Fáklyaláng, 1964. június-október (5. évfolyam, 1-10. szám)
1964-10-23 / 10. szám
FÁKLYALÁNG 7 INTERVIEWS New York, N.Y., October 23, 1964. Copyright by the Fáklyaláng. The Editors of FÁKLYALÁNG are pleased to announce that in connection with the eighth anniversary of the revolution and freedom fight four leaders of fighting groups recalled their reminiscences in individual interviews. The four revolutionary leaders were active participants in the fighting and their stories give a faithful description of the events. The Pongratz Boys — all the six of them — were courageous fighters during the entire period. Four of them were interviewed: Erno, a member of the Revolutionary Committee in the Parliament building in Budapest; Kristóf, who was one of the most active fighter in the Corvin Barracks, a center of heroic fighting; Odon, the representative of the freedom fighters in the five-member armed forces committee; and Gergely, Commanderin-Chief of the Corvin Barracks during the revolution and freedom fight. Q: It is known to the Editors that you, Erno Pongratz, were one of the two-men delegation which put forward the demands of the demonstrators in front of the Parliament building in the evening of October 23 after you entered that building. The discussions inside the building were not fully reported on as yet. Could you recall how you joined the demonstrators and whom did you talk to in the Parliament building? A: It was at around noon on October 23 that I got word that students resolved to hold a sympathy demonstration at the Bern statue. I went to the square which was already filled to capacity. I estimated the crowd to be several hundred thousand. Immediately after the speeches the crowd began to march across the bridges towards the Parliament. Together with Peter Veres, then the President of the Hungarian Writers’ Association, I walked up on the top of the main stairway to the main entrance door. We spent close to about two hours. There we were joined by Tibor Dery, the writer. I asked them why they don’t go into the building and urge those inside to take some action. Peter Veres replied by saying: “Sonny, you go in and if they talk to you we’ll follow you.” I started out towards the building. After knocking on the door for quite a time I was let in. As I entered the hall I saw “Comrade” Kristóf coming down the stairs. I told him that I wished to see the Prime Minister. Kristóf told me that the Prime Minister was not there but Ferenc Erdei, one of the ministers, wished to talk to two representatives of the demonstrators. A student joined me as the second representative. As we were walking upstairs Kristóf scolded us that we did not mention such a demonstration when a permit was asked for. Erdei received us in his office. Besides Erdei, Hidas and Mekis, two die-hard communists, were also in the room. They have asked questions about our aims and intentions. During the discussion eleven other students joined us. Seeing the crowd in the room Erdei suggested to sit at the large conference table. I was sitting directly opposite to Erdei. My first request was that the light should be switched off forthwith in the large red star atop the dome of the Parliament. Erdei rejected this demand. I, then, urged him to illuminate the entire building. My aim was to let the people know outside the building that something is being done. The next demand was that a Hungarian flag — without the Communist emblem — be hoisted. This Erdei accepted. Thereafter I asked Erdei to step out on one of the balconies and to deliver a speech announcing that negotiations have been started between the representatives of the demonstrators and the Government. The crowd wanted to see and hear Imre Nagy. Their shouting became louder and louder by minutes. Prior to going into the building again a Committee was formed of a few demonstrators who joined us when we returned to continue the discussions. The real discussions started only now. I suggested that a tape recorder be used to make a permanent record of the meeting. As no tape recorder was available in the Parliament building it was resolved to bring one from the studio building of the Hungarian radio station. While the crowd more emphatically demanded Imre Nagy I asked Ferenc Erdei to call Imre Nagy by phone and request him to come to the Parliament. First his phone number could not be found. Then somebody turned up with it. I was calling the number and handed over the phone to Erdei to speak: “This is Erdei speaking from the Parliament, Uncle Imre . . . the building is surrounded by demonstrators and wish to hear you speak come here.” Imre Nagy asked Erdei “what to tell to the crowd?” Erdei, then, described the general situation in and around the Parliament building. At the beginning of their conversation I left the room to go to get a tape recorder. A young man who was working in the studio came with me. It took about an hour before he returned with the set. He described the situation within the studio building. According to him the building was transformed into a fortress by the AVH-men. The secret policemen threw tear grenades into the crowd to disperse them. Some of the grenades were picked up and thrown back through the open windows. Imre Nagy was already in the building when we returned. He just completed his speech when I asked to be heard. I told the gathering that trouble is brewing in front of the studio building and the AVH-men already used their arms against the unarmed crowd. I demanded that László Piros, Minister of the Interior, issue order to the AVH not to use weapons against the crowd because if the shooting continues there will be such a bloodshed that will have no parallel in history. Those ministers who attended the discussion did not deem such an order necessary but urged us to form a committee which should be sent to the studio building to quiet the crowd there. Mrs. Erdei came in the room and told her husband that the Political Committee, the policy-making inner clique of the Communist Party, was already in session. As I heard the news myself I insisted that T
