Pro-Government Militias

Pro-Government Militia Website

Workers' Militia (Hungary)

Basic Group Information

Name assigned by coder: no
PGM ID Number: 7
Country: Hungary
Date formed: March 20, 1989
    Accuracy of date formed: year
Details of Formation: The PGM was established in 1956 after the Hungarian Uprising.
Date dissolved: Nov. 28, 1989
    Accuracy of date dissolved: day
Details of Termination: The Socialist Party’s proposal to integrate the militia into the national guard was turned down by parliament who voted to disband them altogether in 1989. In a referendum (58% turnout) people voted overwhelmingly (94-95%) to abolish the Workers’ Militia.
Termination Type(s): government defects

Former and Successor Group Information

Predecessor group(s): none
Successor group(s): none
Private Military Company? no
Former Group? yes
    Former Armed Group? yes
Former Rebel Group? no
    Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: none
PGM Becomes Rebel Group? no
    Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: none

Government Relation, Support, and Training

Government Relation: semi-official (type 2)
Created by the Government?: yes
    Main Creating Government Institution: governing party
Government Link(s): political party
    If link to party, name of party: The Communist Party
Training and Equipment: no information
Shared Information and Joint Operations: no information
Shared Personnel: no information
Type(s) of Material Support: no information
State Sponsor(s): none
Other Connection(s):

Group Characteristics

Membership: no information
Primary Membership: no information
Alternative Primary Membership: no information
Location: None
Force Strength: [53000, 60000]
Target(s): no information
Purpose(s): protect property and investment

Ethnic Characteristics

Ethnic Target(s): none
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: not applicable
Ethnic Membership: none
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: not applicable
Ethnic Purpose: none
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: not applicable

Other Information

Other Information: Imre Pozsgay stands on election promise that party's paramilitary workers' militia would be reduced from 60,000 to 40,000 members next year, its weapons placed under Defense Ministry control and its armed exercises discontinued. Also known as people's militia

New Variables from Meta-Analysis

Purpose

Purpose: The Workers’ Militia was the private army of the Communist Party used for its protection. Another main task was to control the civilian population.
Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use unknown

Treatment of Civilians

Treatment of Civilians: The group was used to control civilians after the 1956 uprising.
Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: unknown

Reasons for Membership

PGM Members Coerced? no information
PGM Members Paid? no information
Reasons for Membership:
PGM Members Killed? no information

PGM Size

Size:

Weapons and Training

Weapons and Training:

Organisation

Organisation: The PGM was under the control of the Interior Ministry.

Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis

Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD.

Evidence