In The Last Days of Budapest: The Destruction of Europe’s Most Cosmopolitan Capital in World War II, author Adam LeBor offers a powerful and deeply researched account of Hungary’s descent into chaos during the war Focusing on Budapest from 1940 to 1945, LeBor begins with the city’s period of deceptive calm before chronicling its tragic descent into anarchy, murder, and brutal fighting during 1944 and early 1945.
The book explores how Hungary, initially a reluctant ally of Nazi Germany, slowly surrendered to growing antisemitism and authoritarianism. LeBor pays special attention to Regent Miklos Horthy, who resisted deporting Hungary’s Jews for a time, but ultimately lost control when German troops invaded in March 1944. Hungary was absorbed gradually into Germany’s political orbit because of Germany’s promises of restoring lost territory in the aftermath of World War I but also due to its own antisemitic undercurrent in politics with a series of laws limiting Jewish representation in a number of professions. Horthy’s ambivalence and dithering as a leader is one of the key takeaways from this book, as LeBor points out there were numerous opportunities for Horthy to cut deals to switch sides in World War II or to remain neutral before being pulled into the war during 1940.
LeBor details both acts of courage, like those of diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, and horrifying cruelty, especially during the reign of the Arrow Cross militia, which deposed Horthy in October 1944. These fanatical fascists unleashed brutal violence, executing Jews on the banks of the Danube and terrorizing the city during the siege of 1944-45.
At just over 500 pages, The Last Days of Budapest is a gripping and sobering read. It’s essential reading for anyone interested in how quickly a country can descend into lawlessness and anarchy and in the human cost of indifference and extremism.
MY RATING: 4.5
