The
writings of Colonel Ferenc Koszorús contain wealth of fascinating
and informative data relating to a critical period of Hungarian history.
-Based on personal experiences, his writings portray the tragic fate
of Hungary- during--the Second World War, including the chaos caused
by internal tension. These writings, moreover, not only chronicle
certain key political and military events, they also offer solutions
to exceedingly complex problems within the framework of high moral
bearings, without which solutions prove to be ephemeral.
Col. Koszorús military
competence, expertise, and outstanding character enhanced his clear-sighted
judgement. The selfless dedication he exhibited also characterized
his family. He is descended from Transylvanian nobility, born into
a family that voluntarily relinquished its special privileges during
the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 in a demonstration of solidarity
with the Hungarian nation. In this spirit, Col. Koszorús acted decisively
to further the interests of his beloved homeland, motivated solely
by a desire to serve the common good, even at great personal risk
to himself. He was not drawn to any form of political extremism at
a time when many could not resist the lure of seemingly simple answers
to intricate questions or career advancement.
In an extraordinary
action taken in July of 1944, Col. Koszorús intervened to block an
attempted coup by Laszló Baky. Koszorús valiant effort preserved the
remnants of the legitimate Hungarian political system, prevented the
overthrow of the Regent, and thwarted the deportation of the more
than 250,000 Jews concentrated in Budapest. Only in Hungary did a
military unit employ force against an attempted coup supported by
Nazi collaborators, the German occupation forces, and Adolf Eichmann.
Col. Koszorús's merit
was not only that he carried out the Regent's order at a time when
such orders were generally disobeyed, but that he voluntarily offered
his services to block Baky's perfidious act. He specifically requested
the Regents order by way of the Commanding Officer of the Royal Guard,
General Károly Lázár to preserve the legality of his intervention
and thereby remain faithful to his oath. It was his unshakable convictions
that "without trustworthiness there is no `soldier', without strict
adherence to a soldier's military oath, there is no trustworthiness."
After blocking the
Nazi coup, Col. Koszorús was sought by the German Gestapo. To avoid
certain arrest and execution, he first fled to western Hungary, and
then after becoming ill he took a medevac train to Austria and ultimately
to Bavaria. He arrived in the United States with his family in 1951,
after which he continued to serve both his former homeland as well
as his adopted country, working for the U.S. Topographic Command.
In October of 1951,
during the Truman administration, Congress authorized funds to organize
and train legions of European immigrant veterans for the eventual
liberation of their homelands. Finding Col. Koszorús to be untainted
by either Nazism or Communism and judging him to be a reliable military
man, the U.S. entrusted him with the task of establishing the Hungarian
veteran armed force.
In addition to his
new career, Col. Koszorús continued to research and write on a variety
of topics relating to Central and Eastern Europe. Out of modesty,
he did not initially publicize his voluntary and historic intervention
against the conspirators. Only after becoming aware of the misunderstanding
and disinformation surrounding the Baky affair did he take the advice
of friends and publish in 1961 his version of the events, so that
"this episode be preserved for posterity in a factual and objective
manner."
Col. Koszorús died
in 1974.
Gabriella F. Koszorús-Varsa, 1989
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