Géza Kertész Explained

Géza Kertész
Birth Date:18 November 1894[1]
Birth Place:Budapest, Hungary
Death Date:6 February 1945 (aged 50)
Death Place:Budapest, Hungary
Position:Midfielder
Years1:1911–1919
Years2:1920–1923
Years3:1925–1926
Clubs1:BTC Budapesti
Clubs2:Ferencváros
Clubs3:Spezia (player-manager)
Caps2:19
Goals2:8
Caps3:13
Goals3:1
Manageryears1:1925–1926
Manageryears2:1926–1928
Manageryears3:1928–1929
Manageryears4:1929–1931
Manageryears5:1931
Manageryears6:1931
Manageryears7:1931–1933
Manageryears8:1933–1936
Manageryears9:1936–1938
Manageryears10:1938–1939
Manageryears11:1939–1940
Manageryears12:1940–1941
Manageryears13:1941–1942
Manageryears14:1942
Manageryears15:1942–1943
Manageryears16:1943–1944
Managerclubs1:Spezia
Managerclubs2:Carrarese
Managerclubs3:Viareggio
Managerclubs4:Salernitana
Managerclubs5:Catanzaro
Managerclubs6:Salernitana
Managerclubs7:Catanzaro
Managerclubs8:Catania
Managerclubs9:Taranto
Managerclubs10:Atalanta
Managerclubs11:Lazio
Managerclubs12:Salernitana
Managerclubs13:Catania
Managerclubs14:R.S.T. Littorio
Managerclubs15:Roma
Managerclubs16:Újpest
Nationalyears1:1914
Nationalteam1:Hungary
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:0

Géza Kertész (18 November 1894 – 6 February 1945), also known as Kertész IV, was a Hungarian footballer and manager from Budapest. He is most noted for his career as a football manager in Italy at clubs such as Lazio, Roma and Atalanta.

Death

During World War II, Kertesz returned from Italy to Hungary in 1943, when he was recalled to serve as lieutenant-colonel in the Hungarian Army[2] in training role. In liaison with the American secret service he set up a clandestine resistance network with former teammate Istvan Toth which rescued many Hungarian partisans and Jews from deportation to Nazi concentration camps during German occupation and Arrow Cross Party rule, sometimes disguising himself as a German Wehrmacht officer for cover. He was denounced to the Gestapo by an informer for sheltering Jews and was executed at Budapest alongside Toth on 6 February 1945, a few days before the city was liberated by the Soviet forces.[3] [4]

His body and that of Toth were reburied together with honour at Kerepesi Cemetery, Budapest, in April 1946.[4]

Notes and References

  1. https://www.rsssf.org/players/hong-players-in-it.html RSSSF.com
  2. Book: Buemi . Antonio . Fontanelli . Carlo . Quartarone . Roberto . Russo . Alessandro . Solarino . Filippo . Tutto il Catania minuto per minuto . GEO Edizioni, Empoli. 2010. 110 . it.
  3. Web site: AS Roma official website Remembering Geza Kertesz, Roma coach and war hero. 14 March 2021.
  4. https://www.fourfourtwo.hu/hirarchivum/toth-potya-brull-kertesz-a-holokauszt-futballaldozatai-25798/