Gábor Péter

Gábor Péter (born Benjámin Eisenberger; 14 May 1906 in Újfehértó – 23 January 1993 in Budapest) was a Hungarian communist politician. Between 1945 and 1952 he was chief of the State Protection Authority (Államvédelmi Hatóság, ÁVH), and as such responsible for much brutality and many political purges.

Gábor Péter in 1949

The native form of this personal name is Péter Gábor. This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.

Early life

Péter was born Benjamin Eisenberger to Péter Eisenberger, a Jewish tailor, and Róza Meczner, in Újfehértó, Hungary. Originally employed as a tailor, he took part in the labour movement from the early 1920s, and joined the Hungarian Communist Party in 1931. During the 1930s, Péter was active in the Hungarian section of the International Red Aid and as a trade union organizer.^[1] At this time he was also a lover of Litzi Friedmann, the future first wife of Kim Philby, a member of the Cambridge Five.^[2]

Career

In January 1945, Péter was appointed as leader of the Budapest Department of the State Political Police (PRO), the Hungarian secret police. Péter's career rose quickly; he became chief of the Hungarian State Police State Defense Department (ÁVO) and its successor, the State Protection Authority (ÁVH).^[3]

In 1952, coinciding with the height of the anti-cosmopolitan campaign in the Soviet Union, he was discharged from his position.^[3] Later he was arrested in Mátyás Rákosi's villa. According to historian Tibor Zinner, Gábor Péter was present on an official visit when, unexpectedly, a handcuff clicked on his hand put back. After that Mihály Farkas stepped forward from behind the curtain and said: "the game is over". Gábor Péter's wife, Jolán Simon, who served as Rákosi's secretary, was also arrested.^{[citation needed]}

In 1954, a court martial sentenced him to life imprisonment. He was accused of being a Zionist spy and cooperating with László Rajk, Rudolf Slánský and other "agents of international Zionism". In 1957, his term of imprisonment was reduced to 14 years, and in 1959 he was released under an individual amnesty. He later worked as a librarian.^[3]

Death

On 23 January 1993, at the age of 86, Péter died of natural causes in a Budapest hospital. He was nearly blind. He was survived by his wife, Jolán Simon.^[3]

Honours and awards

National honours

• Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic (1949)^[4]

Foreign honours

• Grand Officer of the Order of the White Lion (1949)^[5]

References

1. "Gábor Péter, ( 1906–1993)". 1956 Institute – Oral History Archive. 3 December 2003. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
2. Volodarsky, Boris (2014). Stalin's Agent: The Life and Death of Alexander Orlov. London: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-965658-5.
3. "Gabor Peter, 86, Dies; Led Hungarian Police". The New York Times. 12 April 1993. Archived from the original on 14 February 2018. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
4. Pallos, Lajos (2023). "A Magyar Köztársasági Érdemrend és Érdemérem, 1946–1949" (PDF). Turul. 96 (3): 115. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
5. "Československý řád Bílého lva 1923–1990" (PDF). Archiv Kanceláře prezidenta republiky. Retrieved 20 October 2024.

Sources

• Gábor Péter's birth entry Újfehértó births, No. 1906/173.
• Müller, Rolf (2017). Az erőszak neve: Péter Gábor [The Name of Violence: Gábor Péter] (in Hungarian). Jaffa Kiadó. ISBN 978-615-5715-72-3.

Political offices
Preceded by office established	Head of State Protection Authority 1945–1952	Succeeded by László Piros