National Socialist, Hungarian Anti-Nazi: New Book about the Story of Kálmán Rátz
Kálmán Rátz was a controversial yet influential figure in Hungarian politics during the first half of the 20th century. A man of shifting loyalties, he founded his own 'National Socialist' party, which surprisingly became one of the most left-leaning legal movements in the country. His political career was marked by bold speeches, secretive dealings, and connections to both radical and establishment figures.
Rátz first gained attention in 1919 when he was arrested in Budapest as a counter-revolutionary during the brief Communist dictatorship. He remained imprisoned until the regime collapsed later that year.
By the early 1930s, he had established his own party, which, despite its name, developed a distinctly left-wing stance within Hungary’s political landscape. His ideas even influenced the young poet Attila József, who wrote a manuscript titled *National Socialism* under Rátz’s intellectual sway. Years later, in 1942, Rátz attended József’s funeral alongside members of the far-right Arrow Cross movement—a striking contrast to his earlier political leanings. Rátz maintained close ties with powerful figures, including Prime Minister Gyula Gömbös, a leader of Hungary’s racist movement, and József Madzsar’s elite circle. Yet he also cultivated unexpected connections, such as engaging with the Zionist movement. His reputation as a schemer grew, with some suspecting him of being the Horthy regime’s most skilled undercover agent. During World War II, he delivered some of the boldest anti-war speeches in Parliament, defying the era’s dominant militarism. Despite his outspoken stance, he was later imprisoned in Mauthausen concentration camp—though the circumstances of his eventual release remain unclear and disputed. In the war’s final stages, Miklós Mester, a resistance-linked state secretary, proposed Rátz for Hungary’s first official delegation to Moscow. The mission aimed to negotiate an armistice, marking one of his last known involvements in high-stakes political manoeuvring.
Rátz’s life reflected Hungary’s turbulent political currents, from left-wing activism to far-right associations. His imprisonment, bold rhetoric, and shadowy dealings left a complicated legacy. Though his exact role in key historical moments remains debated, his influence on both politics and culture endured long after his time.
