1989. március (számozatlan) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2
on bút nobody spoke about it. Maoist lau students tried to organise a red rosette counter-deraonstration on March 21st the anniversary of the Hungárián Soviet ftepublic. The West, which had opted to admire the "reformist" Kádár régimé, was nőt disturbed by the events, it was simpler to believe the snort official reports on "Nationalist £ disoraer". The City Council abrogated its decree to decorate the houses in 1974-, the Party the Patriotic Pront, the Young Communist League all experimented with new tricks and threats bút the young generation remained faithful to the ideas of March 15th. i March 15th in the 70s and 80s became a battle day, a battle between the young people applausing freedom and the police who serve the oppressors. Year after year the picture was the same: Militia, Youth Guard, uniformed police and piain clothes police, photographers and hidden cameras surroundea the statue and the young and old people with tri-colour ribbons and rosettes. The 1972 route is now the tradition: At noon the Petőfi statue- Lajos Kossuth Square- Sanctuary Lamp-öem statue-Kölcsey statue, evening torchlit procession over Lánc Bridge to Buda Castle. The young people stooa alone until 1985-86, nőt even the Efemocratic Cppositiog joined them, bút their determination and persistence proved stronger than the brutality of those who defended the old régimé. 15th March 1982: A small child recited the National Anthem by the statue. 15th March 1983: A juvenile, Balázs Benda, is arrested, pút on trial and sentenced to a suspended sentence in Szeged. He is charged with posting an "updated" March appeal consisting of 12 clauses. In Budapest the crowd try to stop arrests and savé a boy by stopping a police cár. 15th March 198/+: Several arrests and police warnings, people sing over the deafening loud speakers which try to drown the spontaneous commemorations. 15th March 1985: Thousand recite the National Anthem together, sing the Hungárián Hymn and the Székely Hymn by the Petőfi statue. 15th March 1986: Brutal police attack on several thousand celebrants. In the moming Olga Diószegi, who collects money fór the fined samizdat publishers, is taken intő custody. The sit down strike by the Kölcsey statue is dispersed. In the aftemoon policemen on motor bikes and on foot form a chain and set up a trap, the famous Lánc Bridge battle commences and demonstrators are beaten up and fined. 15th March 1937: House searches, criminal proceedings and threats precede the celebration. The INCONNU art group organises a commemoration evening in a priváté fiat. At noon Lajos Jakab and Tibor Philipp unfurled a flag on Petőfi Square before thousands of people. György Gadó and Tibor Pákh deliver speeches by the Kossuth statue, the Sanctuary Lamp and the Bem statue. 15th March 1938: the political leadership is subject to unprecedented hysteria, house searches are conducted, beatings, police warnings, slander in the press, banners are con- fiscated and arrests raade. ^et tens of thousands protest fór a free and indepenaent Hungary. They include the spokespeople fór the opposition organisations, who*demand the resignation of political leaders and that free elections be decreed. In Bem Square they read out a 12 clause deelaration from the periodical Demokrata, which alsó demands that October 23rd become a red—letter day. The police were out in force bút do nőt interfere, they only disturb the evening torchlit procession to 3uda Castle. The Party leadership still plays with fire bút it does nőt dare to cause it.- 3 i
