Gyula Gömbös

Gyula Gombos was one of the numerous nationalist, far-right rulers who came to power in Europe during the interwar years, albeit his influence on the continent's politics would be little. It was the stock market crash of 1929 and the ensuing Great Depression that brought his extreme right-wing, nationalist, and pro-corporate politics to the fore. He first came to prominence for his ability to organize paramilitary, anti-communist groups in the immediate aftermath of World War One, as they played a significant role in the fall of the short-lived communist government of 1919.

In order to help Hungary out of its economic crisis, Gombos, who had just been elected prime minister, tried to instantly link the nation with other totalitarian countries of the era, such as Italy and Austria. He was well-known for his anti-Semitic and racist ideas and may be held responsible for the rise of fascism in Hungary at the time, but the liberal opposition to his policies inside the nation was too strong.

However, by 1934, the worst of the nation's economic crisis had passed, and his extreme, authoritarian brand of politics was no longer as well-liked as it had been when he had first been elected. He would pass away in office in 1936 from kidney failure without implementing any of his long-term plans.

Born: 26 December 1886, Murga, Austria-Hungary
Died: 6 October 1936 (aged 49), Munich, Germany