Abbreviations

ÁVH: Államvédelmi Hatóság – State Security Authority; the name of the reformed ÁVO, established with broadened authority in 1948.

ÁVO: Államvédelmi Osztály – State Security Department; the name of the Hungarian communists’ security police until 1948.

FKgP: Független Kisgazdapárt – Independent Smallholders’ Party; Hungarian political party which achieved great success in the first post- war Hungarian elections.

KSČ: Komunistická Strana Československa – The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.

MDP: Magyar Dolgozók Pártja – Hungarian Workers’ Party; the name of the Hungarian communist party between 1948 and 1956.

MKP: Magyar Kommunista Párt – The name of the Hungarian communist party between 1945 and 1948.

MSZMP: Magyar Szocialista Munkáspárt – Hungarian Socialist Workers’ Party; the name of the Hungarian communist party between 1956 and 1989.

Terms

Central Committee The governing body of a communist party, selected by the party congress.

First Secretary The equivalent of general secretary in the KSČ (see below). Confusingly, for a few post- war years under Gottwald, the position of first secretary (held by Slánský) did not, as was normal, denote the leader of the party (and the de facto leader of the country); that position was chairman.

General Secretary Usually the title of the leader of a communist party, and, in a communist state, the de facto head of state.

Politburo The leading executive body of a communist party, selected by the party's Central Committee, and, in a communist state, the de facto cabinet of the state. Also called a Presidium (e.g. in Czechoslovakia).

Presidium See ‘Politburo’.