László Bárdossy
Dr. László Bárdossy de Bárdos | |
|---|---|
Bárdossy c. 1941 | |
| Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Hungary | |
| In office 3 April 1941 – 7 March 1942 | |
| Regent | Miklós Horthy |
| Preceded by | Pál Teleki |
| Succeeded by | Miklós Kállay |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Hungary | |
| In office 4 February 1941 – 7 March 1942 | |
| Prime Minister | Pál Teleki himself |
| Preceded by | Pál Teleki |
| Succeeded by | Ferenc Keresztes-Fischer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 December 1890 Szombathely, Austria-Hungary |
| Died | 10 January 1946 (aged 55) Budapest, Hungary |
| Cause of death | Execution by firing squad |
| Nationality | Hungarian |
| Political party | Party of Hungarian Life |
| Spouse | Marietta Braun de Belatin |
| Alma mater | University of Budapest (JD) |
| Profession | politician, diplomat |
László Bárdossy de Bárdos (10 December 1890 – 10 January 1946) was a Hungarian diplomat and politician who served as Prime Minister of Hungary from April 1941 to March 1942. He was one of the chief architects of Hungary's involvement in World War II.
Bárdossy was appointed Foreign Minister in January 1941 and, following Pál Teleki's suicide in April, succeeded as Prime Minister. Seeking to recover more Hungarian territories lost after the Treaty of Trianon, he pursued a strong pro-German foreign policy and Hungary supported and subsequently joined Germany's invasion of Yugoslavia. Afterwards, during his office Hungary became belligerent with Soviet Union, United Kingdom and the United States.
In March 1942, Regent Miklós Horthy dismissed Bárdossy from the post. He worked with the collaborationist governments after the German occupation of Hungary in 1944. After the end of the war, Bárdossy was found guilty of war crimes and collaborationism by a People's Court and sentenced to death. He was executed by firing squad in January 1946.