Hilter’s Plan to Assassinate Governor Miklós Horthy’s Grandson
István (Sharif) Horthy Jr., the grandson of Governor Miklós Horthy, has recently made headlines by donating the family’s private archives to the National Archives of Hungary. This donation includes 7,500 documents and 35 thousand pages spanning from 1863 to 2013, allowing historians to conduct valuable research into this important period of Hungarian history.
In a recent interview with 24.hu, 83-year-old Stephen Horthy shared his memories of growing up as the grandson of Miklós Horthy. He recalled being taken away by the Gestapo at the age of 3 in 1944 and his special relationship with his grandfather, describing it as more of a familial bond than a political one.
Horthy Jr. also revealed some surprising details about his family’s experiences during World War II. He mentioned that Himmler had wanted to execute them, and that his mother had believed for years that his father, István Horthy, had been murdered by the Germans at the Eastern Front.
Despite his fears about returning to Hungary and the belief that his family was hated, Horthy Jr. and his family had a positive experience when they visited the Hungarian embassy in Jakarta. This visit ultimately led to a change in perspective, and they resolved to move to the United Kingdom.
Interestingly, Horthy Jr. shared that neither of his children speaks Hungarian, as he once believed they would never be able to return to Hungary. He himself pursued a career as a physicist before becoming an architect and following the spiritual teachings of Subud, a multi-faith group with roots in Sufi Islam. This adoption of spiritual beliefs is also reflected in his name “Sharif.”
Regarding the possibility of a Horthy dynasty ruling Hungary, Horthy Jr. emphasized that his grandfather never desired to become a king or to establish a monarchy. Instead, Governor Miklós Horthy valued his family’s privacy and did not aspire to create a ruling dynasty in Hungary.
Overall, István (Sharif) Horthy Jr.’s donation of the family’s private archives provides an invaluable resource for historians and researchers, shedding light on a crucial period in Hungarian history. Additionally, his personal reflections offer a unique perspective on the experiences of his family during World War II and beyond.
