The first parliamentary appearance of National Socialism in Hungary in 1932
The first parliamentary appearance of National Socialism in Hungary in 1932

Summary/Abstract: In this paper, I present the circumstances of the birth of the first more significantnational socialist party represented in the Hungarian parliament too, and the life and work of its founder andleader, Zoltán Meskó (1883-1959). Although the almost-unknown National Socialist Party held meetings inHungary as early as the spring of 1922, and fascist, national, national socialist micro-parties and smallmovements proliferated like mushrooms in the late 1920s and the early 1930s, Zoltán Meskó, MP was thefirst to “raise the flag” in the Hungarian parliament on 16 June 1932. This article outlines the life of thisstrange and unconventional politician, who had once seen better days, was a former military officer, a hero of theFirst World War, a member of parliament since 1917, and briefly held several posts as a state secretary. I payspecial attention to his speeches in parliament in 1932, to the articles in the daily newspaper of the party, the“Nemzet Szava” (Word of Nation), and to the early period of this peculiar “pro-government” organisation loyalto Governor Miklós Horthy1, the National Socialist Hungarian Agricultural Labourers’ and Workers’ Party.From the end of 1933, Meskó was in a downward spiral, losing his seat in parliament in 1935, but was re-electedas a deputy in 1939. From this period onwards, however, Meskó was almost insignificant in Hungarian domesticpolitics

• Details
• Contents