The Military and "Humanitarian" Mission of Colonel Romanelli to Hungary (1919)

Colonel Guido Romanelli, the head of the Italian Military Mission in Hungary, played an important role in Budapest for a few months in 1919, at the time of the Soviet regime lead by Bela Kun and later, during the Romanian military occupation. His actions, in the framework of the Danube policies and of the international relations of Italy, led to an interesting debate in which his character has stirred both passion and criticism. After the publication of his memoirs of these events In the Hungary of Bela Kun and During the Military Romanian Occupation: My Mission (May/November 1919) the complexity of the story has also been confirmed by the documents found in the Historical Archive of the Italian Army's General Staff Records Office. His relationship with Kun's reds is defined as "beneficial to all" (by Leo Valiani), even if he was accused of being too close to the Hungarian Bolsheviks and of insubordination.