1. Overview
Gyula István Cseszneky de Milvány et Csesznek (1914-1970) was a Hungarian aristocrat, poet, translator, politician, and cavalry officer known for his complex roles during World War II. He served as a reserve officer in the Hungarian reannexation of Northern Transylvania and later as aide-de-camp to King Tomislav II of the Independent State of Croatia. Despite his involvement with Axis-aligned states, Cseszneky was a staunch opponent of Nazism and antisemitism, actively participating in anti-Nazi conspiracies and significant humanitarian efforts to rescue Jews in Croatia and Hungary. He also held nominal titles as Grand Voivode of Macedonia and Prince Julius I of the Pindos Principality and the Principality of Macedonia. His life reflects a commitment to human rights, particularly in his efforts to protect vulnerable populations during a period of immense conflict and persecution. After the war, he was forced into exile, eventually settling in Brazil.
2. Early Life and Background
Gyula Cseszneky's early life was marked by his aristocratic lineage, family challenges, and a formative education that deeply influenced his future endeavors in military service, politics, and cultural pursuits.
2.1. Family and Aristocratic Background
Gyula István Cseszneky de Milvány et Csesznek (vitéz cseszneki és milványi gróf Cseszneky Gyula Istvánvitez ches-ne-kee esh meel-vah-nyee grohf ches-ne-kee gyoo-lah eesh-tvahnHungarian), born in Nagymajor, was a member and head of the prestigious Hungarian House of Cseszneky. He held the titles of Count Cseszneky and Baron Milvány. His father was an inventor and an impoverished aristocrat, while his mother was the sole daughter and heir of a wealthy grain merchant with extensive commercial links across Austria-Hungary and the Balkans. Following World War I, the family faced significant financial hardship as most of their properties were confiscated by the Serbian government. Their difficulties were further exacerbated by his father's sudden death.
2.2. Education and Early Influences
Despite their financial struggles, Gyula Cseszneky excelled academically, developing a strong interest in literature and poetry. Initially, his family encouraged him to pursue a career as a Roman Catholic priest. However, he soon changed his aspirations and, with the support of a grant from the Boncompagni family (specifically Baldassarre Boncompagni), he enrolled in a military school in Italy. During his time in Italy, he was introduced to the country's cultural elite and high society by an old family friend, Senator Count Enrico San Martino di Valperga. Cseszneky became deeply fascinated by Italian language and culture, translating several poems by the influential Italian poet Gabriele D'Annunzio into his native Hungarian. His admiration for D'Annunzio, particularly the poet's Regency of Carnaro in Fiume, is believed to have significantly influenced Cseszneky's later adventurous endeavors in the Balkans.
3. World War II Activities
During World War II, Count Cseszneky engaged in diverse activities, ranging from military service in Hungary and political roles in the Independent State of Croatia to controversial involvement in Balkan statelets, all while maintaining an anti-Nazi stance and undertaking significant humanitarian efforts.
3.1. Service in Hungary
In 1940, following the Second Vienna Award, Gyula Cseszneky, serving as a reserve officer in the Hungarian army, participated in the reannexation and reintegration of Northern Transylvania. For his demonstrated bravery during this campaign, Miklós Horthy, the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary, bestowed upon him the prestigious title of Vitéz and awarded him the Commemorative Medal for the Liberation of Transylvania and the Medal For Bravery.
3.2. Role in the Independent State of Croatia
In 1941, following the collapse of Yugoslavia, the Independent State of Croatia was established. After negotiations between Italy and the new state's representatives, Victor Emmanuel III, the King of Italy's nephew, Aimone, Duke of Spoleto, was elected King of Croatia under the regnal name Tomislav II. Gyula Cseszneky, who was fluent in Croatian, Italian, German, and Hungarian, and had previously met Prince Aimone during his years in Rome, was appointed as aide-de-camp and privy counsellor to the new monarch. Furthermore, King Tomislav II bestowed upon him the title of Count of Bakony. Despite his confirmed titles of nobility, King Tomislav II never actually occupied his throne in Zagreb. Deeply disillusioned by the brutality of the Ustasha regime, Count Cseszneky ultimately left their service.
3.3. Involvement in Balkan Statelets
In August 1941, Count Gyula István Cseszneky de Milvány et Csesznek was proclaimed Grand Voivode or Duke of Macedonia. His family had historical ties, holding feudal lordships in medieval Macedonia, and he maintained strong connections with anti-fascist Italian authorities. With the support of local Macedonian autonomists, he established a Macedonian statelet in Southwest Macedonia. However, the legitimacy of this title remains controversial.
In 1943, leveraging his influential Italian friends and Balkan family connections, Count Cseszneky was declared Prince Julius I of the Pindos Principality and Moglena, also serving as its Regent. This statelet was formed in the Pindus Mountains region by Italian collaborators, notably Alcibiade Diamandi, who had previously controlled the area as Alcibiades I. Prince Julius was largely a nominal ruler, holding no actual power. His involvement was reportedly aimed at securing an autonomous region for Aromanians and Megleno-Romanians, and he maintained secret contacts with the Allied government. However, with Nazi Germany taking over the region from the Italian army in September 1943 following Italy's surrender to the Allies, Cseszneky was forced to abdicate and returned to Hungary. The principality itself subsequently ceased to exist.
3.4. Anti-Nazi Stance and Humanitarian Efforts
Count Gyula István Cseszneky de Milvány et Csesznek was a conservative monarchist with strong anti-communist convictions. However, he consistently despised Nazism and antisemitism. His personal opposition to these ideologies was reinforced by family ties; one of his sisters was married to a Hungarian Jew who later became a victim of the Holocaust.
Cseszneky is widely reported to have actively saved the lives of several Jews in both Croatia and Hungary. He participated in rescue efforts for Jews facing Nazi persecution in Budapest. After the war, his significant humanitarian contributions were recognized, notably by Israel, which bestowed upon him the title of "Righteous Among the Nations" for his courageous contributions to human welfare during the Holocaust.
3.5. Political Activities and Surveillance
Count Cseszneky was aware of King Tomislav II's secret plan to negotiate a separate peace treaty with the Allied Forces. He hoped that opening a route for an Allied intervention in the Balkans would not only secure freedom for Macedonians but also for Croatia and Hungary, thereby saving them from the advancing Red Army. With this strategic objective in mind, the Count also served as a liaison between Miklós Kállay's Hungarian government and the participants of the Lorković-Vokić coup in Croatia. Due to his anti-Nazi activities and his Jewish relatives, he became a target of the Gestapo. He was reportedly arrested by the Gestapo but managed to hide himself and escape back to Hungary. After Regent Horthy's failed attempt to switch sides in the war, Cseszneky was actively searched for by the Gestapo.
4. Post-War Life and Exile
After the conclusion of World War II, Gyula Cseszneky faced significant repercussions for his wartime activities, leading to his forced exile and subsequent life abroad.
4.1. Exile and Resettlement
At the end of World War II, Gyula Cseszneky was in Budapest. Despite his strong anti-Nazi credentials, in Soviet Union-occupied Hungary, he was declared an "enemy of the working class" by the new communist regime and was consequently forced into exile. He departed Hungary alongside King Tomislav II (Aimone, Duke of Aosta), initially relocating to Argentina. He later resettled and lived the remainder of his life in Brazil.
4.2. Death
Gyula Cseszneky died in Brazil in 1970.
5. Assessment and Legacy
Gyula Cseszneky's life is assessed through the lens of his recognized humanitarian work during a tumultuous period and the enduring, albeit complex, legacy of his aristocratic family.
5.1. Recognition for Humanitarian Work
Gyula Cseszneky's most significant legacy lies in his humanitarian actions during World War II. His documented efforts to rescue Jews in Croatia and Hungary were formally recognized after the war, with Israel bestowing upon him the title of "Righteous Among the Nations" for his courageous contributions to human welfare during the Holocaust.
5.2. Family Legacy
The history and legacy of the Cseszneky family continue to be noted in historical records. Notably, his brother, Mihály Cseszneky de Milvány et Csesznek, was reportedly asked to succeed as Michael I in the context of the Balkan statelets but refused the offer.