740.00119 Control (Hungary)/12–2444: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 24—4:15 p.m.]
4978. Moscow press this morning publishes announcement of formation on December 21 of a “Provisional National Assembly” of Hungary in the town of Debrecen and publishes the proclamation issued by the Assembly on that date to the Hungarian people. The Assembly announces itself as a rallying point for the public life of liberated Hungary and all elements opposed to the war on the side of Germany. It is stated that the members were all elected by democratic processes from various communities of liberated Hungary. This Assembly unanimously elected as its chairman Zsedéni Béla, a professor of the Academy of Law in the town of Miskolc. His assistants are the professor of the Debrecen University, Santa Kálman, and Dr. Yukhasz-Nagy Sandor, described as a well-known figure in the reformed church. The Assembly’s proclamation reverts to the traditions of Kossuth and the revolution of 1848, and calls for an independent, friendly and democratic Hungary. Its program calls for wide political life, the preservation of private capital and extensive land reform. Its rhetorical conclusion hails in succession both the Provisional National Assembly and the Provisional National Government but there is no explanation of whether the two are supposed to be identical. The appeal to the Hungarian people makes no mention of friendship with the Soviet Union but refers to the Red Army as the liberator of Hungary.
Complete translation will be sent after Christmas.83
Repeated to Caserta as No. 63.
- Telegram 4982, December 25, 1944, not printed.↩