Zoltán Tildy | |
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Zoltán Tildy in 1946
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Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Hungary | |
In office 15 November 1945 – 1 February 1946 |
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Preceded by | Béla Miklós |
Succeeded by | Ferenc Nagy |
2nd President of Hungary | |
In office 1 February 1946 – 3 August 1948 |
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Preceded by | High National Council |
Succeeded by | Árpád Szakasits |
Personal details | |
Born |
Losonc, Kingdom of Hungary, Austria-Hungary |
18 November 1889
Died | 4 August 1961 Budapest, People's Republic of Hungary |
(aged 71)
Nationality | Hungarian |
Political party | Independent Smallholders' Party |
Spouse(s) | |
Children |
Zoltán Tildy, Jr. Erzsébet László |
Profession | Minister |
Religion | Reformed Church in Hungary |
Zoltán Tildy (Hungarian: [ˈzoltaːn ˈtildi]; 18 November 1889 – 4 August 1961), was an influential leader of Hungary, who served as Prime Minister from 1945–1946 and President from 1946 until 1948 in the post-war period before the seizure of power by Soviet-backed communists.
Zoltán Tildy was born in Losonc (Lučenec now in Slovakia), in the Austro-Hungarian Empire to the family of a Hungarian official in the local government. He took a degree in theology from the Reformed Theological Academy in Pápa, afterwards spending a year studying at Assembly's College, Belfast, in Ireland. Tildy served as an active minister of the Reformed Church beginning in 1921, and edited the daily paper of the Reformed church in Hungary, the Keresztény Család (Christian Family), as well as other periodicals. In 1929, Tildy joined the Independent Smallholders' Party (FKgP) with other noted Hungarian political figures, including Ferenc Nagy. He became executive vice-president of the organization soon afterwards.
He married Erzsébet Gyenis (1896–1985) in 1916 and had three children: Zoltán Tildy, Jr. (1917–1994), Erzsébet Tildy (1918–2012), and László Tildy (1921–1983).
Tildy was elected to the Hungarian parliament in 1933, being reelected in 1936 and 1939. He put pressure on Horthy's government to pull out of the Second World War. After Hungary was occupied by the Germans, Tildy was forced into hiding. After the Soviets liberated Hungary from the Germans, Tildy became leader of the FKgP. Tildy became Prime Minister of Hungary, serving from November 15, 1945 until February 1, 1946, when Tildy was elected President of Hungary. He was an ex officio member of the High National Council from December 7, 1945 until February 2, 1946.