born June 7, 1896, Kaposvár, Hung., Austria-Hungary
died June 16, 1958, Budapest, Hung.
Hungarian politician.
He fought in World War I, was captured by the Russians, and joined the Red Army. He lived in Moscow (1929–44), then returned to Hungary under the Soviet occupation and held several ministerial posts. An advocate for peasants' rights, he became premier (1953–55) but was ousted for his independent ideas. During the Hungarian Revolution (1956), he again served as premier and sought to establish Hungary's independence from Soviet domination. He made an unsuccessful appeal to the West for help against the invading Soviet troops, and he was arrested, tried, and executed.