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Revolutionary Governing Council (Hungary)The Revolutionary Governing Council (also known as the Garbai government) was the leading body and principal executive organ of the Hungarian Soviet Republic, effectively its government. It functioned from March 21, 1919, to August 1, 1919, and was chaired by Sándor Garbai. As the government of the Soviet Republic, it was also known as the Soviet Government. The members of the Governing Council were called people's commissars. Until April 3, 1919, the people's commissars had deputies, but afterward, most of the commissariats were jointly led by several equal-ranking people's commissars, making the Revolutionary Governing Council the largest government in Hungarian history: from April 7, 1919 to June 24, 1919, it had 35 members. MembersThe Revolutionary Governing Council initially had 15 members, grew to its largest size of 35 members, and had 13 members before its resignation. Most of the people's commissars were former Social Democratic politicians, while the rest were communists. The ruling party of the Soviet Republic was the Hungarian Socialist Party, formed from the merger of the Social Democratic Party of Hungary and the Communist Party of Hungary. Among the members of the Governing Council, Béla Kun had the most authority, surpassing Sándor Garbai, who held the official chairmanship throughout. March 21, 1919 – April 3, 1919 The composition of the Revolutionary Governing Council until the issuance of the provisional constitution of the Soviet Republic (March 21, 1919 – April 3, 1919):
According to the March 24, 1919 issue of Budapesti Közlöny, Sándor Vincze, Mór Preusz, and László Dienes were appointed as city commissars, and Dezső Bíró and Ernő Seidler as political commissars. Gyula Lengyel became the governor of the Austro-Hungarian Bank. There was no clear division of tasks between the people's commissars and their deputies; deputies often signed official documents as people's commissars. Transportation matters fell under the Interior Commissar's duties, and the agricultural commissariat was jointly led by four people's commissars, initially without a deputy, then with one deputy. József Pogány, the People's Commissar of Military Affairs, resigned on the evening of April 2, 1919 due to a demonstration against him. April 3, 1919 – June 24, 1919 Following the proclamation of the Soviet Republic's provisional constitution, the Revolutionary Governing Council reorganized itself. The deputy commissar positions were abolished, and the former deputies were officially named people's commissars. Each commissariat, except for those of the two national minorities, was led by two to six people's commissars simultaneously, and some people's commissars were involved in leading multiple commissariats. The composition of the Governing Council from April 3, 1919 to June 24, 1919 was as follows:
The next reorganization of the Soviet government was related to the establishment of the National Economic Council from May 25, 1919, which absorbed the five economic branch commissariats (agriculture, social production, public supply, transportation, and finance). Additionally, transportation matters were transferred from the Interior, Railways, and Shipping Commissariat, renaming it simply the Interior Commissariat. However, this reorganization likely could not be fully implemented, as indicated by some documents issued by sectoral commissars in June. The regulations regarding the organization, scope, and names of the National Economic Council's departments were often inconsistent and contradictory. June 24, 1919 – August 1, 1919 The highest body of the Soviet Republic, the National Assembly of Councils (TOGY), met between June 14, 1919 and June 23, 1919 and adopted the constitution of the Hungarian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic. On its last session day, TOGY elected the 150-member Allied Central Executive Committee, which entrusted the new Revolutionary Governing Council the next day. Its composition, in line with the constitution, was as follows:
The direction of labor affairs was transferred to the National Economic Council, which led to the renaming of the Labor and Public Welfare Commissariat to Public Welfare and Public Health. Decrees The most important measures of the Hungarian Soviet Republic were issued as decrees by the Governing Council. Sources
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