Zoltán Szabó de Kisjolsva (18 July 1858 – 3 November 1934) was a Hungarian politician and military officer, who served as

Minister of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divid ...

in the counter-revolutionary government against the

Hungarian Soviet Republic The Hungarian Soviet Republic, also known as the Socialist Federative Soviet Republic of Hungary was a short-lived communist state that existed from 21 March 1919 to 1 August 1919 (133 days), succeeding the First Hungarian Republic. The Hungari ...

Career

Szabó attended

Theresian Military Academy The Theresian Military Academy (, TherMilAk) is a military academy in Austria, where the Austrian Armed Forces train their officers. Founded in 1751, the academy is located in the castle of Wiener Neustadt in Lower Austria. History The Th ...

since 1875 finished his military studies on 24 April 1879. He participated in the

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

as commander of several infantry units. He was promoted to major-general and appointed commander of the 216th Infantry Brigade of the

Royal Hungarian Honvéd The Royal Hungarian () or Royal Hungarian (), commonly known as the (; Mass noun, collectively, the ), was one of the four Austro-Hungarian Army, armed forces ( or ) of Austria-Hungary from 1867 to 1918, along with the Imperial-Royal Landw ...

, one of the armed forces of

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...

, on 18 May 1918. His infantry stationed near Slatina,

Caracal The caracal (''Caracal caracal'') () is a medium-sized Felidae, wild cat native to Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and arid areas of Pakistan and northwestern India. It is characterised by a robust build, long legs, a short face, long ...

and

Corabia Corabia () is a small Danube port located in Olt County, Oltenia, Romania, which used to be part of the now-dissolved Romanați County before World War II. Across the Danube from Corabia lies the Bulgarian village of Gigen. History Beneath Co ...

Oltenia Oltenia (), also called Lesser Wallachia in antiquated versions – with the alternative Latin names , , and between 1718 and 1739 – is a historical province and geographical region of Romania in western Wallachia. It is situated between the Da ...

, Southern Romania as part of the Austro-Hungarian and German occupation force after August 1918. A month later, the infantry had been withdrawn into Eastern Transylvania. After the

Aster Revolution The Aster Revolution or Chrysanthemum Revolution () was a revolution in Hungary led by Count Mihály Károlyi in the aftermath of World War I. It resulted in the foundation of the short-lived First Hungarian People's Republic. The revolution ...

on 31 October 1918, newly installed prime minister

Mihály Károlyi Count Mihály Ádám György Miklós Károlyi de Nagykároly (; ; or in short simple form: Michael Károlyi; 4 March 1875 – 19 March 1955) was a Hungarian politician who served as a leader of the short-lived and unrecognized First Hungarian Re ...

appointed Zoltán Szabó as military commander of Transylvania. Following the establishment of the

, Szabó, as Minister of Defence, became a member of the counter-revolutionary government in Arad led by Prime Minister

Gyula Károlyi Gyula Count Károlyi de Nagykároly in English: Julius Károlyi (7 May 1871 – 23 April 1947) was a conservative Hungarian politician who served as Prime Minister of Hungary from 1931 to 1932. He had previously been prime minister of the coun ...

. When the rival government moved to

Szeged Szeged ( , ; see also #Etymology, other alternative names) is List of cities and towns of Hungary#Largest cities in Hungary, the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county seat ...

on 30 May 1919, the Romanian authorities intercepted Szabó, who was unable to join the fellow ministers. Szabó was replaced by

Miklós Horthy Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya (18 June 1868 – 9 February 1957) was a Hungarian admiral and statesman who was the Regent of Hungary, regent of the Kingdom of Hungary (1920–1946), Kingdom of Hungary Hungary between the World Wars, during the ...

on 6 June 1919. Szabó was interned to

Craiova Craiova (, also , ) is the largest city in southwestern Romania, List of Romanian cities, the seventh largest city in the country and the capital of Dolj County, situated near the east bank of the river Jiu River, Jiu in central Oltenia. It i ...

by the Romanian army leadership. Following the Hungarian-Romanian War of 1919, Szabó stayed in Romania. Later he became Chairman of the Board of the Central Savings Bank of Arad.

Family

Zoltán Szabó married Hajnalka Tagányi, a daughter of Baron Sándor Tagányi, a Member of Parliament. During their wedding, Baron Tagányi donated Pálosbaracka estate to her daughter as a wedding gift.Forster 2012–05
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References

Sources

* Rubicon 2010/06 * Három évtized története életrajzokban. Szerk. Gellért Imre és Madarász Elemér. Bp., Európa Irodalmi és Nyomdai Rt.,

932 Year 932 (Roman numerals, CMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Alberic II of Spoleto, Alberic II leads an uprising at Rome against his stepfather Hugh of Italy, Hu ...

* Magyar politikai lexikon. Szerk. Madarász Elemér. Bp., Magyar Politikai Lexikon Kiadóvállalat, 1935. * Új magyar életrajzi lexikon. Főszerk. Markó László. Bp., Magyar Könyvklub {{DEFAULTSORT:Szabo, Zoltan 1858 births 1934 deaths Ministers of defence of Hungary Hungarian people of the Hungarian–Romanian War Hungarian prisoners of war Prisoners of war held by Romania Hungarian–Romanian War prisoners of war People from Kobilje People from Austria-Hungary