Levéltári Közlemények, 43. (1972)

Levéltári Közlemények, 43. (1972) 2. - FORRÁSKÖZLÉS - Kanyar József: Brit diplomáciai iratok a magyarországi földreformok történetéhez, 1920–1945 / 403–417. o.

412 Kanyar József with the Hungarian armistice, delegation after the signature of the armistice. It seems possible therefore that M. Rákosi will play a prominent role in future Hungarian politics, and that the power and influence of the Kremlin may possibly make itself felt through the medium of this individual. (2) The Smallholders' party has fifty-nine Deputies. The leader is M. Zoltán Tildy, a Protestant priest, who has been head of the party since the departure of M. Tibor Eckhardt in 1940 for the United States. (3) The Social Democratic party has thirty-nine Deputies. The leader is M. Árpád Szakasits. He was formerly editor-in-chief of the democratic newspaper, Népszava. M. Szakasits is at present in Budapest, and the affairs of the party are conducted by M. Takács and Dr. Ágoston Valentiny, and by MM. George Marosan and Stephen Szava, who are journalists. (4) The National Peasant party has thirteen Deputies. The leader is dr. Ferenc Erdei, the Minister of the Interior. This party was originally founded is 1939, but at that time it had but few followers. However after the entry of the Russians into Hungary it came to the fore and it is now energetically canvassing members by promising a most radical programme — especially as regards the immediate implementation of land reform on a severe scale.* (5) The People's Democratic party has twelve Deputies. The leader is M. András Brody who is at present in Budapest. The deputy leaders are Count Vladomir Zichy and M. Joseph Béres. In addition to the above specific parties there are nineteen independent Deputies: the remaining thirteen (to make up the total of 230 Deputies mentioned in paragraph 2 above) have not yet allied themselves to any one party. 10. The Communist party and the National Peasant party, acting upon the initiative of the latter, propose the division of the estates into two groups. It is not ye; clear what the proposed size of the holdings will be, but I hope to ascertain this shortly. These two political parties maintain that land reform should be completed by the 1-st October, 1945. The remaining three parties have not yet suggested such a drastic and rapid solution of this question, although the Smallholders' party suggested in 1938 (when it was under the leadership of M. Tibor Eckhardt) that the ideal size of estates should be between 300 and 500 hold — a hold is approximately iy

2 acres — dependent upon the location and yield of the soil. Apart from the all-important question of land reform M. Rákosi has expressed his satisfaction with the policy of the Smallholders' party. As explained above, these parties in principle support the programme of the Government, viz. : (1) To seek an armistice and to declare war on Germany (already carried out). (2) To establish a "new" Hungarian army. (3) To bring about agrarian reform. (4) To eliminate fascism. (5) To develop work in the field of social welfare, particularly as regards the alleviation of the present distressing food situation. 11. I am forwarding copies of this despatch to Caserta, Bucharest, Sofia, Belgrade and Moscow. , , I have, & с A. Gascoigne. PRO FO R 5312/26/21. * A hazai koalíciós pártok közül az angol külügyminisztérium számára a Nemzeti Parasztpárt volt a legismeretlenebb. Miután e párt tagja volt a felszabadult ország első belügyminisztere: Erdei Ferenc, így a brit kormányzatot az ismeretlen Parasztpárt jellege és vezetőinek a személye — érthetően — érdekelte. E megjegyzések előzményeihez tartozik annak a megemlítése is, hogy Gascoigne egyik jelentésében — tévesen — azt írta Erdei Ferencről, hogy kommunista párti. Ezt korrigálandó sietve megírta a Themze partjára, hogy a belügyminiszter parasztpárti ugyan, de a „szívében" kommunista. (1945. júl. 18-án kelt (R. 12916/26/21. sz.) jelentés: "Erdei labelled National Peasant Party, but is supposed to be communist at heart.") A Nemzeti Parasztpártról így összegezték a lényeget : "A party of recent growth, representing chiefly the dwarf-holders and landless agricultural labourers." (uo.) A Parasztpárt vezetői közül a legtöbbet Illyés Gyulával és Veres Péterrel foglalkoztak. Velük kapcsolatban az egyik ügyirat pro domójában: 1945. május 5-én Macartney megfogalmazásában az alábbiak olvashatók: "Two (Illyés—Veres) are 'village explorers', this group forms the (itt egy szó olvashatatlan) probably most of the body the National Peasant Party. They have been working very closely with the Communists. Probably Illyés and Veres did not went to go so far, altough both are radical. They are both men of great intellectual ability and integrity."