On this day 80 years ago: Russian troops entered Hungary to liberate the country from German occupation

On 23 September 1944, the first Russian military forces reached Hungarian territory. Their mission was to drive out the occupying German troops. Initially, the arrival of the Red Army was intended as a rescue operation to free Hungary from German control. However, what was meant to be a temporary intervention turned into a prolonged occupation, with Russian forces remaining in Hungary for the next 46 years.

Hungary’s alliance with Nazi Germany

Hungary joined World War II on the side of Nazi Germany on 27 June 1941, following Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union. The Hungarian government’s primary objective was to align with the perceived winning side, hoping that this strategic decision would secure favourable terms for the country. However, these calculations proved disastrously wrong, and the war did not unfold as anticipated. Hungary’s most devastating military defeat occurred in January 1943 at the Battle of the Don River, where the Second Hungarian Army, consisting of 200,000 soldiers, suffered a catastrophic loss.

Read more: Why did Hungarian soldiers fight and die against the Soviets East from Ukraine, in the Don bend?

Soviet occupation and international dynamics

By 1944, the tide of the war had shifted. Romania declared war on Germany, and Hungary, too, was considering changing sides. In August, Regent Miklós Horthy made the necessary changes in Parliament and began planning Hungary’s exit from the war. Meanwhile, Russian forces were gradually advancing into Hungary from multiple directions. Horthy dispatched Colonel General Gábor Faragho to negotiate a preliminary ceasefire with the Soviets. Russian troops entered Budapest on 13 April and officially took control of Hungary on 4 April, a date that would be commemorated as “Liberation Day” until 1990.

The Soviet presence in Hungary was further reinforced by the Peace Treaty of Paris, which permitted Russian troops in Austria to maintain supply lines between the two countries. However, the influence of Moscow in Austria was limited due to the presence of British and American forces.

Post-Stalin Developments and the Continued Occupation

A significant turning point came on 5 March 1953 with the death of Stalin. His successor, Nikita Khrushchev, pursued a policy of conciliation, and the Austrian State Treaty of 15 May 1955 led to the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Austria. This development raised Hungarian hopes that the Russian military presence in their country might also come to an end. However, Hungary was not so fortunate. The following day, the Warsaw Pact was signed, which formalised the continued presence of Soviet troops in Hungary. A new unit was created from forces withdrawn from Austria, and by the summer, the Soviets had developed plans to suppress any potential uprisings.

The Hungarian revolution of 1956 and its aftermath

Despite the Hungarian government’s attempt to revoke the “invitation” of Soviet troops on 1 November 1956, following the outbreak of the Hungarian Revolution, the Soviets responded by sending in even more troops. The revolution was brutally crushed on 4 November in an operation known as “Whirlwind.” In 1957, the Southern Group of Forces was established under the direct control of the Soviet Ministry of Defence, and the presence of Soviet troops in Hungary was officially legitimised.

Throughout the 1980s, the Soviet military presence remained unchanged. Although citizens grew accustomed to the occupation, dissent against the troops’ presence was harshly suppressed. Financial strains also emerged, as the exact number of soldiers and the terms of their stay were never fully clarified. More than 65,000 troops were stationed across 100 garrisons and 10 airbases, utilising nearly 6,000 buildings. The upkeep of such a military force became increasingly unsustainable for the Soviet leadership, especially given their broader conflicts, including tensions with the United States and the war in Afghanistan.

The end of Soviet occupation

In 1986, the gradual reduction of Soviet forces began, and two years later, Mikhail Gorbachev announced the end of the Brezhnev Doctrine, signalling a major shift in Soviet foreign policy. Gorbachev’s speech indicated plans for a significant withdrawal of Soviet troops from Eastern Europe. On 10 March 1990, an official agreement was signed, stipulating that all Soviet forces would leave Hungary by 30 June 1990. The withdrawal commenced on 1 February 1990, and by 16 June, approximately 100,000 Soviet personnel, including civilians and military equipment, had left the country. On this day, the last Soviet soldier, Commander Viktor Silov, crossed the Hungarian border at 3 p.m., marking the end of an era.

Read more: What are we celebrating? – A guide to Hungary’s national days

Author: Georgina Palincsák