Péter Vályi

Vályi worked as a chemical engineer. He was arrested in 1945 because of his communist activities. He joined the Hungarian Communist Party in the same year. From 1948 he worked for the National Planning Board. From May 1971 he served as deputy chairman of the Council of Ministers (Deputy Prime Minister). Vályi did considerable work in connection with the reform of the economic mechanism. He was a member of the MSZMP's Central Committee from November 1970.

Vályi died as the consequence of a fall suffered during a visit to the Lenin Metallurgical Works in Miskolc on 18 September 1973. In the most dangerous part of the factory he fell into the casting pit. His body was trapped between the molds and by the time he had been pulled out, his nylon suit had burnt onto his body. The CEO, who tried to help the deputy minister, also suffered burns. Vályi died in a hospital after long suffering.

Many conspiracy theories have been published after the incident. The reformist politician could have stood in the way of the political leadership of the Eastern Bloc. A few days before Vályi's death, the Polish Deputy Prime Minister, who was also a pro-Western, died when hit by a car.[1]

• Magyar Életrajzi Lexikon
• Death of Péter Vályi. Üzemi baleset. Történetek a Kádár-korszak tájékoztatáspolitikájáról. on YouTube