Béla Linder

Béla Linder
Béla Linder in 1918
Born	10 February 1876 (1876-02-10) Majs, Kingdom of Hungary
Died	15 April 1962 (1962-04-16) (aged 86) Belgrade, SFR Yugoslavia
Allegiance	Austria-Hungary Hungarian Democratic Republic Hungarian Soviet Republic Serbian-Hungarian Baranya-Baja Republic
Battles/wars	World War I

Béla Linder (Majs, 10 February 1876 – Belgrade, 15 April 1962), Hungarian colonel of artillery, Secretary of War of Mihály Károlyi government, minister without portfolio of Dénes Berinkey government, military attaché of Hungarian Soviet Republic based in Vienna, finally the mayor of Pécs during the period of Serb occupation.

The father of Béla Linder was of Jewish origin, and was "part of the inner circle of Franz Ferdinand, and when the heir to the throne was assassinated, Linder was (…) kicked out of the military leadership staff". Presumably after this incident he was actively looking for contact with people who were seeking change.

In 1918, during the so-called "Aster Revolution" his career suddenly rocketed from colonel status to Secretary of War on 31 October 1918. He swore to the government of Mihály Károlyi in front of the Hungarian Parliament on 2 November 1918.

During the swearing-in ceremony (wearing a red tie) he spoke the infamous words: "[T]raditions of a thousand years and slavery of a thousand years had to be demolished. Five years of war were needed, thousands and thousands of deaths were needed so that a new victorious life could emerge from it. This new victorious life is born under pacifism. (…) No need for armies anymore! I do not want to see any soldiers anymore! (…) Make an oath that you will bring up your children in such a way that the possibility of war is shut out!"