Borvendég Zsuzsanna: Fabulous Spy Games. How international trade networks with the West developed after 1945 - A Magyarságkutató Intézet Kiadványai 24. (Budapest, 2021)
‘FABULOUS’ IN HUNGARY - End game
FABULOUS SPY GAMES Foreign Trade that “he would definitely kick him out” if Hoffmann contacted him.411 Nyerges was given the task by his case officer of holding ‘Fabulous to account and to give him 24 hours to come up with a good explanation for his indiscretion, as well as to drive home the message that failure to do so could mean the end of his business activities in Hungary.412 Hoffmann, however, was not so easily scared and sent a threatening letter to Nyerges assuring him that he would tarnish the reputation of the trade diplomat in Europe if he hampered Hoffmanns businesses in Hungary. At the same time, Sebestyén also contacted Nyerges and told him that he did indeed tell Hoffmann all the things in the article, just to “provoke the Nazis”.413 The story did not land either of the Hungarian players in trouble, but counterintelligence was finally able to put an end to the five-year investigation: Although they could not gather enough evidence to bring Hoffmann to court, they put him on the banned list, which means they requested the expulsion of‘Fabulous’ from Hungary. It comes as no surprise that Hoffmann had such extensive relationships that it was not until late 1966 that the expulsion order came through after various agents, but mostly the Press Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, continuously obstructed Hoffmanns blacklisting.414 This is all the more interesting as MNVK-2 did some strong lobbying with the Press Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs415 and was also responsible for initiating the investigation against Hoffmann, so it appears contradictory that they were hindering his expulsion order. 411 ÁBTL 3.1.5 0-12344/8, p. 116 Report, 15 February 1964 412 ÁBTL 3.1.5 O-12344/13-a p 278 Operational plan, 15 November 1963 413 Ibid. 414 ÁBTL 3.1.5 0-12344/12 p. 294 Transcript for Head of Department III/III-9 of the Ministry of Interior, 7 October 1966 415 Borvendég 2016 Hoffmanns activities in Hungary are closely related to the building of the economic network that undoubtedly affected the country’s opportunities, but he was definitely not the main character in the story. Given that completely exposing the background, members and activities of the interest group I call the ‘foreign trade lobby’ appears hopeless for the time being, even though progress is possible as military intelligence documents are becoming increasingly 150
