what the heck is this Herend figure holding in his hand? crutch?

He's a workman. It looks like some kind of road drill.

 

In the US we call it a jack hammer.

 

That's the thing!

 

A most bizarre subject for Herend, don't you think?

 

I think it's supposed to be a shooting stick!

Edit: Missed the hard hat and pipe going down to the legs on first look - so does indeed look like a pneumatic drill - how odd.

 

A worker commemorative was my thought too.

 

Miner perhaps.

 

Found on catawiki... the contrast is a bit better than in your photos. Lot was closed and was not sold. They don't really give much information except "Socialist worker."
https://www.catawiki.com/l/38282319-herend-socialist-worker-white-porcelain-34-cm-porcelain

[EDIT] Found a few other white ones... some sites are attributing the designs to Klára Herczeg

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-...97-young-worker-and-workwoman-40-c-430dd50461

 

Here’s another. https://www.meropscollections.com/p...iner-man-with-drilling-machine-figurine-5819/

 

I was thinking miners drill also except for the handle so more like industrial jack hammer,

 

Had a school summer job that had me using one of these ...lasted 1/2 day then quit

 

It's a manual post hole borer.

 

I had to use one once. Another fellow showed me how. We had to break up a concrete floor. He took the jack hammer and - bbbbrrrrat bbbrrrat bbbrrrat - broke up about a yard of it, then left the hammer with me and went to work on something else. I started the hammer and bounced around on the concrete for about a minute before he came back and finished the job.

 

thanks for the help.