GERMANS IN HUNGARY

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 March 1944, Page 5

GERMANS IN HUNGARY

PREMIER REJECTS DEMANDS NEW GOVT. REPORTED LONDON, March 21. “The German invasion of Hungary followed Kallay’s rejection of the demands put to him. last week by the German Minister in Budapest, says the Berlin correspondent of the Stockholm “Svenska Dagbladets. “The demands were: Hungary to be totally mobilised, occupation troops to be sent to Jugoslavia, workers to be sent to Germany, and increased export of food materials to Germany. Kallay rejected the demands out-' right. On Thursday the German Minister told Kallay that the danger of the Russian advance necessitated the protection of Hungarian territory and, as Hungarians could not do this, German troops should occupy strategic points. It is reported that six German divisions have so far entered Hungary. n The Berlin correspondent of the Stockholm “Morgen Tidningens” says that the German troops first entered Hungary on Sunday. “A former Premier, Imredy, is reported to have turned quisling and seized power to pave the way for the Germans. The Vichy radio says that the Hungarian Parliament will meet on Wednesday. , . . . “Hungarian troops are reported to have resisted when the Germans marched in,” says the Berne correspondent of the Stockholm ’‘Svenska Dagbladets.” “Reports from Budapest say that the Germans invaded Hungary from the north." All communication from Budapest with the outside world was closed up, according to messages from neutral capitals, says Reuter’s Stockholm correspondent. “The Hungarian News Agency to-night (Monday) did not issue the usual news bulletin irom Budapest.” . , ~ The diplomatic correspondent ot “The Times” says that a shattering of the Ukrainian fronts had called for urgent measures. Hungary .must become a base for Balkan defence, Rumania in undefendable, bril, with the use of Hungarian railways, the Ruthenian hills on Hungary's northern frontier may provide some barrier. The Germans evidently believe that the Hungarian troops need stiffening. An Hungarian diplomat in Zurich says that Horthy was received at Hitler’s headquarters and presented with a series of demands, which he rejected. Two hours later all Hungary s communications were cut. The diplo-, mat said that Germany’s interference in Hungary’s domestic affairs must be regarded as a hostile action. “Hungary,” he said, “has lost her freedom of action.” He denied German reports that Hungary had agreed to collaborate more closely with Germany. Ankara reports say that the Germans have occupied the greater part of south-east Hungary. . The Moscow radio has denied reports that Hungary has been offered peace terms by the Soviet. The Berne correspondent of the “Svenska Dagbladets,” quoting Budapest reports, says that two Rumanian divisions are helping the Germans to invade Hungary, where fighting is occurring in many parts. Kallay, the Prime Minister, is reported to have been arrested during a big round-up of political and military personalities in Budapest at the week-end. A report from Stockholm says that a new Government has been formed in Hungary by the former Prime Minister (Bela Imredy). It includes the leader of the German minority in Hungary. Bela Imredy was Prime Minister from 1938 to 1939, and at the beginning of the war visited Hitler.

REGENT A PRISONER

RUGBY, March 21.

There seems no doubt that Hungary has been taken over by the Germans and placed in the position of any other occupied country. German troops had not previously been stationed there in any strength', but they are now reported to have moved in. How far this was done with the assistance of the Hungarians I hemselves is uncertain. There are reports that the Regent, Admiral Horthy, and some of his advisers were being held by Hitler while the operation was carried out with the complicity of the Hungarian pro-Fascist extremists, but this cannot be confirmed. At any rate, the telephone lines between Hungary and foreign capitals have been cut. UNOFFICIAL REPORTS.

(Rec. 11 a.m.) LONDON, March 21. While reports from neutral countries say that all strategic points and all communications in Hungary are now under German control, the Ankara radio stated the Germans also assumed control of all telephone, telegraphic and radio communications in Bulgaria. Other reports from Ankara say that South-east-ern Hungary has completely passed under German control as a military zone. It is placed under a special German military commander. The Associated Press Berne correspondent, however, says that according to most reliable direct reports from the Balkans, Hungarian troops are still fighting German and Rumanian forces near the southeastern frontier of Hungary. The Hungarian radio station, operated by the military, is broadcasting regular appeals to the troops to resist. The Budapest radio to-day broadcast only German news and still did not refer ■to the crisis. Neither Budapest, which is isolated from neutral capitals, nor Berlin,’ has yet issued any statement on the events inside Hungary. A German Foreign Office spokesman said: “No official statement can be expected about the present political situation in South-eastern Europe until certain developments aimed at strengthening the defence forces in this area have been concluded.’’

The Swiss radio, quoting a private report from Berlin, said that German foreign policy now intended to force the development of events rather than let themselves be surprised by events. A German Foreign Office spokesman, speaking of the intensification of the war effort, declared that Germany’s allies must now assume burdens equal to those borne by Germany. Zurich reports say that the Wilhelmstrasse sent a note to the Hungarian Minister at Berlin stating “military penetration of Hungary serves to demonstrate Germany’s indestructible determination to act immediately and most energetically against Axis countries which under the present military setbacks on the Eastern Front act like traitors and consider peace moves.” Germany has indirectly confinhed its assumption of control of Hungary by allowing one Swedish correspondent in Berlin to cable that a comprehensive reconstruction of the Hungarian Government, has already been made.

RUSSIAN ADVANCE EFFECTS WHY GERMANY ACTED RUGBY. March 21. Ater crossing; the Dniester the Russians are reported to be pushing ahead towards the Pruth. If this is so it is beginning to look doubtful whether the Germans can organise a stand anywhere east of the Carpathians. Their most urgent need therefore, is to stiffen both Rumania and Hungary, and galvanise them into effective resistance. The Russians are also reported to

have reached Kovel, 40 miles northwest of. Luck and 160 from Warsaw. In. the Brody neighbourhood, their advance is 50 miles from Lwow. These events have shaken the German satellites to their foundations Circumstantial reports have been received that the Germans are now garrisoning Hungary. The troops thus employed are probably not first-quality and may consist ol divisions which have been training further up the Danube in Austria. The size of the occupying force is not thought to exceed 100,000 men, who presumably are neither fullytrained nor fully-equipped. . Hungary now lies directly m tne path of the advance of the two Russian Army Groups. Marshal Zhukov s men in the Tarnopol-Brody sector are about 100 miles from that part ol the present Carpathian frontier ol Hungary which used to be the Czechoslovakia frontier before the war. General. Koniev’s forces advancing across the Dniester are some 150 miles from the crest of the Carpathians, where they form the eastern frontier of that part of the Northern Transylvania ceded to Hungary by Germany in 1940 after the fall ol France. Thus on a front of 200 miles the Russians are approaching Hungary. The speed of their advance across the Middle Bug and the Dniester inddicates that they have found a clear gap through the German forces. At this rate it may not be many days before they are across the River Pruth, also, and climbing the Carpathian foothills. There were pressing reasons, therefore, why Germany should take over Hungary and convert it into ,an operational base. A supply organisation will have to be built up behind the new front east or or on the Carpathians. Since the Russians cut the Lwow-Odessa railway the mam communications from German and Austrian munition factories to Southeast Europe have to run through Hungary even more than they did before. The Germans probably have doubts ol Hungary’s loyalty to them in the face of the growing Russian threat, and cannot afford to take risks about the security of thencommunications.

RUMANIA’S ATTITUDE Another factor probably also enters into the German, calculations. Rumania is being invaded by an enormous Russian armoured force which is advancing against little, if any, effective opposition. The German armies probably for the present are virtually split in two, one group fighting on the line Koval-Brody-Tarnopol-Proskurov-Upper Dniester and the other converging on Nikolayev, Odessa and the Lower Dniester. The Germans would presumably prefer to try to plug the gap with their own troops, but they are not believed to have any in Rumania. Their most obvious resource is to send the Rumanian garrisons from Rumania itself to meet the Russians. These may amount all told to at* much as -350,000 men. One of the chief reasons for the reluctance of the Rumanian. Government to fall in with these plans would be the fear that Hungary would seize the opportunity to occupy the remaining southern half of Translyvania, which Germany in 1940 allowed Rumania to keep. Hungary is believed to have some 300,000 men under arms. The German occupation of Hungary relieves the Rumanians of anxiety on that score. To what extent, however, at this stage in Germany’s defeat the Rumanians will be willing to go on fighting is doubtful. The presence of such an influential personage as Prince Stirbey Cairo at this juncture is an indication that they might give up the struggle if an opoortunitv presented ififelL.