József Dudás

[1] As the communists mounted their campaign to take over Hungary, Dudás was arrested and detained until he was handed over to Romanian state security in 1951.

Working as an engineer when the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 broke out, he took to addressing crowds and on 29 October, established the Second District National Committee, with a 25-point program demanding, a coalition government, a multi-party system and neutrality.

He also started a newspaper (Magyar Függetlenség—Hungarian Independence),[2] which headlined, ‘We do not recognize the present government!’ At this same time the so-called "Dudás Group" consisting of about 400 armed men was formed.

Dudás was an odd character but there were rumors about him among the revolutionary forces, such as that he sat around a desk with hoards of cash, and had a torture chamber for members of Hungary's AVH Secret Police.

Rumors that Dudás thought he could take over in place of the newly appointed Nagy circulated, and in an attempt to take over the Foreign Ministry, General Kiraly ordered Dudas' own men to arrest him for "counter-revolutionary" acts, or at least acts that were attributed to him (an attack on the Foreign Ministry; looting of the National Bank).