István Balogh

Who is István Balogh?

Father István Balogh was a Hungarian priest and anti-communist politician who later tolerated the rule of the Hungarian Communist Party.

Initially associated with the Independent Smallholders Party he became a supporter of Nazism for a time during the 1930s and from his base in Debrecen formed a version of the Hungarian National Socialist Party. Both he and Sándor Festetics were elected to Parliament for this group in 1936. He was part of the Hungarian provisional government established in 1945 and travelled to Moscow to sign the 1945 armistice.

After the war Balogh led the Independent Hungarian Democrats, a minor opposition group which was largely controlled by the government. His list captured 5.2% of the vote in the 1947 election although his opposition soon died down and he effectively co-operated with the communists despite his personal reservations. Although seen as a potential focus of dissent Balogh stayed away from any direct involvement in the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.