Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, Eastern Europe, The Soviet Union, Volume VI

864.00/10–1346: Telegram

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

secret
priority

Budapest, October 13, 1946—3 p.m.
[Received October 14—7:33 a.m.]

1915. We are informed by Dessewffy that Prime Minister and Smallholder Secretary General Bela Kovacs had conference with Soviet Minister Pushkin and unidentified Soviet General about October 9 when Russians stated they absolutely insist on maintenance coalition and Smallholders must therefore reach some agreement with Leftists. Soviets also reported to have demanded that Catholic Church be limited to religious functions only and that its educational and youth functions be abolished. Prime Minister and Kovacs stated to have assured Soviets of their complete cooperation in fulfillment first demand but to have flatly rejected second. Reportedly Soviets retreated in face rejection second demand and assured Prime Minister matter entirely up to him.

If this report is true which I am inclined to believe,⁸⁰ Prime Minister will now find himself in serious dilemma since agreement with Left bloc at this juncture would doubtless involve some compromise on provincial municipal election issue (mytel 1887, October 9⁸¹) although recent statements and tightening of party discipline indicate preparation for eventual conflict on this or another issue. Smallholder anxiety, however, continues as to threat of Communist-provoked disorders which would provide justification for direct Soviet intervention in supposed Communist objectives and which Smallholder leadership is determined to avoid at this time.

Repeated Paris Secdel 458.

Schoenfeld

80. In telegram 1929, October 14, 1946, from Budapest, Schoenfeld stated that the reported conference of Prime Minister Nagy and Kovacs with the Soviet officials had been confirmed with the single correction that the Soviet demand for the elimination of church influence in government and education had not been confined to the Catholic Church but included all churches (864.00/10–1446).
81. Not printed; in it, Schoenfeld reported on the mounting tension between the Smallholders Party on the one hand and the Communist and Social Democratic Parties on the other (864.00/10–946).