From the People’s Court to the State Security Services Cover Image

A népbíróságtól az állambiztonsági szolgálatokig
From the People’s Court to the State Security Services

Contributions to the Assessment of the Career of Imre Varga, Bishop of the Reformed Christian Church of Hungary

Author(s): Attila Simon
Subject(s): Cultural history, Local History / Microhistory, Post-War period (1950 - 1989)
Published by: Fórum Kisebbségkutató Intézet
Keywords: Reformed Christian Church; people's court; Rimaszombat (Rimavská Sobota); Imre Varga

Summary/Abstract: The study aims to provide contributions to the exploration of life course of Imre Varga, former bishop of the Hungarian Reformed Christian Church of Slovakia. The author examines the extent to which the accusations of the People's Court corresponded to reality, using the documents of Imre Varga's trial at the People's Court in 1945–46, which are held in the State Archives in Banská Bystrica. The People's Court made three main accusations against Varga (his role in the Hungarian political parties, his conduct in relation to the First Vienna Award and his activities between 1938 and 1945). The author finds, on the basis of archival and press sources, that most of the accusations were unfounded and that the fact that Varga was declared guilty by the court but was only given a verbal censure was essentially a moral victory for the pastor.

  • Issue Year: XXIV/2022
  • Issue No: 4
  • Page Range: 61-76
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: Hungarian