A Life for Hungary - Nicholas Horthy

Admiral Nicholas Horthy was the Ruler of the Kingdom of Hungary during the interwar years and throughout most of World War II, serving from 1 March 1920 to 15 October 1944. Horthy was styled "His Serene Highness the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary." Horthy is remembered for, among other things, trying to surrender to the Russians when he realized that the war was lost. Hitler found out that Horthy through his son was negotiating a surrender to the Russians and had Horthy and his son arrested. On 15 October 1944, Horthy told his government ministers that Hungary had signed an armistice with the Soviet Union. "It is clear today that Germany has lost the war... Hungary has accordingly concluded a preliminary armistice with Russia, and will cease all hostilities against her." On that same day, 15 October 1944, after Horthy had announced the armistice in a nationwide radio address, but which most of his troops did not hear, Hitler sent commando Otto Skorzeny to Budapest with instructions to remove Horthy from power. Horthy's son was meeting with Soviet representatives to finalize the surrender when Skorzeny and his troops forced their way into the meeting and kidnapped the younger Horthy at gunpoint. However, he did not kill them. Both Horthys got out after the war was over and the father lived long enough to write these memoirs.