Office of the Historian

864.00/7–1046: Telegram

The Minister in Hungary (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State

secret
urgent
Budapest, July 10, 1946—6 p.m.
[Received July 11—11:55 a.m.]

1279. We received yesterday from Balogh confidentially copy of Sviridov’s letter (mytels 1230, July 2 and 1235, July 342). Translation goes forward by despatch.43 Although Sviridov starts letter with statement he is empowered by Soviet High Command to inform Prime Minister of Fascist terroristic acts against Red Army he refers to previous letter of ACC on subject and signing as ACC Deputy Chairman charges government with violation political terms of armistice. Letter was written on ACC stationery.

After describing in detail various alleged outrages against Soviet troops and activities of various youth organizations letter referred to Gyöngyössy incident (mytel 856, May 744) and newspaper activities [Page 321] of Parragi Dessewffy and propaganda of Catholic educators against Soviet Union. Letter states Hungarian Government failed to take necessary steps to prevent activities of Fascist organizations, groups and individual persons and so violated armistice. Sviridov then made seven recommendations: (1) Dissolve following pro-Fascist youth organizations: Cserkesz, Kalot, Kdsz student unions, Kice (YMCA), Szent Imre, and similar associations and intern leaders as accomplices in terroristic crimes; (2) Purge Független Ifjuság (Smallholders youth organization) of Fascist elements with warning that failure to observe regulations would lead to dissolution; (3) Call to account Deputies Filler, Gyulai and Racz as abettors and organizers of terrorist group; (4) Dismiss from government service Pfeiffer, Zoeke, Andrassy and Vidovics45 and others and purge thoroughly government service of Fascist elements; (5) Subject all social organizations to new registration and certification and ban all social organizations giving shelter to pro-Fascist elements; (6) Prevent Catholic clergy carrying on propaganda against Soviet Union and Red Army; (7) Order article of armistice46 involved in carrying out suggested recommendations but presumably article 15 and possibly 16 would be invoked. To date other members ACC have neither been consulted nor given copies of letter.

Schoenfeld
  1. Neither printed; these telegrams gave preliminary information on the Sviridov letter (864.00/7–246 and 864.00/7–346).↩
  2. The text of Sviridov’s letter of June 28, 1946, was transmitted to the Department in despatch 1699, July 10, from Budapest, neither printed (740.00119 EW/7–1046). The Sviridov letter is described in considerable detail in Nagy, The Struggle Behind the Iron Curtain, pp. 240–243.↩
  3. Not printed.↩
  4. Pal Zoeke, Daniel Andrassy, and Ferenc Vidovics were Chief Prefects.↩
  5. Presumably, the reference is to article 17 of the Allied Armistice with Hungary which obliged Hungarian administrative bodies to carry out the orders and instructions of the Allied Control Commission.↩