Vilmos Nagy de Nagybaczon, a general who served in the Royal Hungarian Army, became the first Hungarian recipient of the Righteous Among the Nations award in 1965. His career spanned from the final years of the Austro-Hungarian Empire through the turbulent political and military restructuring of Hungary during the Second World War.
Early Education and Military Beginnings
Born in Praid in 1884, Nagy belonged to a family of minor nobility with roots in Transylvania. Following the early death of his father, a mining engineer, he sought a career in the military to ensure his future. He graduated with honours from the Kun Kollégium high school before enrolling at the Ludovica Military Academy in 1902. Upon completing his studies in 1905, he received his commission as a lieutenant.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Rise Through the Officer Corps
Nagy attended the Imperial War College in Vienna between 1909 and 1912. During the First World War, he served in various capacities, including operations on the Serbian and Carpathian fronts. After the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the subsequent short-lived Hungarian Soviet Republic, he was reassigned to the staff of the newly formed Royal Hungarian Army. He rose through the ranks steadily, serving as commanding officer of the 1st Mounted Infantry and, by 1937, achieving the rank of brigadier general.
Minister of Defence and Humanitarian Efforts
In September 1942, Regent Miklós Horthy appointed Nagy as Minister of Defence. His tenure occurred during a period of extreme pressure from the extreme right and German influence. Attempting to modernize the Hungarian military and shield it from political volatility, he also sought to improve the dire conditions of forced labour battalions. His persistent objections to the treatment of Jewish forced labourers and his refusal to comply with specific German demands eventually forced his resignation in June 1943.
Fast facts
- Born: 1884, Praid
- Died: 1976, Piliscsaba
- Education: Ludovica Military Academy
- Position: Minister of Defence (1942-1943)
- Award: Righteous Among the Nations (1965)
- Military Rank: Colonel General
Questions readers ask
Why was Vilmos Nagy de Nagybaczon honoured by Yad Vashem?
He was named Righteous Among the Nations in 1965 for his efforts to improve the conditions of Jewish forced labourers while serving as Minister of Defence.
When did his active military career end?
After a brief retirement in 1941, he was recalled to service and later resigned his cabinet position in 1943 following intense political pressure.
Achievements
- Righteous Among the Nations — 1965
- Worked as politician, military personnel and historian
- Educated at Ludovica Military Academy
