The prevalent mechanized fighting on the Eastern front prompted Hungary to develop and manufacture more advanced weapons. In 1943, Budapest bought the license for the successful German Nebelwerfer and started to manufacture its own cluster rocket launchers under the name of “43M Sorozatveto” or Sequential Launcher. Here the army is displaying its new weapon to the public sometimes during 1943 or 1944.


Hungarian Nebelwerfer or “Sorozatveto”

This new weapon was crafted to fire a sequence of six rockets equipped with high explosive heads. Based on a German design, it was employed by Hungarian forces partially in response to the successful Soviet truck-mounted multiple rocket launchers called Katyusa, nicknamed by Axis forces as the “Stalin Organs,” in reference to their resemblance of the musical instrument. The Hungarian Sorozatveto first saw action in Galicia during 1943 and later in Hungary during 1944-1945, as shown in the photo above. 

Hungarian Nebelwerfer / Sorozatveto in Action

During the siege of Budapest in the winter of 1944-1945, the  Royal Palace of Buda suffered heavily from Allied air raids and Soviet artillery fire. But Regent Horthy no longer resided there, having been taken prisoner by the SS in October, 1944. One of the bombed out halls is shown here, never rebuilt to its original grandeur. 