Count Teleki: The Politics of Suicide February 18, 2015

Author: Beach Combing | in : Contemporary

The Hungarian Count Pál Teleki is a tragic Second World War figure, obit 1941 (that says it all). In the last year of his life tensions between Hungary and her neighbours were growing. Teleki was emotionally an Ally, an old fashioned conservative democrat, who would have been far more at home in Britain or France’s parliament than in Budapest, save perhaps for a nasty East European anti-semitic streak. However, any serious dalliance with Britain and France was impossible given the proximity of Romania, Italy and above all Germany. Teleki knew that Hungary’s only chance to survive in body and soul was to remain strictly neutral. So Telek refused German access to Hungary’s rail system in 1939 in the attack on Poland, and, of course, it would have been suicide (more of which later) to aid Poland in the September war.

The catastrophe came in March 1941. Germany insisted, at the height of its might and prestige, that Hungary allow German troops to pass into Yugoslavia and that Hungarian troops should help Germany to extinguish Yugoslav resistance, despite a recent Hungarian alliance with Yugoslavia. There was also some characteristic Nazi nonsense about (invented) Yugoslav aggression.

Here Teleki had run out of options. Britain promised that she would declare war if Hungary were to help Germany or even allow German troops to cross the Hungarian border uncontested. Count Teleki went home after a cabinet meeting, waited for a phone call confirming that German troops were had entered Hungarian soil and, then, put a gun in his mouth. His suicide note is worth quoting. It was addressed to Horthy, the Hungarian regent and the man who had, however reluctantly, finally given the nod to Germany using Hungary in its attacks on Yugoslavia. Horthy (obit 1957) would have many months left to regret his actions…

Your Serene Highness: We broke our word, out of cowardice, with respect to the Treaty of Permanent Peace [with Yugoslavia] outlined in your Mohács speech. The nation feels it, and we have thrown away its honor. We have allied ourselves to scoundrels, since not a single word is true about the alleged atrocities. Not against Hungarians, not even against Germans. We will become body-snatchers! A nation of trash. I did not hold you back. I am guilty.

Churchill paid Teleki tribute in his Second World War:

His suicide was a sacrifice to absolve himself and the his people from guilt in the German attack upon Yugoslavia. It clears his name before history. It could not stop the march of the German armies nor the consequences.

Other suicides for national honour: drbeachcombing AT yahoo DOT com Surprised by how few there are.