KÁDÁR JÁNOS

orig. Czermanik János

born May 26, 1912, Fiume, Hung.

died July 6, 1989, Budapest

Premier of Hungary (1956–58, 1961–65) and first secretary (1956–88) of Hungary's Communist Party.

He joined the then-illegal Communist Party in 1931 and entered the Hungarian Politburo in 1945. In 1950 he came into conflict with the Stalinists and was expelled from the party and jailed (1951–53). Rehabilitated in 1954, he joined the short-lived government of Nagy Imre. After Soviet troops took over the country in 1956, Kádár formed a new government with Soviet backing and quelled a popular revolt. He later convinced the Soviet Union to withdraw its troops and allow Hungary a modicum of internal independence.