Géza Perjés on Training of Military Leaders and on the Role of Teaching Military History

Abstract

Géza Perjés (1917–2003), a military historian of greatest influence in Hungary in the second part of the 20th century, started his career as a professional soldier. He graduated at the Ludovika Military Academy, took part in the fights of the Second World War and finally became POW of the British army. Having returned home, he registered at the Pázmány Péter University of Sciences and, among others, studied sociology within the famous Institute of Social Sciences led by Professor Sándor Szalai between 1946 and 1948. Later, his interest turned to military history and, making good use of his military experiences, scientific erudition and acquaintance with languages, from 1950, he joined in the research of Hungarian military history. 
    The writing treated in this essay from his posthumous papers dated on 5 August 1956 is connected with the debate which developed after the 20th Congress of the Soviet Communist Party on the place, role and ways of reformation of the Hungarian military historiography. The point of interest of the writing is not only in its historic character but in its current message, too: a qualified officer of front-line service expresses his opinion as military historiographer on the place and role of military history in the training of military leaders.