HUNGARIAN PEOPLE'S ARMY SUBJECTED TO PERSONNEL CUT IN THE FALL OF 1953

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A005500210002-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 26, 2010
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: November 8, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/26: CIA-RDP80-00810A005500210002-9
t JIRg$i~tCA1'lji C~CG TL L
REPORT
Hungarian People's Army Su tad to Personnel Cut in
TOPIC
tho ha11 of 1953..
50X1-HUM
DATE dF CO
GATE PREPARED 8 Povember 1954
GATE OBTAINED
`REFERENCES
1 1
PAGES 2 ENCLOSURES (NO. & TYPE-
REMARKS
1. In 'lay 1953, a meeting which involved all commanding officers 50X1-HUM
subordinate to the army artillery command down to regiment44l
and independent battalion com:rcnders, consequently also the
commander of the let.Obsn ?n, was.held at the army artillery
command in Budapest. After his return to the summer camp west
of ilia ykoero'es, the battalion commander told the headquarters
personnel
(that it was planned to activate the Second
Army in t e fall of 1953. Some units of the new army would be
formed of cadres to be provided by the First army, while other
units would be newly activated. The activation of the Second
Army would involve such a great demand for officers that it
could not be covered even with the officers leaving the officer
schools in the fp11 of 1953. Consequently, special stress should
be laid especially on the training of the young officers in an
effort to render them qualified to fill the places of unit
comranders although they would not be old enough for this kind
of appointment. The subject of the comranders' meeting in Budapest
was kept secret ft= all other officers of the battalion.'
In AuEust1953, another com?r'anders' meeting was held at the army
artillery coin-and in Budapest. The subject of this meeting was no
lon_'er the activation of the Second Army, but a personnel out wl'ich
was to be effected in the Hungarian People's Army. The points discussed
at the meeting were disclosed at an officers' meeting of the let
Obsn Bn, but no reason for the army personnel out was 3iven. It was
announced th't, as far as artillery was concerned, the cut would be
effected not by the disbanding of regiments, but by reduction of the
number of battalions and the authorized strenth of the units.
Due to the reduction of the number of the battalions in October 1953,
about 70 o"icers of the 30th Arty Div or about 10 pe 'cent of actual
strength were discharged. On the basis of an understanding, a minor
portion of thesc officers was tr?nsferred to the staff of the
7inistry of the Interior (constabulary). Others of the officers
discharged :sere pensioned; they received their full salary for the
month following the date of discharge and reimbursement or the
CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/26: CIA-RDP80-00810A005500210002-9
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005500210002-9
Costs of A.16vinC. '.lost of the dischar:?ees ...ere tr-nsferred to
tt reserve officer corps and reo.Gived their full sal:r.rv for
t 'oe_r;onths -fter the date of their discharce and reimbursement
for the costs of their movins?.
4? in all orc'ers cDncern;ng the arry personnel cut, reference vas
m ,-de to the so-ca' 'ed strength recuction (?i-
nevarian: letsza
,. e..oek-
~-ertes.) .
5? Dur'n e visit to CeEl(d (0 X9.'0 0$), Lieutenant ihal.y Feket9,
formerly de-i?ty battery cem ander of the sound rang?ing battery,
who ?Tas reassi'-ned to an infontry reL-Trent in ieszthel.-.,r (Y 41V 4C)
as deruty com?'anvr c'-rm, 'ander for political aff ir?s in the fall of
1057. said that he iivau?d 7et rnother arrointment :n t'-is irf,~',trv
rer-'mer,t becn:use the glace of the deruty corrany co.-!.'an Cr for
p' i.tic-1 of"-irs h-d been abol i shed.2
ICo"--?ent. I1 First 'Army is rentioned for the First time.
:xcent for nflit-ry :rca he. d,u-;"tens, onl,,:i corns he,.d-u rtfrs
were re,i larly determined as top co:.;' ^rd enc,,ies suhordin'te
to the r,iri, try which i.nc'uded the :eneral stn
ICor? ent. The nrnnr personnel cut in the fall of 10-,r7
h-S
been ientionc?d in ? previous ' report
C0 7l.i -
1,17 T.I
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005500210002-9