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BOX-FOLDER-REPORT: 31-1-223
TITLE:             New Hungarian Ambassador to Warsaw
BY:                
DATE:              1960-5-10
COUNTRY:           Hungary
ORIGINAL SUBJECT:  Hungarian Unit
THEMATIC SUBJECTS: Hungary--1956-1965, Hungary--Foreign Relations--Poland, Personalities

--- Begin ---

RFE EVALUATION AND
ANALYSIS DEPARTMENT
Hungarian Unit

News Background

X CURT-NEW HUNGARIAN AMBASSADOR TO WARSAW F-76

Munich, May 10... Dezso Szilagyi has "been named to
replace Janos Katona as Hungary's ambassador to Poland, reported
Radio Budapest on May 9. No new assignment was announced for
Katona, who had been formerly also Hungarian ambassador to Sweden
and to Great Britain before being sent to Warsaw in May 1957.

Background of New Minister

This is the first diplomatic mission for Szilagyi, a
former worker, who according to an official biographical note
joined the "workers movement" in 1914. During Bela Kun's 
Communist dictatorship he was political commissar of the 33rd Regiment
of the Hungarian Red Army. On the 40th anniversary of the Bela
Kun dictatorship Szilagyi was awarded the "Tanacsköztarsasag
(Hungarian Soviet Republic) commemorative medal".

After Hungary's "liberation" by the Soviet Army Szilagyi
entered the armed forces. In 1960 he was a captain, and was
decorated with the Golden Medal of the Hungarian People's Republic.
In 1952 he was mentioned as a lieutenant-colonel.

Szilagyi rose to a rather prominent position in April
1957 when he became chief of the Central Committee's foreign
affairs section. He held that position until April 1960.

On 27-28 March 1958 Szilagyi was member of the Hungarian
Party delegation (led by Janos Kadar) which visited Tito and,
other Yugoslav leaders at Karagyorgyevo, the last direct contact
between the Hungarian and Yugoslav Party leaders. In May 1958 he
took part in the talks with the Polish Party and governmental
delegations which, led by Gomulka, stopped in Budapest returning
from a visit to Yugoslavia.

In December 1959 (at the Seventh Party Congress) Szilagyi
was elected -- for the first time -- a full member of the Central
Committee.

Other highlights of his career: in December 1957 he
became deputy president of the Hungarian Partisan Association,
very-likely on the basis of his earlier military exploits; in
March 1958 he received the Red Banner Order of Work, one of 
Hungary's highest awards.

[Page 2]

HUNGARIAN NEWS BACKGROUND, 10 May 1960

CURT-(1) NEW HUNGARIAN AMBASSADOR TO WARSAW F-77

New Chief of CC's Foreign Affairs Section

Imre Hollai replaces Szilagyi as the chief of the
foreign affairs section of the Central Committee. He is not a
new hand in that section. In fact, he was its deputy chief from
1955 until the 1956 October revolution. In March 1957 he entered
the diplomatic career as a counselor at the embassy and was
detailed to Hungary's permanent mission at the United Nations.
In that capacity he participated in the activity of the UNO's
Special Political Committee.

End #(14,15)???

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