English Translation

14 21.11.1944 Report on the current situation in Hungary. The reporter was in Budapest from 8.ll. to 17.4ll.44, in order to arrange for the necessary measures to be taken by the situation on behalf of the Director General of the Association for Chemical and Metallurgical Products in the companies belonging to the group on the periphery of Budapest. The military situation In the first days of November, the Russians managed to advance from the south to the capital and temporarily invade the southern and south-eastern suburbs, smaller tank units crossed the tank pit and suddenly stood in the suburbs of Kispést. However, the German tank troops and an Ss cavalry brigade managed to throw the Russians and push them back over the armory pit in several days of heavy fighting. On the Vécses-Soroksar line there were changing battles, during which the German units managed to master the situation in the south of Budapest and stabilize the line. The Russian advance, however, had very far-reaching psychological repercussions on Hungary, the sudden and immediate threat of the capital led to paralysis and the failure of all administrative authorities, and the general confusion resulting from this and the enormous influx of refugees had an impact on all areas. A widespread failure of the Honved is repeatedly noted by all German military bodies. Cases of warless retreating also of closed units accumulate. As the cause of this failure of Honved came to be assumed: l./ The effects of the proclamation of Horthy, in which the Kempf had been presented as hopeless and senseless. 2./ The failure of the military leadership to include also dey lower officer corps. 3./ The rapid advance of the Russians and the resulting surrender of further parts of the country.