Ferenc Rajniss

Ferenc Rajniss (born Rheinisch) (24 July 1893 – 12 March 1946) was a Hungarian journalist, socialite and fascist politician. He held pro-Nazi Germany views in Hungarian politics.

Emergence Born in Bártfa, Kingdom of Hungary, Austria-Hungary (now Bardejov, Slovakia) to a Zipser family, Rajniss's surname initially reflected his German origins before he Hungarianized it. As a journalist Rajniss belonged to the Szeged fascist camp and was a supporter of Gyula Gömbös. He founded his own weekly paper, Magyar Futár, in support of this movement and it soon became notorious for its anti-Semitism. Before long he had secured funding from Nazi Germany for his political endeavours and this was to be one of his two main sources of income, the other being acting as a 'toy boy' to a number of wealthy old women. Rajniss played a leading role in Szálasi's rise to power and was appointed part of the three-man governing council with which the Germans replaced Miklós Horthy in 1944, alongside Károly Beregfy and Sándor Csia. He was also appointed Minister of Religion and Education in the new government, a position he held until his resignation on 7 March 1945, following emerging tensions between Szálasi and him.