prosperity again; new buildings included the new post office, the railway station, the office of the fire department, the police headquarters, the monastery of the Notre Dame Order and a synagogue in Baroque style.
The most significant loss in World War II was the deportation of the 1221 Jewish citizens to Auschwitz. The city was freed from the Nazis by the Red Army on March 28, 1945. On the next local elections in 1949 the local branch of the Communist party got only about 10% of the votes, still they became the leaders of the city.
The 1950s brought important changes. Zalaegerszeg got a more industrial profile with the construction of the textile factory and the discovery of oil resources in 1952. The railway line was expanded, too. Lots of workers were commuting from the nearby villages, because it was almost impossible to find a flat in the city, so several residents of Zalaegerszeg (mostly those who were considered to be opposed to the Socialist system) were forced to relocate.
The citizens took part in the revolution in 1956. The revolution in the city began on October 26. The communist local government fled to Körmend, and until the arrival of the Soviet troops (November 4) the city was governed by the Revolutionary Council.
In the 1960s and 1970s the city experienced a demographic explosion. Several new flats were built, new residents moved into them, and the growing city absorbed many surrounding villages (Csácsbozsok, Botfa, Zalabesenyő, Bazita, Andráshida, Pózva). Albeit at a slower pace, it continues to expand toward the settlements of Bocfölde and Bagod.
After the end of Socialism, Zalaegerszeg wasn't affected by economic recession as much as other cities were. The 1990s brought dynamic development to the city.
Zalaegerszeg hosted the 1983 World Orienteering Championships. In 2001, Zalaegerszeg hosted the Central European Olympiad in Informatics (CEOI). Zalaegerszeg also hosted the 2004 European Women's
