium sized country, since its pre-WW1 territory was bigger than UK+ Irish Island combined. Austria and Hungary was not one country. Please read about the details here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austro-Hungarian_Compromise_of_1867You forget to mention that Horthy's Hungary was the only country during ww2, where officers were sentenced due to crimes, like in Újvidék/Novisad. No other ww2 countries sentenced their officers due to warcrimes during wartime! This was unique.
@@peterjanossy7033 I see some of what you mention is beyond the scope of this channel. If I'd make an indepth episode about it, than I for sure will mention it.
The Hungarian troops stationed in Poland in 1944 not only refused to take part in putting down the Warsaw Uprising but had secret contacts with the Polish Home Army (AK), they were letting AK units pass through the areas they controlled, trading supplies with them and so one. Fun fact: the commander of the 2nd Hungarian Corps stationed at that time in the vicinity of Warsaw was Gen. Béla Lengyel. His surname literary means 'Pole' in Hungarian. (as in Polish person, not like the North Pole or something).
Artur, I think we got lucky because of Józef Bem, who knows. I read about the Magyar unit in Warszawa. Also until '44 they would allow Polish spies to go back and forth via Hungary. There were some talks with Western Allie, through Polish Government in Exile, about the Hungarian units in Poland switching sides.
Lengyel is a very common name and started becoming adopted by Hungarians without family names when it was made law to have a family name. So possibly maybe not of Polish decent, but thinking & acting in Polish in spirit nonetheless Balogh is also a common name of Polish connection, Polish Knights came to Hungary to a particular castle to fight the Ottomans & the name was given to them by the King (please fact check the story I was told this in casual conversation & have made no personal research into the matter). I also heard stories of Hungarian troops giving extra food to Polish civilians, sometimes turning a blind eye to certain things & general tomfoolery & 🖕🏻to the Nazis. We also refused to take part in the initial invasion of Poland. This one event caused unspeakable horrors & the worst crime amongst them was causing so much damage an equally evil & authoritarian political system the ablility to spread & take over the most devastated countries leading to the creation of the biggest prison the world has ever seen. In the 1956 Revolution my Grandparents fled Hungary by foot walking from Debrecen to Austria & my not even 1year old father was taken or smuggled to Israel (hazy details, & G-Ma is Jewish) All our families have these types of stories unfortunately. But one this is eternal Polak, Węgier - dwa bratanki. 🇭🇺🇵🇱
Just thinking about it, 20th Century was a horror because an embarrassed at the beginning an Russian Empire got involved on someone else’s domestic affairs and put troops onto trains. (Which everyone seems to forget because it doesn’t fit one side good one side bad narrative) Then they ruined the 2nd part by…..getting involved in other countries affairs by dictating communism.
My Great-Grandfather was Hungarian from Southern Slovakia and conscripted in 1939 into the 2nd Army, VII Corps, 21st Artillery Regiment. He was lucky not to be at Voronezh, but in 1944 his division was retreating through Slovakia westwards and during the Slovak Uprising, one day their division, starved and force-marched into a Slovak village. They knocked on the door of a villager. They asked the owner of the house if they had any spare food and if it was okay to stay in the area overnight in the Slovak language. The villagers were shocked, as the Hungarian soldiers were speaking Slovak. Shocked, the villager asked how they could speak Slovak. He responded, "Most of us speak Slovak, we are from here, we're all from the South" This was because the 21st Regiment was conscripted from the Losonc (Lucenec) military area in modern South Slovakia. So most of the soldiers grew up in Czechoslovakia). The woman in the house then runs out the house waving her loudly arms, shouting something like "stop stop, they're one of us". Anyway turns out it was a Slovak Partisan ambush, and the partisans actually gave them food, water and shelter. I find it to be a very poignant war story.
My great grandpa fought in the army aswell He was from szász szebes in transilvania I have letters from him from the front And the stories that his daughter told me Even though we fought on the wrong side This war was about getting our nation back and all the hungarians from the neighboring countries fought for the cause
Its such a wonder how we know about the minor allied countries and their contributions to their cause but ignore the minor axis powers. You are the best Stefan we expect more facts like this from you that most others won't show
@@milankrishna2550 Thank you for your well wishes. I don’t even know their names, My G-Pa said it when an advert about Barbarossa came on the TV, then he quickly changed the subject. He passed away in the meantime so I probably never will.
Situation was even worst at home where there were no italians between romanians and hungarians. Both countries kept one army at home in case they have to fight the others. Situation remained tensed throughout the war at the romanian-hungarian border and clashes were frequent. Both sides practiced social exclusion and discrimination of the ethnics who remained on the wrong side of the border and even massacres (hungarians wiped out ethnic romanians in several villages in 1940 and romanians responded in the same way after 1944). These events left deep marks in the collective memory even today. I am surprised that details about this are largely unknown by the english speaking istorians
My uncle’s father in law was an ethnic German from Hungary who served in combat in WWII in German uniform earning the Close Combat Clasp in Gold of which only 631 were awarded. Taken prisoner by the Red Army in early 1945, released in 1947. I had the opportunity to share a few liters of beer with him in the mid 80’s in Hersbruck, Bavaria.
To Mr. History Hustle...my father fought at the Ercsi crossing and in the Szekesvehervar theatre. Do you know which units were involved? An uncle, a hungarian-schwabian, was drafted into the 31st Waffen SS Volunteer Grenadier Division. The book "For the Homeland" chronicles this unit's history. I was flabbergasted when this book confirmed many of his experiences.
@@emrahhuner7428 Well yes. Thanks for your well wishes. He was captured by the Russians and escaped from a Russian POW camp the day before he was schedule to be hung. Fortunately he was found by the British 4 days later almost having died of exposure. Worked for the Americans in Heidelberg where he met my mother and where I was born. We emigrated to the US in 1956.
@@ReaperCH90 i did write down a number of stories that i had learned about while they were alive. I deeply regret that I had not taken more interest in my family's history when I was younger. I would have been able to write one hellava book. Of all my cousins I was the only one who took any interest in family history and know more than they do about their own parents.
Thanks for this video. My Grandfather was a Captain in the Royal Hungarian Army. One of the ethnic German officer class you mentioned with a Hungarian name as you can see by mine. He commanded a company in Russia and it did not go well. I am told there were few survivors but he lived and eventually immigrated to Canada where I was born. The name change was actually done by my Great Grandfather who was a Calvary officer in WWI, as he stayed on as an officer after the war and found himself on the Hungarian side of the border after the empire fell apart.
I like your video it was fool with informations.Actualy Horthy never wanted to resign but the german SS troops captured his smaller son István Horthy and the germans told if he don't resign than his son will be killd.Keep up the great job and ones again great video!
Gotta say you really stepped up the quality of your videos in the last 5-6 months. Really good topics, format is nice, straight to the point with imporant details. I have been a follower for a long time and i used to be bored by some of your old videos but now i cant wait for the new one. Keep it up Stephan.
A little disappointing that you didn't talk about the Carpathian Group more. They were the original Hungarian Expeditionary Group of about 40,000 sent to the USSR and it's mobile corps even impressed the Germans certain times, like at the battle of Uman. Unfortunately at that point of the war the Hungarian armor was outdated, so it came to a point where they couldn't make more unsupported pincer attacks like the Germans wanted, and they were recalled. The 2nd army was sent in its place. Interestingly, the 2nd army was called the best equipped, but that's because equipment was funneled to them in preparation of the eastern war. The 1st army was considered the best trained, so it was put along the Romanian border in case of further conflict with them. The 3rd army was mostly used for controlling captured territory.
My father recalls that in 1944 the Hungarians sent thousands of school children to the carpathian mountain paths to try to stop the Russian tanks and many were killed and maimed. The Hungarian equivalent of the Hitler youth
This is factually incorrect. Hungary has never extended the draft age below 18, and palamilitary youth movements, called Levente mozgalom, the equivalent to the US boyscouts and spviet pioneers, were never allowed to partake in any combat task. The carpathian mountain passes were succesfully held by the regular aemy, until flanked through Romania, after the latter switched sides, and Hungary has failed in doing the same. Drafting of paramilitary armed organisation personell only began after the soviet advance into Hungary proper, and even then it was military instructor personell, gendarmes, and later police cadets, and that last one, only in defence of the encircled capital. There were plenty enough real crimes committed in this war, no need to invent new ones.
The Újvidék (Novi Sad) massacre was a shameful act, but Hungary actually prosecuted the perpetrators (15 army and gendarmerie officers) for war crimes (the only nation in WW2 to prosecute own forces for war crimes). The main 3 perpetrators (generals Feketehalmy-Czeydner and Grassy, colonel Deák) were sentenced to death in 1943, they avoided execution by fleeing to nazi Germany and joining the SS!
Az 1848-49-es forradalom és szabadságharc során Dél-Magyarországon az ott élő szerbek csapatai gyilkoltak. Az 1848. július 18-án visszafoglalt, Szenttamás közelében fekvő Földvárra bevonulva a magyar katonák 37 levágott gyermekfejet találtak a katolikus templomban.[3] Zentán 1849 februárjában kb. 2000-2800 magyart mészároltak le.
The claim that Hungary was the only nation in WW2 to prosecute own war criminals is completely wrong. Almost every participating nation did it in some cases.
@@gothia1715 I am open to learn more, how many americans, british, french, soviets were sentenced by their own military courts for war crimes? Names, dates, events please! (I only know of the execution of Lt Henry Morant for killing enemy civilians in the Boer War). Germans? Italians? I am really interested to learn more about these!
Thank you for this amazing video. The only thing i would add is the officers that were responsible for the killings in hungarian annexed yugoslavia were held accountable and some were even arrested or relieved. Keep up the amazing work.
Nice video! You may do a video about the Romanian Elite Troops :„Vânători de Munte” - Mountain hounters. In the Caucasus Campaign they reaced as far as 30 km from Grozny. One of the important battles that romanian army fought in WW2 was the Battle of Nalcik. It was an importatnt victory won by Vânătorii de Munte.
Amazing episode!! Was waiting for it all morning!! About the raised boots!! Aweee nope!! Lmao!! Killed me!! Thanks again!! October was Hungarian month!!!!!
@@HistoryHustle No worries, I was reading up on the small Croat detachment. Not a lot on the web about them anyhow. I've never even seen footage of them just pictures. Also I compliment you on your Drillich. I had a set of the white 2 pocket Drillich made 20 years ago when I was into reenacting. I'm too old for that now so just occupy my time with watching awesome content creators on UA-cam like yourself.
Unlike some other armies, shirts were generally not worn outside trousers in the Hungarian army as this was considered slovenly. This was in contrast to the Red Army and even the Finns.
The helmet was designated M1935. The germans did not allow and assist anything, Hungary paid hard cash for the copyright to manufacture the helmet. Only the helmet shell was almost similar to the german helmet (about 90% with some distinctive alterations as mentioned in the video), the helmet liner was different, as Hungary refused to pay extra hard cash for the copyright of the liner.
I'm Hungarian living in Canada. So i can say this; Hungary after WWI been reduced to a fragmented State, little wonder our Army been the weakest point in the Axis Army, despite the shortcomings Hungarians fought with courage and discipline. Regent Miklos Horthy been a very reasonable man. He wanted to regain lost land Hungary lost in 1920 by the Treaty of Trianon, France. Hungary was very reluctant to join Hitler and Mussolini.
My father died in Second World War Two, Hungarian soldier name Ferenc Zsembery never found his grave never got nothing from government. I’m the only son still living don’t know what happened to him it’s like he is forgotten he gave life for hungry can’t even find his grave. Frank Z
I read that Hungarians and Romanians despised each other and weren't placed next to each other in Russia for fear they would attack each other. In the battle for Budapest after Romania switched sides the the Hungarian and Romanians fought each other ferociously.
Once again you have delivered a great video presentation. Great work and you hit every bullet point. As for Royal Hungarian Army being effective; well that is a mix bag but I will leave that topic in your capable hands. Kudos!
The basic truth of it, is that when faced with tasks appropriate to its means, it performed well. It did comperably to the wermacht in its advance during Barbarossa, despite using inferior equipment and less motorization, it held against Bagration, and the subsequent soviet advance better than the wermacht, despite having less favourable terrain. Its two primary faliours were breaking under Little Uranos at the Don, where it was tasked with defending frontage easily twice the length it was properly equipped for, with inadequate anti armour equipment and insufficient quick reaction forces or integral artillery to contain a soviet armoured breakthrough, and still held out for almost a week before being forced to retreat in disorder, and in failing ro meaningfully oppose the US bombing campaign against hungarian industry, which was largly a result of a lack of access to high lerformance aero engines sufficiently soon to equip a competitive interceptor force. Programs were underway to develop one, but they started too late, and ultimately proved beyond the means of the small economy.
As for the Voronezh disaster of the 2nd Hungarian Army: a major part of the huge losses and practically the annihilation of the army was that the Hungarian government gave far less than satisfactory winter supplies to the army on the basis that it was ordered under the command army groups. On the other hand, the German forces themselves wouldn't have been able to give them the appropriate equipment and supply as theirs were not adequate and enough by that time in that distance from the homeland. This, with the fact that the assigned defend line with the headcount of the army didn't make building any depth in the front line, sealed the fate of the army after Stalingrad battle was over and Soviet forces were freed up to strengthen the attacking units at the flanks.
Interestingly, Pál Teleki, the Prime Minister of Hungary from 1939-41 committed suicide when the Germans entered Hungary for the invasion of Yugoslavia, as he wished to avoid embroiling Hungary in war, particularly with Yugoslavia which he had negotiated a non-aggression pact with in 1940.
My Grandfather was involved with the fight in USSR. That’s all I know about my family second war history. My Grandmother, Father and his two sisters fled in ‘56….respect and honour to those who did what they had to in those trying times. God bless the 1956 freedom fighters.
@@HistoryHustle Yeah understanable. I think there is no offical think in english besides a few forum posts. Not much in hugnarian too. I heard that there are a lot of information about it in polish as they very well documented this. But its allright, maybe in the future something will get released as an offical english scource :)
A very nice and comprehensive review! However I believe you are wrong about the "labour battalions" or in Hungarian munkaszázadok where they drafted people for (forced/slave) labour service (munkaszolgálat). These battalions comprised of Jewish civilians and other civilians who were declared undesirable for political reasons (mostly communists) and drafted straight for labour service not military service. National minorities like Romanians, Slovaks, Serbs were definitely not drafted into these battalions. Labour battalions were not armed and were used for heavy labour (digging ditches etc.), mine sweeping, and all the worst tasks, they were poorly fed and dressed so basically the ultimate purpose and goal of these battalions was the same as that of concentration camps= extermination.
Thanks for your reply. About the labour bns, it's what I read in my source: The Royal Hungarian Army [Men-at-Arms 449] (Nigel Thomas & László Pál Szábó).
Hi. Pretty good video. But there are a few things which would have needed to be mentioned. For excample regarding the killing of partisans and otherers who were accused of being partisans, it is an important fact, that the this action took place without an order from the higher levels and during the war, the officers responsible for this, were put on trial and put in jail. Later they were freed by the germans and joined the ss. An interesting facts about these officers is that they were all ethic germans, if I remember well. Regarding the gained territories, using the term "anexed" is rather fals and missleading. It is only proper to use this tomthe Bácska, because it was taken by force. Northern Transylvania and northern parts of Hungary (suthern slovakia) were not anexed.
Both transylvania and souhern slovakia were ceded under duress from germany, after they were signed over in the versilles peace treaty legally, and with acceptance by the then current hungarian governmen, obviously also under duress. The question of claims over these lands on this time period is extremely murky, considering Hungary was not a belligerent in WW1, and yet was prosecuted as one, despite no other part of the dual monarchy after its breakup recieving this treatment, but I dont think we are going to solve this question here, when nobody could adequately do so before.
Thanks Stefan! I haven't studied Hungary in WW2 beyond the deportations to Auschwitz. This has given me the impetus to explore the topic a little more.
The Hungarians really had no chance at Stalingrad. The Germans gave them too big front to guard (Like one company per 1,5 km of front.) and the only AT that the Hungarians gained were the Pak 36 which the Germans gave as hand-me-downs as they upgraded to the Pak 40's. You could have mentioned these facts too in your video but otherwise great work as always. Keep it up.
My father’s cousin told me that the 2nd Battle if Vorenzh is considered the “Hungarian Stalingrad”. Btw he’s a Kovács & want to state I’m a 2nd generation foreign Hungarian so my details might have to be fact checked in this regard.
On top of the lack of artillery, they had few or old tanks. Same with the Romanians and the Italians. A huge reason why the Germans were encircled at Stalingrad. The Soviets attack with artillery and modern tanks, you counter with infantry basically and poorly-equipped ones, too. The Axis-powers defending the German's flanks really had no chance.
You gotta wonder where the Germans had the resources available to invade Hungary in the fall of 1944 when they were being pushed back on all fronts from the east, west and south.
My Uncle was in the US military and was in Paris in 1944. He is 1st generation Hungarian. He supposedly found a Hungarian cavalry unit that has been captured. This story is from my Mom and she didn't provide more details.
@@steviedfromtheflyovercount4739 Hmm interesting, didn’t know that. I also thought they were “only” fighting at the eastern front. From my family side only my paternal grandfather fought side by side with Romanian troops at the eastern front, don’t know about my great uncles, some of them also fought in the East. The father of my mother fought against CW troops in Normandy as tank commander of the 21st but he never told anything about Hungarians or other pro German allies - but to be fair, his tank got knocked out on June 7th by British paratroopers and he came into captivity, maybe there was a Hungarian unit transferred towards Normandy in the second half of June 44 (during this time some divisions arrived as reinforcements for the Normandy theatre).
Years ago, I remember reading about when the Wehrmacht invaded Russia, there were anti-Communists we're allowed to take up arms and formed various sizes units. I recall a story of a small unit (platting or company) size, some how ended up in France. Normandy? But was lost in heavy fighting.
When I was a teenager, my mother had a friend that served in the Royal Hungarian Air Force during WWII; I was fortunate enough to inherit his collection of squadron cap badges. I wish that I had been able to also inherit his service medals, but apparently he hid (buried?) before fleeing the Soviets.
My hungarian grandfather didn't go with 2nd army in ussr because he had only 2 fingers left (childhood saw accident) on his good hand... From his small village about 17 men didn't return. Today there is a "strange" plate commemorating this on the wall of the church, it's says : "In remembrance of the victims of WW2" followed by the names of 17 soldiers and names of 9 members of 3 jewish families that were deported and murdered in Auschwitz. Can send picture of it if interested.
I wish you had talked more about the actual military formations, when they were formed, deployed, etc., as it's in the thumbnail. I'm interested in the Hungarian 1st Armored Corps and what it actually did from 1942 on. There were also many corps formations raised in 1944. I've read that up to 1 million were conscripted during the war. There was also no mention of the Hungarian air force, which is a story in itself.
Hungary had modern armoured *doctrine" well before it had modern armour. There are theses by hungarian officers as early as the late 20s envisioning armour as an svsn faster and better armed version of cavalry, that supported by either horse cavry or truck mounted infantry could execute strategic depth manouvers in the event of a breakthrough, or before fronts ossified, and inflict significant damage in the enemy rear. In fact hungary stood up what were essentially armoured divisions as soon as it managed to acquire tanks. The peoblem wasnt a lack of modern formations, it was a lack of up to date armoured vehicles.
11:36 In spite of the radiant smiling, we all know it not ended well for him. "After the war, he was tried and executed by the Hungarian court for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during World War II." Wikipedia. Obrigado! 🇧🇷
April 3 1941 then Hungarian Prime Minister Teleki Pal committed suicide because in December of 1940 he signed a non-aggression pact with Yugoslavia and promised to not allow German troops to pass through Hungarian territory. Basically he was forced to break his word.
Top notch video . BZ Will you be covering the regiments and battalions that were in Sjalland and Sjalland ? Another SS-Regimentsgruppe Ney (later SS-Regiment Ney raised 20.10.1944 was formed by1st Secretary of the KABSZ
I would add that Hungary remained in the war because Otto Skorzeny commando's abducted the son of Miklos Horthy which forced the regent to resign. Also would add that even though Hungary had anti-jewish laws, they did not deport Hungarian Jews to camps under Horthy. Under the Arrow-cross reign, Hungary's jews were deported and murdered. A monument stands for this next to the Danube river in BP in the shape of suitcases and shoes. Jewish victims were shot and then dumped in the river.
@@HistoryHustle The Osprey paperback series has a few books that deal in whole or in part with the subject in English. There may be more out there in languages like German. But the minor Axis partners (not so minor - ones like Hungary mobilised hundreds of thousands of soldiers) are a neglected area, in English at least.
It is not a topic relevant to english language authors, as they had no contact with hungary during the war, and domestic reserach on the topic was all but forbidden during socialism.
The tapered trousers had been a feature in Hungarian, as opposed to Austrian infantry, uniforms in WW1. Although an "Austrian knot" lacework pattern on the upper front of the trouser legs of Hungarian uniforms was dispensed with before WW2. Except for the change to brown-green (A-H uniforms had been field-grey in the latter part of WW1) WW2 Hungarian uniforms were often much like those of WW1.
Question, I notice the symbol relation between the Arrow Cross and the 25th Waffen Infantry Division Hunyadi (First Hungarian), and 26th Waffen Division Hungarie (2nd Hungarian) who are the Hungarian Nationals Volunteer Form. though not on the 22 SS Volunteer Calvary Division Maria Teresa, but again are these one in the same, or what is the specific difference.
My grandfather went to the front on 01.03.1942 on the front, the 25th infantry regiment (telephone operator), he resisted on the front until he was taken prisoner on 02.10.1944 near Beiuș (Oradea, Romania), taken to camps in Siberia until on 10.07.1948 when he returned home. can someone tell me more about the 25th infantry regiment, in which country and areas did it fight? thank you.
the Hungarian gendarmerie, as you called it in one video, was essentially the police in peacetime, and in wartime they had the appearance of military police, they were recognizable by the cock feathers on their caps, similar to the Italian Bersaljes in essence, the Hungarian gendarmerie is the equivalent of the Italian carabinieri and their Croatian equivalent was called BOJNO ORUŽNIŠTVO, unfortunately, they no longer exist my great-grandfather on my mother's side was a member of the CSENDOR, that's the Hungarian gendarmes, and he served in Budapest, and in the service group he trained judo, it was mandatory, I think few people know that, and I accidentally found out from my grandmother , because when she saw me in a karate kimono, she just said, KERGANCS, which is Hungarian slang for Judo, and then she told me everything, and I was embarrassed that I looked stupid because I wanted to impress my grandmother that I was something special because I train the bushido martial art, and now to finish, where my great-grandfather left off, I continued ---------------------------- a magyar csendőrség, ahogy az egyik videóban nevezted, békeidőben lényegében a rendőrség volt, háborúban pedig katonarendőrnek látszottak, a sapkájukon lévő kakastollakról lehetett felismerni őket, hasonlóan az olasz Bersaljekhoz. lényegében a magyar csendőrség az olasz karabinieri megfelelője horvát megfelelőjüket pedig BOJNO ORUŽNIŠTVO-nak hívták, sajnos már nem léteznek anyai dédnagyapám a CSENDOR tagja volt, vagyis a magyar csendőrök, és Budapesten szolgált, és a szolgálati csoportban judót edzett, ez kötelező volt, azt hiszem, kevesen tudják, és véletlenül találtam ki a nagymamámtól , mert amikor meglátott egy karate kimonóban, csak annyit mondott, hogy KERGANCS, ami a Judo magyar szlengje, aztán mindent elmondott, és zavarba jöttem, hogy hülyének nézek, mert le akartam nyűgözni a nagymamát. hogy valami különleges voltam, mert bushido harcművészetet edzek, és hogy befejezzem, ahol a dédapám abbahagyta, en tovab folytattam.
@@HistoryHustle what is there to explain, you leave out a lot of pretty important stuff, like the Hungarians in Bergen Belsen, Kolberg, Kustrin, Schwerin, etc., the administrative changes in the army after the arrow cross takeover, arrow cross units, more detailed breakdown of the army, Hungarian air force in more detail, the battle for Hungary in more detail, the gendarmerie, special units......
@@HistoryHustle ah that's a shame. Understandable though. I was always wondering how much romania really contributed to the axis war effort (besides oil obviously) and how bad their sideswitching really was for the axis.
Some Romanian troops adopted a version of the German Stahlhelm in 1944, which had the effect of making them look more like Hungarian troops, whose use of the helmet was of longer duration. But when Romania changed sides the German-style helmets were given up as they caused confusion under the new circumstances.
@@royale7620 An Osprey series illustrated book on the Romanian armed forces of WW2, I forget which number in the series. It included a photo of Romanian soldiers in 1944 wearing the Stahlhelm and presumably khaki uniforms, though the photo was black and white.
My great grandpa fought in the hungarian army He was from szász szebes(sebeș in romanian) and i have some letters from him he sent from the front He died in a soviet camp after the war
The German military leadership undertook to supply the Hungarian army with food. Unfortunately, the German supply was stalled due to the poor military situation, and it did not correspond to the Hungarian stomach. The food culture is different. The Kingdom of Hungary also sent cattle and pigs to the front, but they got stuck in the German army. Because of this, Hungarian soldiers were in most cases malnourished. Hunger was common. South of the 2 Hungarian armies, the Italian army was destroyed, and the Russian troops were already 80 km west. To the north of the 2nd Hungarian Army was the 2nd German Army, which was continuously withdrawn by the German military leadership. In this way, the Hungarian army weakened and its poorly equipped soldiers were left alone on the banks of the Don. That's when the breakthrough happened. So the Hungarian army was left alone for the last time. In front of its own soldiers, the German military blamed the Hungarians for the Russian breakthrough. Because of this misleading propaganda, there were several minor armed clashes between the Hungarian and German troops. Sometimes it even happened that exhausted Hungarian pedestrians tried to cling to the retreating German trucks. They tried to pull themselves. German soldiers cut the fingers of the handrails with an infantry spade. The Germans called the Hungarians cowardly pigs. Apart from this, the relationship between the German and Hungarian soldiers was camaraderie. I think many German soldiers looked down on the Hungarians because the German army was mechanized and so they retreated in trucks. Meanwhile, the Hungarians in summer clothes wandered on foot in the snowstorm. The temperature was minus 40 degrees. Hungary was divided after the First World War. 72% of its territory was distributed among neighboring countries. Its mines and industrial capacities were largely lost… The economic strength of the remaining wrecked country was not sufficient to carry out such an expeditionary operation. In the Hungarian army, his heavy weapons were towed by horses. The horses, on the other hand, had been taken back earlier for food reasons, or 100 km from the front. Thus, the movement of heavy weapons was impossible. These n weapons are thus lost. The troops were withdrawn to Kiev. There, the German military leadership organized a parade as a kind of punishment, where he had to retreat in front of the grandstand in a ceremonial step. Dirty and ragged. This also blames the soldiers. In response, German soldiers threw away their iron crosses .... The land was full of iron crosses.
Hungarian 2. Army was nowhere near Stalingrad but around 600km northwest from it. Their sector stretched around 200 km starting from south of Voronezh and down along the river Don between the German 2. Army from the north and the Italalian 8. Army to the south. With not enough numbers to man the overstretched defense line it had no depth in defense at all and as a conseqence when the soviets broke through in January 12th 1943 at the Uriv bridgehead the retreating troops were caught in the open without no fallback positions. The majority of the army were lost in that few weeks to bloody retreating battles, several breakouts from encirclements and exposure to severe cold sometimes as low as -30,-40 celsius.
@@xerxen100 Ha magyarként ott esett el az nem történhetett magyar alakulat tagjaként. Német vagy román egyenruhában elképzelhető de a Magyar második hadsereg legdélebbi szárnya is legalàbb 360 km- re északnyugatra volt Sztálingràdtól.
@@edgarb3803 Pedig a második magyar hadsereg tagja volt. Volt pár túlélő is a faluból, akik fogságba estek. Sose mondták el, hogy hogyan kerültek oda, de lehet, hogy a bekerités után nem visszafelé mentek, hanem Sztálingrádba.
It's an interesting fact that in Rostov and Voronezh they tortured civil people just firing them and cutting down with sabers. Their actions against ordinary people were so brutal that even Marshall Vatutin ordered to his troops: "Magyars should be taken as prisoners".
@@Sabartoasfaloi I think your assertion is also close to propaganda : i'm from hungarian origin through my father and 17 december 1944 soviet troops entered his small village. This batallion stayed in village for few days before resuming fight. In every house there were 3-4 soldiers, in my father's house they played with him (he was 10 years), teached him some russian and didn't rape my grandmother...
@@mathiasgrenacs3680 The Soviet army is more than 12 million troops... Genocides and mass raping, and/or tortured peoples where usual. But naturally not all of the Soviet army was an animal liked devil. 90% of them being more or less normal, but those 10%... After the war Stalin send them to gulag... In Yugoslavia/Hungary and all other fallen state there was rarely can find a woman who was not raped.
My great grandfather was an Austro-Hungarian artillery lieutenant colonel, who fought in WWI and was awarded with a couple of decorations for bravery. He met his first wife (not my blood line) in Vienna in an official event related to the merchant marine (my uncle told us the story more than 30 years ago). They moved together to Pest and afterwards to Transylvania (Siebenbürgen), which is where my grandfather was born (to his second wife). His first wife’s father was an Austrian government official, who even once met Bismarck on an official delegation to Prussia. My great grandfather was a pan-Germanic Hungarian patriot, even nationalist, who defended the legitimacy of the dual kingdom (the "empire"). Now the punch line: both my great grandfather and his first wife were Jews! His medals didn’t help him, his patriotism and pan-Germanism neither. During WWII his medals were taken away from him accusing him of all sorts of lies (they were given back to the family post mortem). Those who incriminated him weren’t Germans, but Hungarian "brothers to arms". His first wife’s family perished in the Holocaust as well. His story, by the way, was published many years ago in an Uruguayan magazine, which is where the family immigrated to afterwards. Hungarians were as anti-Semite as Germans, I can totally see why Hungarians would have liked to be part of the axis and fight alongside the Germans. I really do (and sorry if I hurt any of the Hungarians in this forum, but that's the truth).
Let’s get a few things corrected. We Hungarians wanted independence in 1848, that was stopped because the Austrians by using ethnic tensions with Slavs stop Independence, we defeated you militarily multiple occasions, we just got surrounded. Even after we rebuilt quickly, with our economic output rising and was administering the Eastern and Southern provinces because everything started getting old and slow in Vienna. So you can understand why his Nationalistic Empirical view may not be reciprocated. Also towards the end of the war the Imperial German military instead of co-ordinating efforts with personnel in Vienna by-passed the Austrians & started direct communications with Budapest. Even today we feel no bond with you whatsoever, no feelings. What happened, happened. Neutral. I mean this no disrespect whatsoever. We have a brotherhood and feelings with the Polish. Austria’s…..just there to us 🤷🏼♂️ I’m not going to say anything in regard to you ancestor’s mistreatment and story regarding Hungarians (could have just been political to move up the chain? Hadn’t the Empire disolved at that point?) & the removal of his position & medals. His religion, like many other Jews who fought with their respective countries in WW1 was never in conflict to their patriotism. The German Army actually conducted a survey with regards to suspicions of German Jews not serving & found that German Jews were over represented in their service. I have read to many stories which show previous loyalty counted for nothing. It brings a tear to my eye. My Grandmother & her family are Hungarian Jews and Anti-Semitism has been rife in the entire European continent. Karl Leuger was mayor of Vienna & was noted anti-Semite, so it was not alien in Austria either. In WW2 The Regent refused the Germans deportation of Hungarian Jews, only when he was deposed did the mass deportations begin.
@@KisMiska10 You're taking me for an Austrian because of my German username, which I'm not. The name I use is the Bezirk I used to live in, in Hamburg. My mother tongue is Spanish, so you can imagine my nationality more or less. My relationship to Austria ends with my great grandfather, since his son and my grandfather (father's father) was a Hungarian-Romanian (the history of Transylvania) who spoke Romanian and Hungarian, and almost no German (very very basic). Just to make things clear. I have heard my whole life stories about anti-Semitism in Hungary, the way they were treated by Hungarians, so excuse me if by reading a few lines in a UA-cam comment, I'm not convinced (until this day the phenomenon in Hungary is sky high). The story I told is only to stress that these people were not those Jews everybody tries to portrait who "were not integrated in society". Generally speaking, there were very patriotic and even nationalist Hungarian, Austrian and -as you said- German Jews, who gave their lives to their fatherlands (not to talk about scientists, musicians, professors, etc.) Everyone knows one of the Red Baron’s friends and pilots was Jewish, but there were many many more. Jewish emancipation, as part as the Jewish Enlightenment movements (Haskala), was all about integration and against social secession. Zionism, for instance, was a very minor ideology back then, only after the pogroms (against Jews many time more loyal to their countries than the cowards that accused them), such movements gained ground, understanding that in Europe they had very little to hope for. Dreifuss case is well known, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. Also in the other side, by the way - if you read the story of Maurice Rose (still only a Lieutenant in WWI) and all the Jews who went back to the USA as heroes, but were also treated like second class because of their ethnicity (he himself declared he was Protestant when re-joining the army). Of course I know this. But my comment is directed specifically at Hungarians during WWII and the Holocaust, with all due respect, because everybody knows about Germany and even Austria, but few know about the infernal treatment to Jews in other countries.
@@WinterhudeTube No, I assumed Austrian identity because of the mentioned great-grandfather and how heritage usually continues. I didn’t look at your name tbh. My name for example is adopted from when my family moved to the UK from Hungary for integration purposes. I look, sound and named like a John Smith but scratch just below the surface & I’m also Kovács Janos. Coincidentally my mother was born in Hamburg at the military hospital (British parents) but grew up in Berlin & considers herself a Berliner. So I can relate to a mixed and varied cultural upbringing. Grew up in the UK, I’m a bit if everything, I’ve spent some time in the Middle East & my GF is Korean & I get influenced by the people and surroundings. I’m a Vajdasági Hungarian on my G-father’s side, my original family name is Slavic sounding but we identify as Hungarians. My family left Vajdaság when Trianon was signed & moved to Budapest where 3 years later my G-Pa was born. My G-Ma is we believe a Schwabian Jew with a Hungarianised German name who speaks Hungarian & Yiddish. Hungary has statistically the highest proportion of Jewish blood in our identity. I’m shocked by what you’re telling me & want to know more to educate myself. I know of massacres, I’m technically Christian more (Agnostic) but I consider myself of the Judeo-Christianic world. If your a Christian you’re fundamentally a Jew. Why would God make you the originals and give you the fundamentals & with foresight that you were going to go evil? Nah! I’m calling BS. There’s a particular atrocity where they threw Jews into the partially freezing Danube & they went into the water & froze. There was rampant Anti-Semitism in Europe, what degree was it different in Hungary? Though my G-Ma went into hiding when called for deportation I gathered before that she was relatively safe, but that is an impression I could be wrong. She did always say “The Nazis were bad, but the Communists were worse.” I know Hungarian Jews. I’ve spent 1/3rd of my life there, Anti-Semitism is there but it’s no worse than in Poland or any Balkan country. Anti-Semitism is worse in France and some sections, there will no physical harm in Hungary, but in France or the UK or Belgium Yes! I went to Brussels & coincidentally went past the Jewish museum with armed military guards outside. I have a videographic memory & an incident I has forgotten hit me like a rock! The Universes way of not letting me forget. Yes there was segregation but to an extent I am unaware. I am aware of the Dreyfus case later found innocent and server the French military during WW1. Certain exceptions were made though. Through Jewish ancestry in Germany under the Nazis you were classified half Jewish, Quarter Jewish which limited an individual from certain positions. From my memory half Jews were forbidden from becoming military officers, though they happened, somehow, to forget about Field Marshall Erhard Milch who was the architect of the Luftwaffe. The Hungarians were the last country to deport Jews to the death camps, refusing German demands. The subject needs to be properly researched and deserves to be. Give me examples, there’s obviously some knowledge which you have which I need to be aware of. I appreciate the level of detail you have went into and for the civility in which we are speaking. If you are willing typing this on UA-cam is tedious., instead I shall put my email up on the board at 20:00 UK 21:00 CET under this message so if you wish to continue this very detailed and complex topic in a balanced way we can do so. I am pleased to meet you and happy you’ve reached out. My name is Michael, obviously but I go by Mike or Miska (Mishka). I look forward to hearing from you, and if you choose not to I wish you all the best in life.
Realize most of the anti-semitism in Hungary was fuelled after 1919. Since the communists of Hungary were near all Jewish, and the loss of Hungarian territory was blamed on Hungarian jewish communists and an international conspiracy to destroy the Hungarian statehood.
When Germany invaded Poland from the west and the Soviets from the East in 1939 a number of Polish military units fled to Hungary and were given refuge.
8:00 although it seems logical, actually the German leadership did not want to share info on Barbarossa to the Hungarian leaders. even Horthy was not fond of joining a large scale war - however in a few days he changed his mind and declared joining the offensive against the Soviets. most probably they wanted to keep up their support knowing that the Romanians are doing as well. it looks that Horthy & the goverment wanted to grasp all the lost land; they even neglected any bilateral agreement with the Slovaks and Romanians (on the contrary: Bulgaria could hold South Dobrudja after WW2, they managed to get a deal with Romania). when in 1944 it became obvious that the war is lost, Horthy and the remaining leaders just made even more hazardous and stupid decisions; until the Germany took control over them in Oct 1944. The remaining Hungarian Army was scattered after the Soviet invasion to the Carpathian Basin and many did not follow the interim nazi regime, which collapsed anyway in half a year. btw Szálasi had Armenian descend, he even changed his family surname to cover his original roots.
Excellent. Unique information. Thank you. Hun army was completely destroyed by Red army in Voronesz. Revenge for awful war crimes commited by Hun Army came in form of order - No prisoners! (Suggestion for future series - Patton's order in Italy, etc.)
Hungary had a simple choice; join Hitler or join Stalin. Neutrality was simply not possible and they would have been occupied by one combatant or the other.
Tisztelt Úram! Arra a részletre nem tért ki, hogy Magyarországon volt az első háborús bünösök tárgyalása még a háború alatt. A Bácskai vérengzés felelőseit elítélték, de a nyílas hatalom átvétel után kiszabadultak!
"Dear Sir! It did not go into detail that Hungary had the first trial of war criminals during the war. Those responsible for the Bácskai massacre were convicted, but were released after taking power!" I read something like that too. Thanks for sharing.
Hungarian Jews were forcibly drafted into the Hungarian labor battalions, some of whom were sent to the Eastern Front. The Hungarians forced them to perform the most dangerous roles and were then murdered
Yep, I wanted to write too that the labour batallions were mainly consisted of Jews and leftists, not national minorites. Their treatment varied from time to time though. One of our rarely mentioned heroes, Vilmos Nagy de Nagybaczon was Minister of Defense in 1942-43 and he fought tooth and nails with the army high command to provide labour batallions with the same supplies and equipment (without guns) as the normal, armed batallions. The treatment of forced labourers improved during this time but naturally both the army and the very pro-German far right wanted him to be removed from power. As neither Horthy, nor his prime minister, Kállay was willing to defend him, he was forced to resign. After that, the treatment of labourers worsened quickly and reached the absolute bottom under Szálasi's mad rule.
Imcorrect. They were performing noncombat, primarily engineering duties, such as costructing roads, rail lines, and earthwork for field fortifications. They were also not murdered. Legally they were enlisted personell who were not fit for military service, and thus served in non a combat role. In realkty tjey were often abused by their commanders, improperly lodged, malnourished amd generally treated inhumanely, but mever outright murdered, or porpousfuply worked to death, such as was the case in soviet gulags for example.
@@kkkkk9815 Yes, because the USA want to kill them all. This is why the USSR stopped the genocides in Yugoslavia, and not the USA (who is secretly support it).
We've done everything our country has ever done. Unfortunately, we're still in the hands of the Soviets. He was also my great-grandfather by the Don River and the siege of Budapest. He died in 2017. He's a hero to me 🇭🇺🇭🇺
Want to learn about other PRO-GERMAN VOLUNTEERS?
DUTCH: ua-cam.com/video/bQlF0ia-ABA/v-deo.html
NORWEGIANS: ua-cam.com/video/F3BPW5WMmDo/v-deo.html
FRENCH: ua-cam.com/video/ju97ru3nQis/v-deo.html
BRITISH: ua-cam.com/video/OpevGu3M7vQ/v-deo.html
CROATIANS: ua-cam.com/video/DLWDhoZQ0hY/v-deo.html
SPANISH: ua-cam.com/video/U8URPW5EUFQ/v-deo.html
RUSSIANS: ua-cam.com/video/cKpj786Sorc/v-deo.html
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Mr. Hustle! The "German" helmet was already produed in Hungary since WW1.
Hungary was not medium sized country, since its pre-WW1 territory was bigger than UK+ Irish Island combined. Austria and Hungary was not one country. Please read about the details here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austro-Hungarian_Compromise_of_1867You forget to mention that Horthy's Hungary was the only country during ww2, where officers were sentenced due to crimes, like in Újvidék/Novisad. No other ww2 countries sentenced their officers due to warcrimes during wartime! This was unique.
@@peterjanossy7033 I see some of what you mention is beyond the scope of this channel. If I'd make an indepth episode about it, than I for sure will mention it.
How many Poles volunteered on the German side?
The Hungarian troops stationed in Poland in 1944 not only refused to take part in putting down the Warsaw Uprising but had secret contacts with the Polish Home Army (AK), they were letting AK units pass through the areas they controlled, trading supplies with them and so one. Fun fact: the commander of the 2nd Hungarian Corps stationed at that time in the vicinity of Warsaw was Gen. Béla Lengyel. His surname literary means 'Pole' in Hungarian. (as in Polish person, not like the North Pole or something).
Many thanks for sharing this additional information!
Artur, I think we got lucky because of Józef Bem, who knows. I read about the Magyar unit in Warszawa. Also until '44 they would allow Polish spies to go back and forth via Hungary. There were some talks with Western Allie, through Polish Government in Exile, about the Hungarian units in Poland switching sides.
Lengyel is a very common name and started becoming adopted by Hungarians without family names when it was made law to have a family name. So possibly maybe not of Polish decent, but thinking & acting in Polish in spirit nonetheless
Balogh is also a common name of Polish connection, Polish Knights came to Hungary to a particular castle to fight the Ottomans & the name was given to them by the King (please fact check the story I was told this in casual conversation & have made no personal research into the matter).
I also heard stories of Hungarian troops giving extra food to Polish civilians, sometimes turning a blind eye to certain things & general tomfoolery & 🖕🏻to the Nazis.
We also refused to take part in the initial invasion of Poland.
This one event caused unspeakable horrors & the worst crime amongst them was causing so much damage an equally evil & authoritarian political system the ablility to spread & take over the most devastated countries leading to the creation of the biggest prison the world has ever seen.
In the 1956 Revolution my Grandparents fled Hungary by foot walking from Debrecen to Austria & my not even 1year old father was taken or smuggled to Israel (hazy details, & G-Ma is Jewish)
All our families have these types of stories unfortunately.
But one this is eternal
Polak, Węgier - dwa bratanki.
🇭🇺🇵🇱
@@HistoryHustle BTW a correction, Hitler was to return land to Hungary.
Slovakia is an artificial concept.
Just thinking about it, 20th Century was a horror because an embarrassed at the beginning an Russian Empire got involved on someone else’s domestic affairs and put troops onto trains. (Which everyone seems to forget because it doesn’t fit one side good one side bad narrative)
Then they ruined the 2nd part by…..getting involved in other countries affairs by dictating communism.
9:32 They even helped many partisans get out from the city alive after the uprising was crushed! Thank you fellow Hungarians!
Thanks for sharing this additional information!
@@HistoryHustle I learned it when I was in the Warsaw Uprising Museum here in Warsaw ;)
My Great-Grandfather was Hungarian from Southern Slovakia and conscripted in 1939 into the 2nd Army, VII Corps, 21st Artillery Regiment. He was lucky not to be at Voronezh, but in 1944 his division was retreating through Slovakia westwards and during the Slovak Uprising, one day their division, starved and force-marched into a Slovak village. They knocked on the door of a villager. They asked the owner of the house if they had any spare food and if it was okay to stay in the area overnight in the Slovak language. The villagers were shocked, as the Hungarian soldiers were speaking Slovak. Shocked, the villager asked how they could speak Slovak. He responded, "Most of us speak Slovak, we are from here, we're all from the South" This was because the 21st Regiment was conscripted from the Losonc (Lucenec) military area in modern South Slovakia. So most of the soldiers grew up in Czechoslovakia).
The woman in the house then runs out the house waving her loudly arms, shouting something like "stop stop, they're one of us". Anyway turns out it was a Slovak Partisan ambush, and the partisans actually gave them food, water and shelter. I find it to be a very poignant war story.
Hey László, I read your story with great interest. Many thanks for sharing this!
My great grandpa fought in the army aswell
He was from szász szebes in transilvania
I have letters from him from the front
And the stories that his daughter told me
Even though we fought on the wrong side
This war was about getting our nation back and all the hungarians from the neighboring countries fought for the cause
@@allxiv6978by destroying other nations...great gole, buddy! Actually, it still is, am I right?😊
Slovak uprising 🤣🤣 The first nazi puppet. Independent Slovakia created by nazis. But the end of the war everyone became partisan. LOL
Its such a wonder how we know about the minor allied countries and their contributions to their cause but ignore the minor axis powers. You are the best Stefan we expect more facts like this from you that most others won't show
Cheers, Milan. Glad you appreciate it!
@@HistoryHustle yes much appreciated
My Grandfather’s 2 uncles (Hungarian) took part in Barbarossa & never returned.
I just hope they didn’t suffer.
@@KisMiska10 rest in peace
@@milankrishna2550 Thank you for your well wishes.
I don’t even know their names, My G-Pa said it when an advert about Barbarossa came on the TV, then he quickly changed the subject.
He passed away in the meantime so I probably never will.
Despite Hungarians and Romanians both being in the Axis, they have to be kept apart on the Eastern front, in case they started shooting at each other.
Yep, italians were stationed between them.
Yes, I believe so too.
I was told that the Hungarians and Romanians DID start shooting at each other instead of the red army. As a result, they were separatedly immediately.
Situation was even worst at home where there were no italians between romanians and hungarians. Both countries kept one army at home in case they have to fight the others. Situation remained tensed throughout the war at the romanian-hungarian border and clashes were frequent. Both sides practiced social exclusion and discrimination of the ethnics who remained on the wrong side of the border and even massacres (hungarians wiped out ethnic romanians in several villages in 1940 and romanians responded in the same way after 1944). These events left deep marks in the collective memory even today. I am surprised that details about this are largely unknown by the english speaking istorians
@@andrewelie8687good. Sound
about right. 🇷🇴
My uncle’s father in law was an ethnic German from Hungary who served in combat in WWII in German uniform earning the Close Combat Clasp in Gold of which only 631 were awarded. Taken prisoner by the Red Army in early 1945, released in 1947. I had the opportunity to share a few liters of beer with him in the mid 80’s in Hersbruck, Bavaria.
Must have been interesting talking to him. Thanks for sharing.
To Mr. History Hustle...my father fought at the Ercsi crossing and in the Szekesvehervar theatre. Do you know which units were involved? An uncle, a hungarian-schwabian, was drafted into the 31st Waffen SS Volunteer Grenadier Division. The book "For the Homeland" chronicles this unit's history. I was flabbergasted when this book confirmed many of his experiences.
Can't tell. Anyone?
I hope later your father was well 🙏
@@emrahhuner7428 Well yes. Thanks for your well wishes. He was captured by the Russians and escaped from a Russian POW camp the day before he was schedule to be hung. Fortunately he was found by the British 4 days later almost having died of exposure. Worked for the Americans in Heidelberg where he met my mother and where I was born. We emigrated to the US in 1956.
@@njbobf you should write down their memories
@@ReaperCH90 i did write down a number of stories that i had learned about while they were alive. I deeply regret that I had not taken more interest in my family's history when I was younger. I would have been able to write one hellava book. Of all my cousins I was the only one who took any interest in family history and know more than they do about their own parents.
i am Hungarian and i love not just our history, but whole Europe's. Thanks for the video!
Thanks for your reply.
Ungria the Best
great video.The Honved cavalry was someof the best
Thanks for your reply!
I visited Budapest in 2019 , they have some excellent museums and war memorials
Agree! Some of the photos in this video are from the museum.
I also was there. Amazing!
Thanks for this video. My Grandfather was a Captain in the Royal Hungarian Army. One of the ethnic German officer class you mentioned with a Hungarian name as you can see by mine. He commanded a company in Russia and it did not go well. I am told there were few survivors but he lived and eventually immigrated to Canada where I was born. The name change was actually done by my Great Grandfather who was a Calvary officer in WWI, as he stayed on as an officer after the war and found himself on the Hungarian side of the border after the empire fell apart.
Thanks for your reply!
I like your video it was fool with informations.Actualy Horthy never wanted to resign but the german SS troops captured his smaller son István Horthy and the germans told if he don't resign than his son will be killd.Keep up the great job and ones again great video!
Thanks for sharing. I covered much of Hungarian history on this channel so far.
Gotta say you really stepped up the quality of your videos in the last 5-6 months. Really good topics, format is nice, straight to the point with imporant details. I have been a follower for a long time and i used to be bored by some of your old videos but now i cant wait for the new one. Keep it up Stephan.
Hey nice to read, DR. Thanks!
You cover some interesting and often obscure topics on your channel and in a very balanced way I feel.
Many thanks!
My granduncle was a German-Hungarian NCO in the Hungarian Army before and during WWII.
Thanks for sharing this. What can you tell us about his experiences?
Thanks good Benjamín
as a Hungarian im super glad that ppl are makeing vids on our army of ww2
You're welcome 👍
That's cool Ungria fore ever
An interesting subject, often overlooked and well presented as ever.
Many thanks 👍
@@HistoryHustle It's true, the Hungarians are often mentioned in regard to the Eastern Front but without much actual detail.
Very detailed and interesting video, some of the details were new even to me. Thanks!
Great to read, many thanks!
Great research Stephon, interesting facts. Have a great weekend 💪
Many thanks, Jesse. You too, a great weekend!
A little disappointing that you didn't talk about the Carpathian Group more. They were the original Hungarian Expeditionary Group of about 40,000 sent to the USSR and it's mobile corps even impressed the Germans certain times, like at the battle of Uman. Unfortunately at that point of the war the Hungarian armor was outdated, so it came to a point where they couldn't make more unsupported pincer attacks like the Germans wanted, and they were recalled. The 2nd army was sent in its place. Interestingly, the 2nd army was called the best equipped, but that's because equipment was funneled to them in preparation of the eastern war. The 1st army was considered the best trained, so it was put along the Romanian border in case of further conflict with them. The 3rd army was mostly used for controlling captured territory.
Thanks for the additional information. More on the Hungarian war effort in the USSR later.
My father recalls that in 1944 the Hungarians sent thousands of school children to the carpathian mountain paths to try to stop the Russian tanks and many were killed and maimed. The Hungarian equivalent of the Hitler youth
This is factually incorrect. Hungary has never extended the draft age below 18, and palamilitary youth movements, called Levente mozgalom, the equivalent to the US boyscouts and spviet pioneers, were never allowed to partake in any combat task.
The carpathian mountain passes were succesfully held by the regular aemy, until flanked through Romania, after the latter switched sides, and Hungary has failed in doing the same.
Drafting of paramilitary armed organisation personell only began after the soviet advance into Hungary proper, and even then it was military instructor personell, gendarmes, and later police cadets, and that last one, only in defence of the encircled capital.
There were plenty enough real crimes committed in this war, no need to invent new ones.
The Újvidék (Novi Sad) massacre was a shameful act, but Hungary actually prosecuted the perpetrators (15 army and gendarmerie officers) for war crimes (the only nation in WW2 to prosecute own forces for war crimes). The main 3 perpetrators (generals Feketehalmy-Czeydner and Grassy, colonel Deák) were sentenced to death in 1943, they avoided execution by fleeing to nazi Germany and joining the SS!
Thanks for the additional information.
Az 1848-49-es forradalom és szabadságharc során Dél-Magyarországon az ott élő szerbek csapatai gyilkoltak. Az 1848. július 18-án visszafoglalt, Szenttamás közelében fekvő Földvárra bevonulva a magyar katonák 37 levágott gyermekfejet találtak a katolikus templomban.[3] Zentán 1849 februárjában kb. 2000-2800 magyart mészároltak le.
The claim that Hungary was the only nation in WW2 to prosecute own war criminals is completely wrong. Almost every participating nation did it in some cases.
@@gothia1715 I am open to learn more, how many americans, british, french, soviets were sentenced by their own military courts for war crimes? Names, dates, events please! (I only know of the execution of Lt Henry Morant for killing enemy civilians in the Boer War). Germans? Italians? I am really interested to learn more about these!
😀😀
Thank you for this amazing video. The only thing i would add is the officers that were responsible for the killings in hungarian annexed yugoslavia were held accountable and some were even arrested or relieved. Keep up the amazing work.
I believe so too. Thanks for your reply.
My great grandfather was a Hussar Officer in WW2 who served from 1928 until his capture in 1943 and was later released in 1946 from Moscow.
Nice video! You may do a video about the Romanian Elite Troops :„Vânători de Munte” - Mountain hounters. In the Caucasus Campaign they reaced as far as 30 km from Grozny. One of the important battles that romanian army fought in WW2 was the Battle of Nalcik. It was an importatnt victory won by Vânătorii de Munte.
Thanks for your reply. Hope to cover Romania but for now I lack imagery so it may take a while.
@@HistoryHustle ok! Thank you!
Excellent video. Very informative. Cheers.
Thanks!
As a hungarian i would like to see if possible a detailed video of the battle of Budapest. One of the biggest city war during WWII.
Yes, indeed. I have such a video planned but expect early 2022.
@@HistoryHustle thank you! Keep you watching!
this guy deserves more subs
Thanks for your reply, feel free to share of course!
Amazing episode!! Was waiting for it all morning!!
About the raised boots!! Aweee nope!!
Lmao!! Killed me!!
Thanks again!!
October was Hungarian month!!!!!
Great to read this and many thanks again for your support. Glad you appreciate the effort!
2:12 - interesting march step.
I have been wanting a good coverage of the arrow cross party for quite some time, there is no good documentary regarding it
Thanks. Arrow Cross will be covered, expect 2022 somewhere.
The Croatian Luftwaffe Staffel flying Do-17's might be an interesting topic. Bravo from America, love the content!
Thanks. Not really an airforce guy here, sorry.
@@HistoryHustle No worries, I was reading up on the small Croat detachment. Not a lot on the web about them anyhow. I've never even seen footage of them just pictures. Also I compliment you on your Drillich. I had a set of the white 2 pocket Drillich made 20 years ago when I was into reenacting. I'm too old for that now so just occupy my time with watching awesome content creators on UA-cam like yourself.
Hungary is a kingdom without a King and the leader is an admiral without a fleet
That sums it up.
The information was greatly presented!
Will you do a video about the Romanian Mountaneers " Vânători de Munte " as well in the future?
Thanks for your reply. For now I won't cover the Romanian Army anytime soon because of the lack of images.
@@HistoryHustle i understand, thank you. If I manage to visit the Romanian Military National Archives in the future, could that perhaps help?
Not much makes me more chuffed than hearing Stefan say, “ I’m hustling history for….Y O U !!! “. Lovely.
😎👍
Unlike some other armies, shirts were generally not worn outside trousers in the Hungarian army as this was considered slovenly. This was in contrast to the Red Army and even the Finns.
Also a holdover from the Austro-Hungarian days
The helmet was designated M1935. The germans did not allow and assist anything, Hungary paid hard cash for the copyright to manufacture the helmet. Only the helmet shell was almost similar to the german helmet (about 90% with some distinctive alterations as mentioned in the video), the helmet liner was different, as Hungary refused to pay extra hard cash for the copyright of the liner.
I read something different, but if you're right I stand corrected.
I'm Hungarian living in Canada. So i can say this; Hungary after WWI been reduced to a fragmented State, little wonder our Army been the weakest point in the Axis Army, despite the shortcomings Hungarians fought with courage and discipline. Regent Miklos Horthy been a very reasonable man. He wanted to regain lost land Hungary lost in 1920 by the Treaty of Trianon, France. Hungary was very reluctant to join Hitler and Mussolini.
Covered this in another video.
My father died in Second World War Two, Hungarian soldier name Ferenc Zsembery never found his grave never got nothing from government. I’m the only son still living don’t know what happened to him it’s like he is forgotten he gave life for hungry can’t even find his grave. Frank Z
May he rest in peace.
damn prof Stefan u drop knoledge like bombs. Love it, another great vid. Cheers.
Thanks!!
respect for actually reading the names properly. Most people never do.
Thanks 👍
I read that Hungarians and Romanians despised each other and weren't placed next to each other in Russia for fear they would attack each other. In the battle for Budapest after Romania switched sides the the Hungarian and Romanians fought each other ferociously.
Yes, I believe the Italians were placed in between.
Once again you have delivered a great video presentation. Great work and you hit every bullet point. As for Royal Hungarian Army being effective; well that is a mix bag but I will leave that topic in your capable hands. Kudos!
Many thanks, Fred!
The basic truth of it, is that when faced with tasks appropriate to its means, it performed well.
It did comperably to the wermacht in its advance during Barbarossa, despite using inferior equipment and less motorization, it held against Bagration, and the subsequent soviet advance better than the wermacht, despite having less favourable terrain.
Its two primary faliours were breaking under Little Uranos at the Don, where it was tasked with defending frontage easily twice the length it was properly equipped for, with inadequate anti armour equipment and insufficient quick reaction forces or integral artillery to contain a soviet armoured breakthrough, and still held out for almost a week before being forced to retreat in disorder, and in failing ro meaningfully oppose the US bombing campaign against hungarian industry, which was largly a result of a lack of access to high lerformance aero engines sufficiently soon to equip a competitive interceptor force.
Programs were underway to develop one, but they started too late, and ultimately proved beyond the means of the small economy.
As for the Voronezh disaster of the 2nd Hungarian Army: a major part of the huge losses and practically the annihilation of the army was that the Hungarian government gave far less than satisfactory winter supplies to the army on the basis that it was ordered under the command army groups. On the other hand, the German forces themselves wouldn't have been able to give them the appropriate equipment and supply as theirs were not adequate and enough by that time in that distance from the homeland.
This, with the fact that the assigned defend line with the headcount of the army didn't make building any depth in the front line, sealed the fate of the army after Stalingrad battle was over and Soviet forces were freed up to strengthen the attacking units at the flanks.
Thanks for sharing this.
a wonderful history video ... unique & Specific Information
Thank you.
Good video. Hope you will make one about Romania as well
Thanks and yes, one day I will. Can't tell when.
Interestingly, Pál Teleki, the Prime Minister of Hungary from 1939-41 committed suicide when the Germans entered Hungary for the invasion of Yugoslavia, as he wished to avoid embroiling Hungary in war, particularly with Yugoslavia which he had negotiated a non-aggression pact with in 1940.
Yes, I covered that in other videos.
@@HistoryHustle I'll check your channel out, this was your first video I've seen and it was great.
God bless you Stefan
👍
Very informative,well done
Many thanks!
My Grandfather was involved with the fight in USSR. That’s all I know about my family second war history. My Grandmother, Father and his two sisters fled in ‘56….respect and honour to those who did what they had to in those trying times. God bless the 1956 freedom fighters.
Tnaks for the veideo! Any plans doing a video about the Hungarian aid to the Poles during the Warsaw uprising?
Thanks for your reply. As for the topic. I have no sources on this, so hard for me to make a video about it. If you have any, feel free to share.
@@HistoryHustle Yeah understanable. I think there is no offical think in english besides a few forum posts. Not much in hugnarian too. I heard that there are a lot of information about it in polish as they very well documented this. But its allright, maybe in the future something will get released as an offical english scource :)
A very nice and comprehensive review!
However I believe you are wrong about the "labour battalions" or in Hungarian munkaszázadok where they drafted people for (forced/slave) labour service (munkaszolgálat).
These battalions comprised of Jewish civilians and other civilians who were declared undesirable for political reasons (mostly communists) and drafted straight for labour service not military service.
National minorities like Romanians, Slovaks, Serbs were definitely not drafted into these battalions.
Labour battalions were not armed and were used for heavy labour (digging ditches etc.), mine sweeping, and all the worst tasks, they were poorly fed and dressed so basically the ultimate purpose and goal of these battalions was the same as that of concentration camps= extermination.
Thanks for your reply. About the labour bns, it's what I read in my source: The Royal Hungarian Army [Men-at-Arms 449] (Nigel Thomas & László Pál Szábó).
Hi. Pretty good video. But there are a few things which would have needed to be mentioned. For excample regarding the killing of partisans and otherers who were accused of being partisans, it is an important fact, that the this action took place without an order from the higher levels and during the war, the officers responsible for this, were put on trial and put in jail. Later they were freed by the germans and joined the ss. An interesting facts about these officers is that they were all ethic germans, if I remember well. Regarding the gained territories, using the term "anexed" is rather fals and missleading. It is only proper to use this tomthe Bácska, because it was taken by force. Northern Transylvania and northern parts of Hungary (suthern slovakia) were not anexed.
Thanks for sharing your insights on this.
Both transylvania and souhern slovakia were ceded under duress from germany, after they were signed over in the versilles peace treaty legally, and with acceptance by the then current hungarian governmen, obviously also under duress.
The question of claims over these lands on this time period is extremely murky, considering Hungary was not a belligerent in WW1, and yet was prosecuted as one, despite no other part of the dual monarchy after its breakup recieving this treatment, but I dont think we are going to solve this question here, when nobody could adequately do so before.
Thanks Stefan! I haven't studied Hungary in WW2 beyond the deportations to Auschwitz. This has given me the impetus to explore the topic a little more.
Great to read. Thanks!
If you do keep us updated.
I would also wish to know more.
Specifically about Hungary.
Fantastic videos as always keep it up
Thanks, Matthew!
Great video. What about army of the Slovak state on Eastern front?
In december.
The Hungarians really had no chance at Stalingrad. The Germans gave them too big front to guard (Like one company per 1,5 km of front.) and the only AT that the Hungarians gained were the Pak 36 which the Germans gave as hand-me-downs as they upgraded to the Pak 40's.
You could have mentioned these facts too in your video but otherwise great work as always. Keep it up.
Thanks for sharing this additional information.
@@HistoryHustle
No problem.
My father’s cousin told me that the 2nd Battle if Vorenzh is considered the “Hungarian Stalingrad”.
Btw he’s a Kovács & want to state I’m a 2nd generation foreign Hungarian so my details might have to be fact checked in this regard.
On top of the lack of artillery, they had few or old tanks. Same with the Romanians and the Italians. A huge reason why the Germans were encircled at Stalingrad. The Soviets attack with artillery and modern tanks, you counter with infantry basically and poorly-equipped ones, too. The Axis-powers defending the German's flanks really had no chance.
@@jaybird1229 Lack of artillery? If anything was good in the Hungarian army that was the artillery.
You gotta wonder where the Germans had the resources available to invade Hungary in the fall of 1944 when they were being pushed back on all fronts from the east, west and south.
See this video:
ua-cam.com/video/jfkoAfMm14Q/v-deo.html
The Malmedy massacre was begin by a Volksdeutsch Hungarian tank crew member of the 1st SS Leibstandarte called "FLEPS".
Didn't know that. I thought all the Hungarian military units were on the Eastern front. That you for the post.
@@steviedfromtheflyovercount4739 And you are right, they were on the eastern front - one man alone isn’t an unit.
My Uncle was in the US military and was in Paris in 1944. He is 1st generation Hungarian. He supposedly found a Hungarian cavalry unit that has been captured. This story is from my Mom and she didn't provide more details.
@@steviedfromtheflyovercount4739 Hmm interesting, didn’t know that. I also thought they were “only” fighting at the eastern front. From my family side only my paternal grandfather fought side by side with Romanian troops at the eastern front, don’t know about my great uncles, some of them also fought in the East. The father of my mother fought against CW troops in Normandy as tank commander of the 21st but he never told anything about Hungarians or other pro German allies - but to be fair, his tank got knocked out on June 7th by British paratroopers and he came into captivity, maybe there was a Hungarian unit transferred towards Normandy in the second half of June 44 (during this time some divisions arrived as reinforcements for the Normandy theatre).
Years ago, I remember reading about when the Wehrmacht invaded Russia, there were anti-Communists we're allowed to take up arms and formed various sizes units. I recall a story of a small unit (platting or company) size, some how ended up in France. Normandy? But was lost in heavy fighting.
When I was a teenager, my mother had a friend that served in the Royal Hungarian Air Force during WWII; I was fortunate enough to inherit his collection of squadron cap badges. I wish that I had been able to also inherit his service medals, but apparently he hid (buried?) before fleeing the Soviets.
Oohh that's some controversial views on historic military uniforms 😳 anyway great video... next is Romanian's army role during ww2?
Thanks for watching. Romania's Army won't be discussed anytime soon, because of the lack of imagery. But one day I'll cover it.
Need video on the Romanian Army too!
One day, but not anytime soon due to the lack of imagery.
very good show, interresting historical facts
Thank you!
Another great video! Do the Hungarians still march with the strange gait seen in this video? Very unique way of marching!
Now you mention it, yes. Thanks for watching!
My hungarian grandfather didn't go with 2nd army in ussr because he had only 2 fingers left (childhood saw accident) on his good hand...
From his small village about 17 men didn't return.
Today there is a "strange" plate commemorating this on the wall of the church, it's says :
"In remembrance of the victims of WW2" followed by the names of 17 soldiers and names of 9 members of 3 jewish families that were deported and murdered in Auschwitz.
Can send picture of it if interested.
Interesting. Feel free to sent it. My e-mail is below each video description.
I wish you had talked more about the actual military formations, when they were formed, deployed, etc., as it's in the thumbnail. I'm interested in the Hungarian 1st Armored Corps and what it actually did from 1942 on. There were also many corps formations raised in 1944. I've read that up to 1 million were conscripted during the war. There was also no mention of the Hungarian air force, which is a story in itself.
Please make some videos about Rumanian, and Bulgarian part in WW2!
One day, expect 2022.
A video about Romanian troops during the war would be interesting
One day 👍🏻
I think their lack of modern armor formations hurt them more than anything else.
Could be! Hope to research this in the future.
Hungary had modern armoured *doctrine" well before it had modern armour.
There are theses by hungarian officers as early as the late 20s envisioning armour as an svsn faster and better armed version of cavalry, that supported by either horse cavry or truck mounted infantry could execute strategic depth manouvers in the event of a breakthrough, or before fronts ossified, and inflict significant damage in the enemy rear.
In fact hungary stood up what were essentially armoured divisions as soon as it managed to acquire tanks.
The peoblem wasnt a lack of modern formations, it was a lack of up to date armoured vehicles.
Deze man verdient 1 mil subs no cap beste geschiedenis leraar
Bedankt, Teun 👍
11:36 In spite of the radiant smiling, we all know it not ended well for him. "After the war, he was tried and executed by the Hungarian court for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during World War II." Wikipedia.
Obrigado! 🇧🇷
Yes, the notorious Arrow Cross leader.
Great stuff. RS. Canada
👍
April 3 1941 then Hungarian Prime Minister Teleki Pal committed suicide because in December of 1940 he signed a non-aggression pact with Yugoslavia and promised to not allow German troops to pass through Hungarian territory. Basically he was forced to break his word.
That's where it came down to yes.
Top notch video . BZ
Will you be covering the regiments and battalions that were in Sjalland and Sjalland ?
Another SS-Regimentsgruppe Ney (later SS-Regiment Ney raised 20.10.1944 was formed by1st Secretary of the KABSZ
Thanks for your reply as always! Your topic suggestion sounds extremely niche. Can't promise anything, sorry.
I would add that Hungary remained in the war because Otto Skorzeny commando's abducted the son of Miklos Horthy which forced the regent to resign. Also would add that even though Hungary had anti-jewish laws, they did not deport Hungarian Jews to camps under Horthy. Under the Arrow-cross reign, Hungary's jews were deported and murdered. A monument stands for this next to the Danube river in BP in the shape of suitcases and shoes. Jewish victims were shot and then dumped in the river.
Thanks for sharing this. More on this later.
It is strange that there are so few books on the Hungarian army in WW2. The only one I acquired was "On the Bow of the Don", by Peter Szabo.
Indeed, not much!
@@HistoryHustle The Osprey paperback series has a few books that deal in whole or in part with the subject in English. There may be more out there in languages like German. But the minor Axis partners (not so minor - ones like Hungary mobilised hundreds of thousands of soldiers) are a neglected area, in English at least.
It is not a topic relevant to english language authors, as they had no contact with hungary during the war, and domestic reserach on the topic was all but forbidden during socialism.
8:15. For the local Polish population Hungarians were liberators from the Soviets and their time is regarded as the best occupation in Polish history!
I'd say the least worse.
The tapered trousers had been a feature in Hungarian, as opposed to Austrian infantry, uniforms in WW1. Although an "Austrian knot" lacework pattern on the upper front of the trouser legs of Hungarian uniforms was dispensed with before WW2. Except for the change to brown-green (A-H uniforms had been field-grey in the latter part of WW1) WW2 Hungarian uniforms were often much like those of WW1.
Thanks for sharing Steve!
Question, I notice the symbol relation between the Arrow Cross and the 25th Waffen Infantry Division Hunyadi (First Hungarian), and 26th Waffen Division Hungarie (2nd Hungarian) who are the Hungarian Nationals Volunteer Form. though not on the 22 SS Volunteer Calvary Division Maria Teresa, but again are these one in the same, or what is the specific difference.
Hard to answer question. I Can't tell sorry.
My grandfather went to the front on 01.03.1942 on the front, the 25th infantry regiment (telephone operator), he resisted on the front until he was taken prisoner on 02.10.1944 near Beiuș (Oradea, Romania), taken to camps in Siberia until on 10.07.1948 when he returned home. can someone tell me more about the 25th infantry regiment, in which country and areas did it fight? thank you.
Anyone?
Thank you for sharing this with you. Did your grandfather tell you about his experiences in Siberia? Feel free to share.
@@HistoryHustle I caught him alive, but being a child I didn't know how to ask him details, but he told me some stories.
the Hungarian gendarmerie, as you called it in one video, was essentially the police in peacetime, and in wartime they had the appearance of military police, they were recognizable by the cock feathers on their caps, similar to the Italian Bersaljes
in essence, the Hungarian gendarmerie is the equivalent of the Italian carabinieri
and their Croatian equivalent was called BOJNO ORUŽNIŠTVO, unfortunately, they no longer exist
my great-grandfather on my mother's side was a member of the CSENDOR, that's the Hungarian gendarmes, and he served in Budapest, and in the service group he trained judo, it was mandatory, I think few people know that, and I accidentally found out from my grandmother , because when she saw me in a karate kimono, she just said, KERGANCS, which is Hungarian slang for Judo, and then she told me everything, and I was embarrassed that I looked stupid because I wanted to impress my grandmother that I was something special because I train the bushido martial art, and now to finish, where my great-grandfather left off, I continued
----------------------------
a magyar csendőrség, ahogy az egyik videóban nevezted, békeidőben lényegében a rendőrség volt, háborúban pedig katonarendőrnek látszottak, a sapkájukon lévő kakastollakról lehetett felismerni őket, hasonlóan az olasz Bersaljekhoz.
lényegében a magyar csendőrség az olasz karabinieri megfelelője
horvát megfelelőjüket pedig BOJNO ORUŽNIŠTVO-nak hívták, sajnos már nem léteznek
anyai dédnagyapám a CSENDOR tagja volt, vagyis a magyar csendőrök, és Budapesten szolgált, és a szolgálati csoportban judót edzett, ez kötelező volt, azt hiszem, kevesen tudják, és véletlenül találtam ki a nagymamámtól , mert amikor meglátott egy karate kimonóban, csak annyit mondott, hogy KERGANCS, ami a Judo magyar szlengje, aztán mindent elmondott, és zavarba jöttem, hogy hülyének nézek, mert le akartam nyűgözni a nagymamát. hogy valami különleges voltam, mert bushido harcművészetet edzek, és hogy befejezzem, ahol a dédapám abbahagyta, en tovab folytattam.
Thanks for sharing.
This video is extremely undetailed
Please explain.
@@HistoryHustle what is there to explain, you leave out a lot of pretty important stuff, like the Hungarians in Bergen Belsen, Kolberg, Kustrin, Schwerin, etc., the administrative changes in the army after the arrow cross takeover, arrow cross units, more detailed breakdown of the army, Hungarian air force in more detail, the battle for Hungary in more detail, the gendarmerie, special units......
@@HistoryHustle ?
Great Video on a interesting topic!
Does something similar about Romania exist/ is in the pipeline? =)
Thanks for your reply. Romania not anytime soon due to the lack of imagery.
@@HistoryHustle ah that's a shame. Understandable though. I was always wondering how much romania really contributed to the axis war effort (besides oil obviously) and how bad their sideswitching really was for the axis.
Some Romanian troops adopted a version of the German Stahlhelm in 1944, which had the effect of making them look more like Hungarian troops, whose use of the helmet was of longer duration. But when Romania changed sides the German-style helmets were given up as they caused confusion under the new circumstances.
Any sources on this?
@@royale7620 An Osprey series illustrated book on the Romanian armed forces of WW2, I forget which number in the series. It included a photo of Romanian soldiers in 1944 wearing the Stahlhelm and presumably khaki uniforms, though the photo was black and white.
@@stevekaczynski3793 must be a remote unit or something since there is nothing on this on the web
My great grandpa fought in the hungarian army
He was from szász szebes(sebeș in romanian) and i have some letters from him he sent from the front
He died in a soviet camp after the war
May he rest in peace. Thanks for sharing. What did he tell is his letters from the front about his experiences? Feel free to share.
The German military leadership undertook to supply the Hungarian army with food. Unfortunately, the German supply was stalled due to the poor military situation, and it did not correspond to the Hungarian stomach. The food culture is different.
The Kingdom of Hungary also sent cattle and pigs to the front, but they got stuck in the German army. Because of this, Hungarian soldiers were in most cases malnourished. Hunger was common.
South of the 2 Hungarian armies, the Italian army was destroyed, and the Russian troops were already 80 km west. To the north of the 2nd Hungarian Army was the 2nd German Army, which was continuously withdrawn by the German military leadership. In this way, the Hungarian army weakened and its poorly equipped soldiers were left alone on the banks of the Don. That's when the breakthrough happened. So the Hungarian army was left alone for the last time.
In front of its own soldiers, the German military blamed the Hungarians for the Russian breakthrough. Because of this misleading propaganda, there were several minor armed clashes between the Hungarian and German troops. Sometimes it even happened that exhausted Hungarian pedestrians tried to cling to the retreating German trucks. They tried to pull themselves. German soldiers cut the fingers of the handrails with an infantry spade. The Germans called the Hungarians cowardly pigs. Apart from this, the relationship between the German and Hungarian soldiers was camaraderie. I think many German soldiers looked down on the Hungarians because the German army was mechanized and so they retreated in trucks. Meanwhile, the Hungarians in summer clothes wandered on foot in the snowstorm. The temperature was minus 40 degrees.
Hungary was divided after the First World War. 72% of its territory was distributed among neighboring countries. Its mines and industrial capacities were largely lost… The economic strength of the remaining wrecked country was not sufficient to carry out such an expeditionary operation. In the Hungarian army, his heavy weapons were towed by horses. The horses, on the other hand, had been taken back earlier for food reasons, or 100 km from the front. Thus, the movement of heavy weapons was impossible. These n weapons are thus lost. The troops were withdrawn to Kiev. There, the German military leadership organized a parade as a kind of punishment, where he had to retreat in front of the grandstand in a ceremonial step. Dirty and ragged. This also blames the soldiers. In response, German soldiers threw away their iron crosses .... The land was full of iron crosses.
Thank you very much for taking the time to share this additional information.
The Hungarian 2nd army fought at Stalingrad, but was almost completely wiped out.
Indeed, severe losses.
Hungarian 2. Army was nowhere near Stalingrad but around 600km northwest from it. Their sector stretched around 200 km starting from south of Voronezh and down along the river Don between the German 2. Army from the north and the Italalian 8. Army to the south. With not enough numbers to man the overstretched defense line it had no depth in defense at all and as a conseqence when the soviets broke through in January 12th 1943 at the Uriv bridgehead the retreating troops were caught in the open without no fallback positions. The majority of the army were lost in that few weeks to bloody retreating battles, several breakouts from encirclements and exposure to severe cold sometimes as low as -30,-40 celsius.
@@edgarb3803 Az én egyik felmenőm testvére is a 2-ik M. hadseregben volt. Sztálingrádban esett el. Szóval valahogy mégiscsak ott voltak.
@@xerxen100 Ha magyarként ott esett el az nem történhetett magyar alakulat tagjaként. Német vagy román egyenruhában elképzelhető de a Magyar második hadsereg legdélebbi szárnya is legalàbb 360 km- re északnyugatra volt Sztálingràdtól.
@@edgarb3803 Pedig a második magyar hadsereg tagja volt. Volt pár túlélő is a faluból, akik fogságba estek. Sose mondták el, hogy hogyan kerültek oda, de lehet, hogy a bekerités után nem visszafelé mentek, hanem Sztálingrádba.
the Hungarian armed forces along with the Poles were quite badass during WW2
Ok.
It's an interesting fact that in Rostov and Voronezh they tortured civil people just firing them and cutting down with sabers. Their actions against ordinary people were so brutal that even Marshall Vatutin ordered to his troops: "Magyars should be taken as prisoners".
Have to research that.
This is post soviet propaganda, the red army in hungary raping and killing womens and childrens, like a mongol horde, in midlle ages.
Soviets can’t complain about war crimes
@@Sabartoasfaloi I think your assertion is also close to propaganda : i'm from hungarian origin through my father and 17 december 1944 soviet troops entered his small village. This batallion stayed in village for few days before resuming fight. In every house there were 3-4 soldiers, in my father's house they played with him (he was 10 years), teached him some russian and didn't rape my grandmother...
@@mathiasgrenacs3680 The Soviet army is more than 12 million troops... Genocides and mass raping, and/or tortured peoples where usual. But naturally not all of the Soviet army was an animal liked devil. 90% of them being more or less normal, but those 10%... After the war Stalin send them to gulag... In Yugoslavia/Hungary and all other fallen state there was rarely can find a woman who was not raped.
My great grandfather was an Austro-Hungarian artillery lieutenant colonel, who fought in WWI and was awarded with a couple of decorations for bravery. He met his first wife (not my blood line) in Vienna in an official event related to the merchant marine (my uncle told us the story more than 30 years ago). They moved together to Pest and afterwards to Transylvania (Siebenbürgen), which is where my grandfather was born (to his second wife). His first wife’s father was an Austrian government official, who even once met Bismarck on an official delegation to Prussia. My great grandfather was a pan-Germanic Hungarian patriot, even nationalist, who defended the legitimacy of the dual kingdom (the "empire"). Now the punch line: both my great grandfather and his first wife were Jews! His medals didn’t help him, his patriotism and pan-Germanism neither. During WWII his medals were taken away from him accusing him of all sorts of lies (they were given back to the family post mortem). Those who incriminated him weren’t Germans, but Hungarian "brothers to arms". His first wife’s family perished in the Holocaust as well. His story, by the way, was published many years ago in an Uruguayan magazine, which is where the family immigrated to afterwards. Hungarians were as anti-Semite as Germans, I can totally see why Hungarians would have liked to be part of the axis and fight alongside the Germans. I really do (and sorry if I hurt any of the Hungarians in this forum, but that's the truth).
Let’s get a few things corrected.
We Hungarians wanted independence in 1848, that was stopped because the Austrians by using ethnic tensions with Slavs stop Independence, we defeated you militarily multiple occasions, we just got surrounded.
Even after we rebuilt quickly, with our economic output rising and was administering the Eastern and Southern provinces because everything started getting old and slow in Vienna.
So you can understand why his Nationalistic Empirical view may not be reciprocated.
Also towards the end of the war the Imperial German military instead of co-ordinating efforts with personnel in Vienna by-passed the Austrians & started direct communications with Budapest.
Even today we feel no bond with you whatsoever, no feelings.
What happened, happened.
Neutral.
I mean this no disrespect whatsoever.
We have a brotherhood and feelings with the Polish.
Austria’s…..just there to us 🤷🏼♂️
I’m not going to say anything in regard to you ancestor’s mistreatment and story regarding Hungarians (could have just been political to move up the chain? Hadn’t the Empire disolved at that point?) & the removal of his position & medals.
His religion, like many other Jews who fought with their respective countries in WW1 was never in conflict to their patriotism.
The German Army actually conducted a survey with regards to suspicions of German Jews not serving & found that German Jews were over represented in their service.
I have read to many stories which show previous loyalty counted for nothing.
It brings a tear to my eye.
My Grandmother & her family are Hungarian Jews and Anti-Semitism has been rife in the entire European continent.
Karl Leuger was mayor of Vienna & was noted anti-Semite, so it was not alien in Austria either.
In WW2 The Regent refused the Germans deportation of Hungarian Jews, only when he was deposed did the mass deportations begin.
@@KisMiska10 You're taking me for an Austrian because of my German username, which I'm not. The name I use is the Bezirk I used to live in, in Hamburg. My mother tongue is Spanish, so you can imagine my nationality more or less. My relationship to Austria ends with my great grandfather, since his son and my grandfather (father's father) was a Hungarian-Romanian (the history of Transylvania) who spoke Romanian and Hungarian, and almost no German (very very basic). Just to make things clear. I have heard my whole life stories about anti-Semitism in Hungary, the way they were treated by Hungarians, so excuse me if by reading a few lines in a UA-cam comment, I'm not convinced (until this day the phenomenon in Hungary is sky high). The story I told is only to stress that these people were not those Jews everybody tries to portrait who "were not integrated in society". Generally speaking, there were very patriotic and even nationalist Hungarian, Austrian and -as you said- German Jews, who gave their lives to their fatherlands (not to talk about scientists, musicians, professors, etc.) Everyone knows one of the Red Baron’s friends and pilots was Jewish, but there were many many more. Jewish emancipation, as part as the Jewish Enlightenment movements (Haskala), was all about integration and against social secession. Zionism, for instance, was a very minor ideology back then, only after the pogroms (against Jews many time more loyal to their countries than the cowards that accused them), such movements gained ground, understanding that in Europe they had very little to hope for. Dreifuss case is well known, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. Also in the other side, by the way - if you read the story of Maurice Rose (still only a Lieutenant in WWI) and all the Jews who went back to the USA as heroes, but were also treated like second class because of their ethnicity (he himself declared he was Protestant when re-joining the army). Of course I know this. But my comment is directed specifically at Hungarians during WWII and the Holocaust, with all due respect, because everybody knows about Germany and even Austria, but few know about the infernal treatment to Jews in other countries.
@@WinterhudeTube No, I assumed Austrian identity because of the mentioned great-grandfather and how heritage usually continues.
I didn’t look at your name tbh. My name for example is adopted from when my family moved to the UK from Hungary for integration purposes.
I look, sound and named like a John Smith but scratch just below the surface & I’m also Kovács Janos.
Coincidentally my mother was born in Hamburg at the military hospital (British parents) but grew up in Berlin & considers herself a Berliner.
So I can relate to a mixed and varied cultural upbringing.
Grew up in the UK,
I’m a bit if everything, I’ve spent some time in the Middle East & my GF is Korean & I get influenced by the people and surroundings.
I’m a Vajdasági Hungarian on my G-father’s side, my original family name is Slavic sounding but we identify as Hungarians.
My family left Vajdaság when Trianon was signed & moved to Budapest where 3 years later my G-Pa was born.
My G-Ma is we believe a Schwabian Jew with a Hungarianised German name who speaks Hungarian & Yiddish.
Hungary has statistically the highest proportion of Jewish blood in our identity.
I’m shocked by what you’re telling me & want to know more to educate myself.
I know of massacres, I’m technically Christian more (Agnostic) but I consider myself of the Judeo-Christianic world.
If your a Christian you’re fundamentally a Jew.
Why would God make you the originals and give you the fundamentals & with foresight that you were going to go evil? Nah! I’m calling BS.
There’s a particular atrocity where they threw Jews into the partially freezing Danube & they went into the water & froze.
There was rampant Anti-Semitism in Europe, what degree was it different in Hungary?
Though my G-Ma went into hiding when called for deportation I gathered before that she was relatively safe, but that is an impression I could be wrong.
She did always say “The Nazis were bad, but the Communists were worse.”
I know Hungarian Jews. I’ve spent 1/3rd of my life there, Anti-Semitism is there but it’s no worse than in Poland or any Balkan country.
Anti-Semitism is worse in France and some sections, there will no physical harm in Hungary, but in France or the UK or Belgium Yes!
I went to Brussels & coincidentally went past the Jewish museum with armed military guards outside.
I have a videographic memory & an incident I has forgotten hit me like a rock!
The Universes way of not letting me forget.
Yes there was segregation but to an extent I am unaware.
I am aware of the Dreyfus case later found innocent and server the French military during WW1.
Certain exceptions were made though.
Through Jewish ancestry in Germany under the Nazis you were classified half Jewish, Quarter Jewish which limited an individual from certain positions.
From my memory half Jews were forbidden from becoming military officers, though they happened, somehow, to forget about Field Marshall Erhard Milch who was the architect of the Luftwaffe.
The Hungarians were the last country to deport Jews to the death camps, refusing German demands.
The subject needs to be properly researched and deserves to be.
Give me examples, there’s obviously some knowledge which you have which I need to be aware of.
I appreciate the level of detail you have went into and for the civility in which we are speaking.
If you are willing typing this on UA-cam is tedious., instead I shall put my email up on the board at 20:00 UK 21:00 CET under this message so if you wish to continue this very detailed and complex topic in a balanced way we can do so.
I am pleased to meet you and happy you’ve reached out.
My name is Michael, obviously but I go by Mike or Miska (Mishka).
I look forward to hearing from you, and if you choose not to I wish you all the best in life.
Interesting discussion to read.
Realize most of the anti-semitism in Hungary was fuelled after 1919. Since the communists of Hungary were near all Jewish, and the loss of Hungarian territory was blamed on Hungarian jewish communists and an international conspiracy to destroy the Hungarian statehood.
When Germany invaded Poland from the west and the Soviets from the East in 1939 a number of Polish military units fled to Hungary and were given refuge.
8:00 although it seems logical, actually the German leadership did not want to share info on Barbarossa to the Hungarian leaders. even Horthy was not fond of joining a large scale war - however in a few days he changed his mind and declared joining the offensive against the Soviets. most probably they wanted to keep up their support knowing that the Romanians are doing as well.
it looks that Horthy & the goverment wanted to grasp all the lost land; they even neglected any bilateral agreement with the Slovaks and Romanians (on the contrary: Bulgaria could hold South Dobrudja after WW2, they managed to get a deal with Romania).
when in 1944 it became obvious that the war is lost, Horthy and the remaining leaders just made even more hazardous and stupid decisions; until the Germany took control over them in Oct 1944. The remaining Hungarian Army was scattered after the Soviet invasion to the Carpathian Basin and many did not follow the interim nazi regime, which collapsed anyway in half a year.
btw Szálasi had Armenian descend, he even changed his family surname to cover his original roots.
Language barriers played a horrific part on the Austro Hungarian empire in ww1. AND to a lesser extent in ww11. Something like 12 languages
I believe so too.
Excellent. Unique information. Thank you. Hun army was completely destroyed by Red army in Voronesz. Revenge for awful war crimes commited by Hun Army came in form of order - No prisoners! (Suggestion for future series - Patton's order in Italy, etc.)
Thanks for your reply. More on Patton here by TIK History:
ua-cam.com/video/vB2zZWk9TfU/v-deo.html
Hungary had a simple choice; join Hitler or join Stalin. Neutrality was simply not possible and they would have been occupied by one combatant or the other.
More on that here:
ua-cam.com/video/zkj_wq4qZME/v-deo.html
Tisztelt Úram! Arra a részletre nem tért ki, hogy Magyarországon volt az első háborús bünösök tárgyalása még a háború alatt. A Bácskai vérengzés felelőseit elítélték, de a nyílas hatalom átvétel után kiszabadultak!
"Dear Sir! It did not go into detail that Hungary had the first trial of war criminals during the war. Those responsible for the Bácskai massacre were convicted, but were released after taking power!"
I read something like that too. Thanks for sharing.
Hungarian Jews were forcibly drafted into the Hungarian labor battalions, some of whom were sent to the Eastern Front. The Hungarians forced them to perform the most dangerous roles and were then murdered
Thanks for the additional information.
Yep, I wanted to write too that the labour batallions were mainly consisted of Jews and leftists, not national minorites. Their treatment varied from time to time though. One of our rarely mentioned heroes, Vilmos Nagy de Nagybaczon was Minister of Defense in 1942-43 and he fought tooth and nails with the army high command to provide labour batallions with the same supplies and equipment (without guns) as the normal, armed batallions. The treatment of forced labourers improved during this time but naturally both the army and the very pro-German far right wanted him to be removed from power. As neither Horthy, nor his prime minister, Kállay was willing to defend him, he was forced to resign. After that, the treatment of labourers worsened quickly and reached the absolute bottom under Szálasi's mad rule.
My fathers brother bela died in one of these labour battalions .
@Mutant Pig I understand you're the kind of person who misses Szálasi Ferenc And contributed to the success of Hungary
Imcorrect. They were performing noncombat, primarily engineering duties, such as costructing roads, rail lines, and earthwork for field fortifications.
They were also not murdered. Legally they were enlisted personell who were not fit for military service, and thus served in non a combat role. In realkty tjey were often abused by their commanders, improperly lodged, malnourished amd generally treated inhumanely, but mever outright murdered, or porpousfuply worked to death, such as was the case in soviet gulags for example.
It is interesting that after war they weren't deported from Romania, Czechoslovakia and Serbia
Czechslovakia forcibly moved around 50k but they wanted most Hungarians there but only the ussr backed that idea
@@kkkkk9815 Cuz today here in Slovakia is 450 000
Interesting to read.
@@emko2490 yes like I said only ussr suported the idea of removing most Hungarians no other major power
@@kkkkk9815 Yes, because the USA want to kill them all. This is why the USSR stopped the genocides in Yugoslavia, and not the USA (who is secretly support it).
We've done everything our country has ever done. Unfortunately, we're still in the hands of the Soviets. He was also my great-grandfather by the Don River and the siege of Budapest. He died in 2017. He's a hero to me 🇭🇺🇭🇺
Soon more on the Siege of Budapest. What can you tell us about the experiences of your great-grandfather?
Btw theres a movie abaut ww2 abaut a hungarian soldier. The movie have english subs And the title: Dear Elza
Hope to check it out soon.