Borvendég Zsuzsanna: Fabulous Spy Games. How international trade networks with the West developed after 1945 - A Magyarságkutató Intézet Kiadványai 24. (Budapest, 2021)
‘THE HUNGARIAN MAFIA’ - The secret man behind the scenes: János Nyerges
'THE HUNGARIAN MAFIA' The secret man behind the scenes: János Nyerges The most valuable part of the mentioned report is the statement that the activities of the persons listed were coordinated and supervised by two diplomats in Switzerland, who could provide diplomatic protection to them if need be. The two men were József Száll and János Nyerges.125 125 Ibid. 126 About József Száll’s life cf. Andreides 2019 127 Andreides 2019, p. 35 Száll was one of the most controversial diplomats after 1945, and his career trajectory was incredibly steep.126 He had already joined the illegal communist movement during the War and worked at the editorial office of Szabad Nép for a short while after 1945, but was moved to Bern as an Embassy secretary as early as 1946. In his recollection, his task was to return Hungarian fortunes deposited in Switzerland during the War, which means he could indeed have been a member of the Hungarian communist network operating in Switzerland, which had control over the funds intended for the support of the international workers’ movement. Száll ’s economic activities were noticed not only by American intelligence, the Swiss also considered him to be a Comintern agent. The possibility of expelling him from the country was raised, but in the end, it was decided that there was no need to burden the relationship of the two countries with a diplomatic nuisance like this in the knowledge that his successor would obviously carry on where Száll left off.127 Cultivating a close friendship with János Nyerges, Száll stayed in Switzerland until 1950. Following his return to Hungary, he was posted abroad a number of times, including to China, Jakarta and Paris, but he became best known when he emigrated together with his family in 1970 after the suspicion was raised that he had committed economic crimes. The American secret service interviewed him at length, and Száll finally 51
