Matyas Rakosi

Mátyás Rákosi (9 March 1892 – 5 February 1971) was a Hungarian communist politician. He was born Mátyás Rosenfeld in Ada (in present-day Serbia). He was the leader of Hungary's Communist Party from 1945 to 1956 — first as General Secretary of the Hungarian Communist Party (1945–1948) and later holding the same post with the Hungarian Working People's Party (1948–1956). As such, from 1949 to 1956, he was the de facto ruler of Communist Hungary. His rule was aligned with Soviet politics during Joseph Stalin's rule. He was removed from power in 1956 under pressure from Stalin's successor, Nikita Khrushchev.

Matyas Rakosi in The Hot War
Matyas Rakosi was Hungary's de facto leader during World War III, contributing troops to the Soviet invasion of West Germany.

During a battle in May, 1951, Jewish-Hungarian soldier Isztvan Szolovits reflected on his own lack of faith, and remembered Rakosi was himself raised Jewish, although Rakosi no longer practiced his faith in accordance with communist doctrine, and Szolovits had no doubts that Rakosi would pursue his fellow Jews if the Soviets commanded it.