Talking to the Enemy: British–Hungarian Secret Peace Negotiations in 1942–1943

This study examines the early phase of British-Hungarian secret peace negotiations between August 1942 and January 1943. It reveals the emergence of an Anglophile group within the Hungarian elite seeking a political settlement with the Western Allies. Using previously unresearched SOE and Foreign Office documents, the article challenges the notion of a uniformly pro-German Hungarian leadership. It demonstrates that Anglophile actors, led by Antal Ullein-Reviczky, orchestrated multiple clandestine missions in hopes of securing Hungary’s post-war position. The British response was shaped by conflicting strategic priorities, Czechoslovak and Soviet sensitivities, and scepticism toward Hungarian motives. The Szent-Györgyi mission of early 1943, long seen as an opposition initiative, is shown to have deep government involvement. British departments were divided: the SOE sought tactical cooperation, while the Foreign Office maintained a cautious, restrictive line. Hungarian proposals faltered due to unrealistic expectations, internal divisions, and fear of German retaliation. Though no agreements were reached, these early overtures influenced later Allied debates on dealing with Axis satellites. Ultimately, the study reframes Hungary’s wartime diplomacy as more diverse, conflicted, and consequential than previously understood.