Zalai történeti tanulmányok - Zalai gyűjtemény 42. (Zalaegerszeg, 1997)

Csomor Erzsébet: Ludovikás tisztből nemzetőr-parancsnok. Portré-vázlat Orbán Nándorról, Nagykanizsa 1956-os nemzetőr-parancsnokáról

ERZSÉBET CSÖMÖR:

FROM THE OFFICER OF LUDOVIKA TO THE COMMANDER

OF MILITIA

PORTRAIT-SKETCH OF NÁNDOR ORBÁN, THE COMMANDER OF MILITIA OF NAGYKANIZSA IN 1956

Summary

After the 1956 Revolution impeachment of a given percentage of the so called ’class enemy’ was an important standpoint leading reprisal. The action taken against Nándor Orbán reflected this judicial practice.

He graduated from the ’Ludovika’ Military Academy in 1933 with a first- class degree. Doing sports was an essential part of his military training. He was the best Hungarian pentathlonists of his time: at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games he took the 5th place at that event. In 1941 this high-qualified officer was posted to Nagykanizsa in command of one of the artillery battalions of the 9th light division. He was fighting in the battles along the river Don with the Zala corps of the 2nd Hungarian army. After 1945 the new political power didn’t afford many chances for the officers, who were trained at the ’Ludovika’ Military Academy before 1945. Nándor Orbán had to work as unskilled labourer for several years to be able to support his family. In 1955 he got a steady job: he became the horse- trainer of the stud-farm in Somogysárd. As the result of his constant work the horses trained by him achieved success. On 31 October 1956 some people from Nagykanizsa called for him, for the old acquaintance and for the good friend, to offer him the commandership of the local militia. This request was not to be denied and Nándor Orbán - going all length and demonstrating a remarkable organising ability - maintained order in the town till November 4.

After the suppression of the revolution, in consequence of the judicial practice of the Kádár-regime, he served a sentence of 6 years’ imprisonment at Mária- nosztra. In 1963 he was paroled by general amnesty. Sports played an important role in his further life, too. But the regime kept an eye on him and tried to wreck him. The ageing man’s strength was destroyed by the hard life and he died on his 71st birthday, on 10 February 1981. The burial took place at Farkasrét cemetery.

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