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Gusztáv Jány

Hungarian military officer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Colonel General Vitéz[a] Gusztáv Jány (born Gusztáv Hautzinger; 21 October 1883 – 26 November 1947) was a Hungarian military officer during the Second World War who commanded the Hungarian Second Army at the Battle of Stalingrad.

Born(1883-10-21)21 October 1883
Died26 November 1947(1947-11-26) (aged 64)
Allegiance Austria-Hungary (1905–1918)
Hungary Kingdom of Hungary (1920–1943)
Quick facts Born, Died ...
Gusztáv Vitéz Jány
Born(1883-10-21)21 October 1883
Died26 November 1947(1947-11-26) (aged 64)
Cause of death
Executed by firing squad
Military career
Allegiance Austria-Hungary (1905–1918)
Hungary Kingdom of Hungary (1920–1943)
Branch
 Austro-Hungarian Army
 Royal Hungarian Army
Service years
1905–1943
Rank
Colonel General
UnitsI Corps
Second Army
Conflicts
Awards
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Géza Lakatos who served under Jány called him "a blood and guts officer" with a highly forceful leadership style who was extremely brave.[1] Lakatos added that Jány had a reputation as a "difficult" officer to serve under as he was inflexible and he often lost his temper, broiling over rage at anyone he considered incompetent.[1] Jány as deeply jealous that Ferenc Szombathelyi had been appointed chief of the general staff even through he had more seniority than Szombathelyi.[1] In October 1942, the Defense Minister General Vilmos Nagy de Nagybaczon came to personally inspect the 2nd Army.[1] Jány painted a grim picture of the 2nd Army to Nagy, saying that his soldiers had to hold over 200 km of the frontline; had only 6, 000 rifles; no modern tanks and no anti-tank guns; a serious shortage of artillery; and suffering from a major shortage of fodder for the horses.[2] The 2nd Army had to have their supplies hauled up via wagons driven by horses, which was the shortage of fodder was such a major problem as the inability to feed the horses led to shortages of ammunition, artillery shells and everything else.[3] Jány called the situation of the 2nd Army a disaster in the making and asked him several times to be relieved of command, saying he wanted no part of the disaster that was about to unfold, requests that were always refused.[3] After the war, he was found guilty of war crimes and executed by firing squad. He was posthumously exonerated in 1993 by the Supreme Court of Hungary.[4]

Awards and decorations

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1st row Order of Merit of the Kingdom of Hungary Grand Cross on war ribbon with swords Order of Merit of the Kingdom of Hungary Grand Cross Golden Military Merit Medal on military peacetime ribbon Order of Merit of the Kingdom of Hungary Commander's Cross with Star
2nd row Order of Merit of the Kingdom of Hungary Officer's Cross Military Merit Cross 3rd Class with war decoration and swords Military Merit Cross 3rd Class with war decoration and swords Silver Military Merit Medal on war ribbon with swords
3rd row Silver Military Merit Medal on war ribbon with swords Bronze Military Merit Medal on war ribbon with swords Fire Cross 2nd class with wreath National Defence Cross
4th row Hungarian World War I Commemorative Medal Long Service Crosses for Officers 1st class Transylvania Commemorative Medal 1908 Jubilee Cross
5th row Mobilization Cross 1912/13 Iron Cross 2nd Class (1939–1945) Order of the Crown of Italy Knight Grand Cross Order of the German Eagle with star
6th row Order of the Crown of Italy Commander's Cross Iron Cross 2nd Class (1914, with 1939 clasp) Gallipoli Star War Commemorative Medal (Austria)
Neck Badge Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Badge Badge of the Order of Vitéz
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The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded March 31, 1943.

Notes

  1. "Vitéz" is a title given to members of the Hungarian Knightly Order of Vitéz.

References

  1. Cornelius 2011, pp. 215–216.
  2. "A Jány-per a bíróságon".

Books

  • Cornelius, Deborah S (2011). Hungary in World War II: Caught in the Cauldron. New York: Fordham University Press. ISBN 978-0823233441.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
  • Kovács, Attila Ótott (2006). Die ungarischen Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes. Ranis: Scherzers Militaer-Verl. ISBN 978-3-938845-02-8.
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