“Intelligence is key” Colonel Gyula Kádár might have mused. This plaque commemorates a man of military intelligence. The Kádár Gyula Plaque marks a spot connected to a fascinating figure.
Gyula Kádár was not a politician like János Kádár. He was a soldier. Born in Debrecen in 1898 Gyula Kádár had a long military career. This plaque serves as a reminder of his service.
From 1912 Gyula Kádár studied at the Royal Hungarian Military High School. Later he attended the Royal Hungarian Ludovica Defense Academy. By 1918 he graduated as a lieutenant. His early career saw him serving with the 5th Infantry Regiment.
After World War I he joined the National Army under Miklós Horthy. He quickly rose to become a company commander. By 1922 he was promoted to First Lieutenant.
Transitioning to education in 1933 Kádár became a teacher at the Ludovika Academy. He taught infantry tactics to artillery officers. Promotion to Major followed in 1937. He then took over the teaching of military tactics.
In 1939 Kádár was transferred to Pécs. He headed the training department of the IV Corps. After mobilization he became Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics. He participated in the entry into Northern Transylvania and the invasion of Yugoslavia.
A key moment came in January 1942 when he was promoted to colonel. In May he joined the General Staff. He headed the Sixth Department dealing with national security and propaganda.
August 1 1943 marked a significant promotion. Kádár became the leader of the Second Department of the General Staff. This department handled intelligence and counter-intelligence. Think of the shadows and secrets involved.
Under General Ferenc Szombathelyi’s orders Kádár planned to support British paratroopers. These plans emerged from secret negotiations with the Kállay government. He warned his superiors about the threat of a German invasion. In February 1944 he contacted Endre Bajcsy-Zsilinszky. This anti-Nazi politician aimed to help Horthy withdraw Hungary from the war.
His story takes a dark turn on April 17 1944. The Gestapo arrested him. Defence Minister Lajos Csatay and Miklós Horthy Jr intervened. He was handed over to Hungarian authorities. The Hungarian Military Tribunal released him on June 1 1944. But the Germans protested. Chief of the General Staff János Vörös ordered his re-arrest.
Charged with high treason he was acquitted on October 14 1944. The very next day the Arrow Cross Party staged a coup. The pro-Nazi Defence Minister Károly Beregfy arrested him again. As the Soviet Army neared Budapest he was transferred to Sopronkőhida and later to Germany. The US Army released him near Triften Bavaria.
Returning to Hungary in September 1945 proved dangerous. The Military Political Department arrested him. Soviet authorities sentenced him to 15 years of forced labor as a war criminal. He returned home in 1955 only to be arrested again. He was finally released on September 25 1956.
His memoirs were published in 1978 but heavily censored. The Kádár Gyula Plaque stands as a testament to his complex life. He navigated war intelligence and political turmoil. Remember Gyula Kádár a man of military secrets.