November 28, 1956
ADMIRAL HORTHY: London, 28 – An elderly man has been sitting by the radio, day and night over the past month listening anxiously to the news from Hungary. He is Admiral Miklos Horthy de Nagybanya, the former regent of Hungary whom Radio Moscow and the regime of Janos Kadar in Budapest has accused of instigating the revolution. (Ed note: Horthy [1868-1957] was an officer in the Austro-Hungarian navy and became regent of Hungary in 1919. He allied himself with Hitler and invaded Yugoslavia in 1941. The next year, he began secret contacts with the Allies but was arrested in 1944 by the Germans.) Friends of the elderly admiral are convinced that he cannot be connected in any way imaginable with events in Budapest. Horthy will not agree to any interviews with the press, as he fears any statements he may make will only pour oil on the Communist flames. Well-informed Western sources also say these charges are ridiculous and that Horthy is «devastated» at the bloodbath in Hungary although not surprised at the barbarous way in which Russia put down the uprising. (Ed. note: Horthy died about 10 weeks later.) He and his wife Magda now live modestly in the town of Estoril, Portugal.
