[1] After Romania left the Axis Powers and joined the Allies during World War II, between 5 September and 10 October 1944, Sărmașu came under the occupation of the Nazi-aligned Hungarian troops.

During this period, Hungarian gendarmes and members of the Hungarian National Guard, led by captain of gendarmes Lánczos László, killed 126 local Jews (out of 142 who were living in the city at the time),[2] as well as 39 Romanians, the latter primarily prisoners of war captured in the battles on the alignment of Oarba de Mureș–Luduș–Gheja–Chețani,[3] during the Battle of Turda.

On 9 September 1944, a team of Hungarian gendarmes took up from their homes several Romanians that had important functions in the administration of the commune.

According to the sentence handed down on 28 June 1946 by the People's Tribunal in Cluj, "in the camp was applied an inhumane treatment, consisting of beatings, ill-treatments and executions staged at night.

For example, once all Romanians were removed from the camp in the yard, put on their knees («At the church»), and, after this exercise, everyone, regardless of age, was forced to overturn until exhaustion".