Who Was Viscount Rothermere And Why Did He Become A Controversial Figure?

Viscount Rothermere (1868-1940), also known as Harold Sidney Harmsworth had become somewhat of a media giant in Britain by 1922, owning a number of newspapers, including the Sunday Pictoral, the Daily Mail and the Daily Mirror. Rothermere's friendly relationship with fascist leaders during the 1920s and 1930s, his own fascination with fascist ideology, coupled with his strong belief in the appeasement of Adolf Hitler, made him a highly controversial figure in Great Britain.

One of Rothermere's main activities during the 1920s was his campaign to help Hungary regain the land it was forced to cede to Romania, Czechoslovakia and Serbia as part of the country's punishment for contributing to the start of World War I. Consequently, Rothermere was very popular in Hungary and was dubbed "Little Father." He portrayed as uncompromising and courageous.

From 1927 onwards, Rothermere attempted to persuade Britain to demonstrate solidarity with Hungary in redressing the wrongs of the Treaty of Trianon. Rothermere ran a well orchestrated public relations campaign for over a decade, in support of Hungary and the revisionist demands of its authoritarian regime.