Kun, Béla (1886-1938)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1939 Aug 9 p. 1

Birth date: 1886

BELA KUN, INTERNATIONAL CONSPIRATOR, REPORTED DEAD

A report that Bela Kun, leader of a shortlived Communist revolution in Hungary, has died in a Moscow prison was published by the Warsaw newspaper Illustrowany Kurker Doczinny. The report said that Bela Kun was "presumably shot."

A former lawyer and insurance salesman, Bela Kun, then 32, led a Communist uprising in Hungary in 1919. For four months he ruled as virtual dictator, then gave way when Hungary revolted against him.

Bela Kun fled to Vienna, where he was interned in an insane asylum. he escaped and took refuge in Soviet Russia, and soon after became a foreign agent for the Third International, later turning up in Italy, Germany, Poland and Portugal.

Two years ago Bela Kun was arrested and reports immediately circulated that he had been executed. This report apparently was erroneous, for Bela Kun was heard of at subsequent internals.