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BOX-FOLDER-REPORT: 29-2-41
TITLE:             Background on the New Presidium of the Hungarian Journalists' Association
BY:                
DATE:              1956-11-22
COUNTRY:           Hungary
ORIGINAL SUBJECT:  From the Evaluation and Research Section
THEMATIC SUBJECTS: Hungary--1956 Revolution, Mass Media, Personalities

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H – B9. ON NEW TOURNALISTS GROUP

FROM THE EVALUATION AND. RESEARCH SECTION 22 NOVEMBER 1956

BACKGROUND ON THE NEW PRESIDIUM OF THE HUNGARIAN JOURNALISTS'
ASSOCIATION

(See C-6 of November 22.)

Members of the Presidium:	Geza SALY,
Denes POLGAR,
Istvan SZAVA,
Tibor PETO,
Lajor KOROLOVSZKY

Chairman of the executive
committee:	Sandor HARASZTI

Head of the secretariat
attached to the presidium:	Ferenc VADASZ

x x x

Geza SALY During and before the war was editor of Radio HJJAPEST.
Arrested by Soviet authorities immediately after the
was deported to Soviet Russia and sentenced for a long
term. Released from prison camp, he returned to Hungary
in May 1955, and known to have done various manual work.
Although nothing is known about his journalistic
activities after his return, it may be assumed that in course
of the revolution he returned to his journalistic
activities.

Denes POLGAR Was editor of Esti Budapest, the evening paper of
the BUDAPEST CP Committee. Later he became foreign
editor of Szabad Nep and was special correspondent of
this paper in Egypt from March 1956. He was twice awarded
the "Merit Medal for Socialist Work."

Istvan SZAVA Member of the Social Democratic party and editor of
Nepszava, who was arrested some time after the merger of

[page 2]

H – [1] B9. NEW TOURNALISTS

the Social Democratic and Communist parties. Freed
some time in 1956, he was elected to the provisional
direction of the Journalists' Association on October
31.

Tibor PETHO Group editor of the Magyar Nemzet, having specialized
in foreign policy. In February 1955 was awarded the
"Merit Medal of Socialist Work." As stated also in the
communique of the Journalists' Association, PETHO was
arrested some days ago and subsequently released.

Lajos KOROLOVSZKY At present group editor of the Hungarian News
Agency MTI. In early post-war years he was for some
time correspondent in LONDON. In February 1955 he was
awarded the "Merit Medal of Socialist Work."

Sandor HARASZTI Arrested sometime in 1950 and severely tortured
prison. Freed in 1954. In October of the same year
became chief editor of the weekly "Beke es Szabadsag."
Was relieved of this job in July 1955, probably because
of his staunch antagonism to RAKOSI. In 1955 he was
labelled a "rightist deviationist" and excluded from
the Party. He became a CP member again in October 1956,
as reported by the October 12 issue of Szabad Nep.
MUNICH/B Item No. 9732/56 reported that he was expected
to become chairman of the Journalists' Association,
replacing Erno MIHAIYPPY. On October 29 he signed the
letter of the Revolutionary Committee of Hungarian
Intellectuals to the Hungarian people. On October 31, he
became member of the provisional direction of the
Journalists' Association and on November 2 editor of the new
daily Nepszabadsag.

Ferenc VADASZ Secretary of the Hungarian Journalists' Association
for many years. Known to be a staunch Communist who
faithfully served the all-time Party line.

End.

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