Jewish councils in Hungary

Jewish councils or Judenräte (Hungarian: zsidó tanácsok) were administrative bodies in Hungary, which were established following the German invasion of Hungary on 19 March 1944. Similarly elsewhere in German-occupied Europe during World War II, these councils purported to represent local Jewish communities in dealings with the Nazi authorities.

The Jewish Council of Budapest, under various names, was established already on the day after the occupation under the leadership of Samu Stern. It had national jurisdiction in principle and tried to maintain contact with the councils created in rural settlements. Outside Budapest, however, local Jewish councils existed for only days or weeks, because the full-scale deportation of the Jews in countryside began almost immediately, wiping out entire communities by the beginning of the summer. A significant part of Budapest's Jews avoided this fate. Following the Arrow Cross Party's takeover in October 1944, the Budapest Ghetto was established. The Jewish Council of Budapest, in the midst of the siege of the capital, tried to ensure the survival of the Jews by obtaining food and medicine, and by organizing system within the walls. The council disbanded, when the Soviets liberated the ghetto on 17 January 1945.

The reputation of the Jewish Council of Budapest is controversial. According to some, the leaders tried to do everything within the framework of the extremely limited opportunities, while others accused the members of the council of betrayal and collaboration with the Nazis. Following the Communist takeover, several show trials with anti-Semitic overtones took place against the council's former board members and colleagues.