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Buda : Vannay Batallion at Full Strength – 8 December 1944

Vannay Battalion Overview

The “Vannay Battalion” was a Hungarian commando unit formed in 1944 to defend Budapest against the advancing Soviet forces. Formed from patriotic volunteers, it was made up of young patriots and included a 14-year-old dispatch runner, Ervin Galántay, whose memoir provides insight into the unit’s actions during the Siege of Budapest. The battalion played a significant role in the city’s defense, holding out in tough winter conditions for weeks against a superior enemy force.

Captain Blajziath:  “We have reached battalion strength with more than 600 enlisted men. from now on we are no longer to be referred to as a detachment but as the R.H. Army Vannays Battalion.”

Ervin states : “In the afternoon I receive a visit from Lieutenant Kovács Endre with a number of elderly intelligence officers from Def 2 in an elegant DKW (car). and your priority task has been assigned to all volunteer units of the Arrow Cross Commission Commissar for Budapest; razzias (hostile raid) must be carried out to round up all AWOL and  spies. Support police regiment is deployed as Infantry.”

By now 1st Lieutenant Kovács has arrested 2 false lieutenants and now he’s looking for an imposter who claims to be a Vannaist spreading confusion in the Leopold District.

Danube “Dip” Kovács Style on Vannaist deserters 

1945, 11 December Budapest, Toddy

Erwin : “The long range artillery pummelling of Pest seems to have ceased. Our Air Force must have bombed out the Soviet batteries.

1st Lieutenant Kovacs brings in two dripping wet civilians and locks them into the coal shed of the Basement. They are Vannaist deserters .The Proclamation of General Hindy has just been posted with orders to disembowel all deserters on the spot! instead Kovacs made them dip into the ice called Danube. I kept pulling there ears a bit until they ask for parden.”

Ervin states “ I cannot but admire Kovacs good humid interpretation of the disembowelment order. Deserters must be chastised not wasted”.