Magyar News, 1998. szeptember-1999. augusztus (9. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1998-10-01 / 2. szám
THOROUGH THICK AND THIN Alice Bauer Traces Her Parents * Flight to Freedom I was fortunate to be raised in a home that values history and has a strong sense of family. All my life, 1 have been told to remember from whence I came. Thus, I have always been keenly aware of my Hungarian roots. As a student of political science in college, 1 studied revolutions with great interest. As an historian, I continually strive to understand the complex issues which are part of the historical process, particularly as they apply to the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. Änd, as a first generation American and the daughter of refugees, I often longed to know more about my parents' escape from their homeland to freedom. With the 40th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution on the horizon, a Pingry Summer Sabbatical Fellowship made it possible for me to fulfill that desire, to retrace my parents' odyssey during those turbulent days and share with others the reality of their story. Initially, I had intended to document their escape route through photographs and interviews. As projects have a tendency to do, mine expanded to a completely different medium - videotape - which Í knew I could ultimately share with my students and others. Borrowing my father's equipment, my husband and I embarked on a two-month journey to Hungary, our central objective being to retrace my parents' escape route. We conducted numerous interviews with family members, former border guards, students, and strangers in order to gather information about my parents' odyssey and the Revolution in general. Thus our knowledge grew as we traveled and filmed railway stations, trains, fields, and the landscape from Budapest to the Austrian border. With the help of my father’s brother, Ferenc Bauer, we ultimately recreated the actual journey my parents made on their flight west. On July 4, 1995, as I stood silently on the spot where my parents crossed to freedom, the celebration fit this country's Independence Day took on a new and lasting meaning. Putting Things Into Historical Perspective My parents were among 200,000 of the best and brightest men and women to leave Hungary during the 1956 Revolution. Of these 50,000 settled in the United States. In order to understand why they chose to leave, one must understand some of the events which precipitated their flight. In October 1956, the world watched as this small central European country, about the size of Indiana, underwent one of the most agonizing periods in its history. The demands of the people were straightforward: the withdrawal of Soviet troops, the abolishment of the secret police, Hungary’s secession from the Warsaw Pact, agricultural reforms, and the establishment of freedom of speech, press, assembly, and worship. What started as mass student and worker demonstrations was soon transformed into a revolution. On October 23, the day many people consider the official start of the Revolution, student organizations called for demonstrations around the country. Initially students simply carried banners in support of similar demonstrations in Poland, but events begin to escalate. Next came the destruction of a 25-foot statue of Stalin on which ironically was inscribed: “To the great Stalin from the grateful people of Hungary.” Other protests also turned into outright revolt. Outside the radio station, a delegation from the crowd of demonstrators insisted that their “sixteen points”, a üst of demands, be broadcast. When the secret police arrived and arrested the delegation, the crowd called for their release. In response, the secret poUce began using tear gas and then opened fire on the crowd. This was a critical turning point. It was now evident that the people's demands would not be met peacefully and a very long, hard fight lay ahead. Chaos and bloodshed ensued. Finally, after days of street fighting, it seemed that the Soviets were willing to negotiate with the freedom fighters, and that they had even begun to "withdraw" from Budapest. It appeared that peace would come at last. Little did the Hungarian people know that, late that same night, Soviet tanks would surround Budapest. The infamous day arrived on November 4. Before dawn 16 Soviet armored divisions, about 2,000 tanks in all, launched a fullscale invasion, taking over airfields, highways, bridges, and railroad yards. With transportation and communication links solidly in Soviet hands, the Hungarian people were locked inside their own country1. While some Hungarians agonized over their lost cause, among others a spirit of resistance continued to prevail In spite of the Soviet Army's presence, workers continued to strike, peasant refused to hand Alice 's parents families. The mother ’s (x) family, left and her father 's(x) family, right. Page 3 1 he eight Hungarian rejugees shortly after their arrival to the United States. The women standing are Ibolya, Ilona (Alice 's mother), Ibolya and Piroska. Seated are Imre, Alajos (Alice 's father), Karoly and István. (Bridgeport 1957)
