1922 Encyclopædia Britannica/Fejervary, Geza, Freiherr von
FEJERVARY, GEZA, Freiherr von (1833-1914), Hungarian statesman and general, was born March 15 1833. He began his career in the army, and as a captain he won in 1859, for a heroic action on the hotly contested heights of San Martino in front of Solferino, the highest military decoration of the former monarchy, the cross of Maria Theresa. In 1872 he became State Secretary in the Hungarian Ministry of National Defence (Honved) and Minister of National Defence in 1884. In 1895 he persuaded the Emperor Francis Joseph to agree to the religious and political reforms of the Wekerle Ministry. In 1903 he resigned, together with the prime minister, Szell, owing to the rejection of a bill to increase the contingent of recruits, and was appointed captain of the Hungarian Life-Guards organized at that time. He was appointed premier June 18 1905. The parliamentary majority declared that the Fejervary Ministry was unconstitutional, and organized a national opposition against it. Fejervary nevertheless succeeded in settling these differences by the so-called Pactum, on the basis of which the Wekerle Ministry was formed April 8 1906. From this time onwards Fejervary's political activity ceased and he resumed his military career. On the death of Prince Esterházy, captain of the Hungarian Body-guard, Fejervary was appointed his successor. He died of cancer of the tongue April 25 1914. (E. v. W.)