Péter Ágoston

Who was Péter Ágoston?

Péter Ágoston was a Hungarian politician, who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1919. Before the First World War he published articles for the Világ, Népszava, Huszadik század and the Szocializmus newspapers. After the Aster Revolution he was the Chairman of the National Council in Nagyvárad. In Dénes Berinkey's cabinet he served as state secretary of the interior. During the Hungarian Soviet Republic he tried to make connections with the Entente Powers as deputy People's Commissar of Foreign Affairs. Gyula Peidl appointed him as People's Commissar, but after few days the Peidl cabinet fell after a coup led by István Friedrich. Ágoston was arrested and sentenced to death. However he was induced by the Soviet Union through the occasion of a prisoner exchange. After that he lived in emigration. He translated works of Engels, Bebel and Mehring to Hungarian language on Pál Rab pseudonym.