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József Mindszenty

Cardinal József Mindszenty (1892-1975) was Hungarian Cardinal arrested in December 1948 by the Communist government of Hungary and accused of treason, conspiracy, and offences against the current laws. The trial opened on February 3 1949.

On February 8 1949, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for treason against the Hungarian Communist government. His confession of guilt is believed to be a result of drugs and torture.

On February 12, 1949, The Vatican (Pope Pius XII) announced the excommunication of all persons involved in the trial and conviction of Cardinal József Mindszenty.

(Born József Pehm), 29 March 1892, Csehimindszent, Austria-Hungary, died 6 May 1975 Vienna.

In 1915 he became a priest. In 1917 The first of his books, Motherhood, published. In 1919 , he was arrested under the Béla Kun government. He adopted his new name - part of his home village's name - in the 1930s. He also joined the Smallholder's Party in this period, in opposition to the Fascist Arrow Cross. 1944 Again arrested, for his opposition to the government and charged with treason. 1944 29 March Consecrated bishop of Veszprém. In April 1945 April he was released from prison. 1945 Appointed primate of Hungary and Archbishop of Esztergom (the seat of the head of the Roman Catholic Church in Hungary). He was a steadfast opponent of the Communist regime that was established in Hungary. On December 26, 1948 he was arrested again. Shortly before his being arrested he wrote a note to the effect that he had not been involved in any conspiracy, and any confession he would make would be the result of duress. On February 3, 1949, his trial was opened where he was accused of treason, conspiracy, and offences against the current laws. On February 8, 1948 Mindszenty was sentenced to life imprisonment. He had refused to permit Roman Catholic schools in Hungary to be secularised. At his trial he declared the note he had written about statements made under duress was null and void. On February 12,1948 12 Pope Pius XII excommunicated all those involved in the trial. During the Hungarian Uprising, Mindszenty was released from prison on October 30, 1956, and returned to Budapest the next day. On November 2 he praised the insurgents. On 3 November he made a radio broadcast in favour of developments. When the Soviets invaded Hungary again, on November 4,1956 Mindszenty sought Imre Nagy's advice, and he was granted political asylum in the US Embassy in Budapest. Mindszenty then rejected requests by the Vatican to leave Hungary for many years. It was only in 1971, at the entreaty of US President Richard Nixon that he moved to Vienna, where he spent his last years. In 1974 he was retired from his posts, and he also published his memoirs.




Last updated: 11-08-2004 00:35:36