Imre Nagy first became Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Hungarian People's Republic (Prime Minister of Hungary) on 4 July 1953 upon the resignation of Mátyás Rákosi, forming a government more moderate than that of his predecessor which attempted to reform the system.“Crisis and a Search for Solutions.” Hungary 1953-1963, Lesson 1. The Institute for the History of the 1956 Revolution, . However, Rákosi remained First Secretary of the ruling Hungarian Working People's Party, and he was ultimately able to use his influence to force Nagy out of office in April 1955.
After the outbreak of the Hungarian Revolution on 23 October 1956, Nagy was reinstated as prime minister the next day as a result of intense popular demand. As the Revolution progressed his government made moves towards a multi-party system, admitting non-Communist politicians to power and reforming the ruling Hungarian Working People's Party into the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party.“Revolution and Struggle for Liberation.” Hungary 1953-1963, Lesson 2. The Institute for the History of the 1956 Revolution, . On 3 November Nagy formed a third government with a Communist minority including all the members of the post-war coalition parties: the Independent Smallholders' Party, the Social Democratic Party, and Petőfi Party.“The Days of Freedom.” Hungary 1953-1963, Lesson 3. The Institute for the History of the 1956 Revolution, .
However, the very next day the Soviet Union launched a massive military invasion of Hungary, deposing Nagy and installing a new Communist government under János Kádár. Nagy and his cabinet were granted asylum in the Yugoslav Embassy in Budapest, where they refused to resign and recognize the new regime. Kádár would not arrive in Budapest until 7 November and his government would not be confirmed until 12 November, and a standoff ensued.“Occupation and Resistance.” Hungary 1953-1963, Lesson 4. The Institute for the History of the 1956 Revolution, . Nagy and his group were finally convinced to leave the Embassy on 22 November under a promise of safe conduct from Kádár, but they were promptly arrested upon leaving the building. Nagy would be executed after a show trial on the order of Kádár in June 1958, and would not be rehabilitated until the end of Communism in Hungary in 1989.
First government (1953–1955)
Government of Hungary (4 July 1953 – 18 April 1955)PositionPersonParty Took office Left officePrime MinisterImre NagyMDP4 July 195318 April 1955Deputy Prime MinisterErnő GerőMDP←→András HegedüsMDP4 July 195318 April 1955Antal ApróMDP4 July 195318 November 1953István HidasMDP30 October 1954→Foreign MinisterJános BoldóczkiMDP4 July 1953→Interior MinisterErnő GerőMDP4 July 19536 July 1954László PirosMDP6 July 1954→Defense MinisterIstván BataMDP4 July 1953→Justice MinisterFerenc ErdeiNone4 July 195330 October 1954Erik MolnárMDP30 October 1954→Minister of State FarmsGyörgy PogácsásMDP30 October 1954→Minister of CollectionJózsef TiszaMDP←6 July 1954András SzobekMDP6 July 1954→Minister of TradeJózsef BognárNone4 July 1953→ Minister of HealthSándor ZsoldosMDP←1 February 1955József RománMDP19 February 1955→ Agriculture MinisterAndrás HegedüsMDP4 July 195330 October 1954Ferenc ErdeiNone30 October 1954→Finance MinisterKároly OltMDP←→Culture MinisterJózsef DarvasNone4 July 1953→Education MinisterTibor Erdey-GrúzMDP4 July 1953→Minister of ConstructionLajos SzijártóMDP←→Minister of FoodIván AltomáréMDP←→Minister of Metallurgy and MachineryMihály ZsofinyeczMDP←9 October 1954János CsergőMDP9 October 1954→Minister of Light IndustryÁrpád KissMDP←30 October 1954Béla SzalaiMDP30 October 1954→Minister of TransportLajos BebritsMDP←→Minister of Foreign TradeLászló HáyMDP6 July 1954→Minister of Heavy IndustryIstván HidasMDP9 October 1954→Minister of Coal MiningSándor CzottnerMDP9 October 1954→Minister of Urban and Village ManagementJános SzabóMDP29 January 1954→Chemical and Energy MinisterIstván HidasMDP9 October 195430 October 1954Árpád KissMDP30 October 1954→Director of the National Planning OfficeBéla SzalaiMDP←30 October 1954Andor BereiMDP30 October 1954→
Second government (24 October–3 November 1956)
Government of Hungary (24 October – 3 November 1956)PositionPersonParty Took office Left officePrime MinisterImre NagyMDP/MSZMP24 October 19563 November 1956Deputy Prime MinisterAndrás HegedüsMDP24 October 195627 October 1956Antal ApróMDP←3 November 1956István HidasMDP←27 October 1956Ferenc ErdeiNone←3 November 1956György MarosánMDP←27 October 1956József MekisMDP←27 October 1956József BognárNone27 October 19563 November 1956Minister of StateZoltán TildyFKGP27 October 1956→Géza LosonczyMDP/MSZMP30 October 1956→János KádárMSZMP30 October 1956→Foreign MinisterImre HorváthMDP/MSZMP←2 November 1956Imre NagyMSZMP2 November 1956→Interior MinisterLászló PirosMDP←27 October 1956Ferenc MünnichMDP/MSZMP27 October 19563 November 1956Defense MinisterIstván BataMDP←27 October 1956Károly JanzaMDP/MSZMP27 October 19563 November 1956Justice MinisterErik MolnárMDP←3 November 1956Minister of State FarmsGyörgy PogácsásMDP←27 October 1956Miklós RibiánszkyMDP/MSZMP27 October 19563 November 1956Minister of CollectionAndrás SzobekMDP/MSZMP←3 November 1956Minister of TradeJózsef BognárNone←3 November 1956Agriculture MinisterJános MatolcsiMDP←27 October 1956Béla KovácsFKGP27 October 1956→Finance MinisterIstván KossaMDP/MSZMP←3 November 1956Minister of Internal TradeJános TauszMDP/MSZMP←3 November 1956 Minister of HealthJózsef RománMDP/MSZMP←27 October 1956Antal BabicsMDP/MSZMP27 October 19563 November 1956 Culture MinisterJózsef DarvasNone←27 October 1956György LukácsMDP/MSZMP27 October 19563 November 1956Education MinisterAlbert KónyaMDP←3 November 1956Minister of ConstructionLajos SzijártóMDP←27 October 1956Minister of FoodRezső NyersMDP/MSZMP←3 November 1956Minister of Metallurgy and MachineryJános CsergőMDP←3 November 1956Minister of Light IndustryJolán SarkaMDP←3 November 1956Minister of TransportLajos BebritsMDP←29 October 1956György CsánadiMDP/MSZMP29 October 19563 November 1956Minister of Foreign TradeJózsef BognárNone←3 November 1956Minister of Mines and EnergySándor CzottnerMDP←31 October 1956Minister of Urban and Village ManagementJános SzabóMDP← 27 October 1956Ferenc NezválMDP/MSZMP27 October 19563 November 1956 Chemical and Energy MinisterGergely SzabóMDP/MSZMP← 3 November 1956 Director of the National Planning OfficeAndor BereiMDP←27 October 1956 Árpád KissMDP/MSZMP27 October 19563 November 1956
Third government (3–4/12 November 1956)
Government of Hungary (3 November 1956 – 4/12 November 1956)PositionPersonPartyPrime MinisterImre NagyMSZMPForeign MinisterDefense MinisterPál MaléterMSZMPMinister of StateZoltán TildyFKGPBéla KovácsFKGPIstván B. SzabóFKGPAnna KéthlyMSZDPGyula KelemenMSZDPJózsef FischerMSZDPIstván BibóPPFerenc FarkasPPGéza LosonczyMSZMPJános KádárMSZMP
References