Jenő Rátz

Who was Jenő Rátz?

Vitéz Jenő Rátz de Nagylak was a Hungarian military officer and politician, who served as Minister of Defence in 1938.

He fought in the First World War. During the Hungarian Soviet Republic he served in the National Army. From 1 October 1936 he became Chief of Army Staff of the Magyar Honvédség. Béla Imrédy appointed him as Minister of Defence. After that he was a representative in the House of Representatives of Hungary. During the cabinet of Döme Sztójay he was a minister without portfolio and Deputy Prime Minister. On that score, after the war the People's Tribune sentenced to death but later the judgement was changed: Rátz was sentenced to life imprisonment. He died in the prison after four years.