Magyar News, 2005. szeptember-december (16. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
2005-10-01 / 2. szám
"Torn from the Flag" By Kathy A. Megyeri At last, a film documentary about Hungary's 1956 Revolution is about to be made. This feature-length, English-language documentary about the global effects and international participants in the Hungarian Revolution and Freedom Fight of 1956. Hungarian freedom fighters, former political prisoners, secret police, and foreign citizens who participated and witnessed the events will also have a chance to tell their side of the story. Russian soldiers, Marine guards at the U.S. Embassy, United Nations officials, CIA agents, foreign students, Mikhail Gorbachev, a protégé of Yuri Andropov (the main Soviet liaison in Hungary in 1956), and Henry Kisssinger (who has written extensively about President Dwight Eisenhower's role in the events of 1956), all lend their credibility to this project. The story of the film could be my husband's story as well. The similarities between the movie story and my husband's life are uncanny. At fifteen years of age, Megyeri László is a serious and good student in a Kispest gymnasium. He despises the Communists for their godless ways and their distaste of Hungarian customs and traditions. He hates still more the occupying Soviet Army who has terrorized the population since 1945. He fears the secret police who torture Hungarians just because they voice their wish to be free. He despises traveling across town to attend church on Sundays to avoid recognition by the local police and the subsequent punishment for worshipping. He reads history books on the heroism of Hunyadi and Kossuth. He often recites the Petőfi poem that states, "Stand up Hungarians - your country is calling. The question is 'Do you want to be slave or free?"' He attends the funeral of László Rajk on October 6th, 1956 when 200,000 attend in the cold, soaking rain and shrieking winds to pay their respect for this victim of terror. Then, on October 23rd, with many other students, he gathers in front of the Bern statute in Buda to support the Polish rebellion against the Communist regime. That same day, he demonstrates in front of the Hungarian radio building when AVH, the secret service, fire shots at the peaceful demonstrators. He marches to the front of Parliament on the evening of October 23rd with 200,000 others who hear the reformer, Imre Nagy, speak to the assembled crowd. He follows his father and takes up arms given by the local police station, and later brought in by trucks from the so called “Lámpagyár” to fight the Communists and the Russian occupiers. Miraculously, the Russians withdraw, and the Hungarian Army disarms. He's jubilant that freedom has triumphed. He witnesses the complete collapse of the Hungarian Communist regime and the withdrawal of Russian occupiers. But he wonders why the Free World is focused on the closure of the Suez Canal and the British and French conflict with the Egyptians. He believes the rumors that the Russians are amassing to return and squash the newfound freedom, but he trusts Radio Free Europe when they announce that help is on the way. He again witnesses the attacks by Soviet tanks on a foggy, damp and frosty early Sunday morning, November 4th. By firing his rifle, he tries his best to stop the tanks from rolling into the center of Budapest on the main road leading from Ferihegy, Budapest's airport. He is among the 10,000 Freedom Fighters who have no chance of winning against the overwhelming Soviet ground troops and their tanks. But he is lucky not to be among the 3,000 dead and 20,000 wounded who have fought so desperately for independence. And, fortunately, he is not among the 20,000 individuals condemned, of whom 229 are executed by the Kadar regime. The stolen weapon he used lies buried in the family's backyard. Instead, he, along with his father and brother, is among the 200,000 Hungarians who flee to Austria and freedom. He is welcomed by the Democractic world and thus, he finds the answer to Petőfi's question, "Do you want to be slave or free?" He came to America and has found freedom and happiness but still remains bound to Hungarian language, culture, and traditions. Even though almost fifty years have elapsed, that Hungarian Freedom Fighter, my husband, is alive, well, strong and even more committed to freedom after serving thirty years in the U.S. Army where he attained the rank of Col. and after working most of his career in the U.S. House of Representa-tives as an attorney for the Judiciary Committee. Thus, his story and so many others mirror the narrative told in "Tom from the Flag," this documentary that justifies all the support we can offer. Our enthusiasm for this projects stems from my 34-year career as a secondary teacher. I know the impact that documentaries make upon students, and thus far, the Hungarian Uprising of 1956 has not received its due in the scope of Modem History classes. It needs to stand alongside the study of both World Wars because this event is so remarkable in that it began as a spontaneous uprising that quickly developed into an organized movement that eventually toppled the Communist government. When ordinary citizens take up arms for freedom, the complacency of the international community is shaken. Thus, students today need to appreciate the impact of the Hungarian youth who were so involved in the uprising and its subsequent brutal repression that eventually, the first crack in the "invincible" Communist order occurred. Those Hungarian teens helped reveal the profound hypocrisy of the "People's State" and initiated a process that culminated three decades later in the fall of the Berlin Wall, the dismantling of the Warsaw Pact, and the demise of the Soviet Union. The documentary, "Tom from the Flag," will take advantage of the excitement of the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution so the movie's timing is right, the venue is correct for the times, and the project is relevant to today's emphasis on commitment to freedom, dignity, and universal values. The movie's Producer, Klaudia Kovács, is a powerhouse. She's the cofounder of two production companies that specialize in documentaries and educational films. Her two narrative films have won awards and were even shown at Cannes. She is a most attractive actress as well and has played over 20 roles in various media projects like The Insanity of Mary Girard. She has co-authored two Hungarian-language books and has been a Hollywood correspondent for various cultural magazines and publications. What impressed me still more is that a percentage of the surplus from the movie will be donated to orphanages in Hungary. Her movie project is strongly backed by the Hungarian community around the world, the 1956 Hungarian Memorial Foundation; and the Hungarian Cultural Association of the Hungarian Reformed Church-how can we not be a part of this illustrious group? Producer Kovács is also aware of the marketing possibilities. The 50th anniversary of the Revolution, the movie's marketability is unlimited. It will speak to all regardless of nationality, religion or race. Currently, "Tom from the Flag" is in its pre-production and fund-raising stage. Kovács has secured grants, tax-free donations and alternative financial support for the over $500,000 budget. The project has commenced shooting its script, it has allocated its film crew, and it's about to move into the principal photography stage. In September of this year, the publicity and marketing of the film at festivals will begin. In October of 2006, a premiere and the worldwide distribution to honor the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution are planned. "Tom from the Flag" aims to be screened at the film festivals of Cannes, New Tork, Toronto, and Budapest as well as in movie theaters and in television stations around the world. We are repeatedly drawn to the Terror Museum and Statute Park to commemorate in some small way my husband's early years and reason for leaving the country he so loves. We witness young people who stand there and weep, not only for relatives they may have lost but because they feel the horror of a part of their nation's history. Kovács' "Tom from the Flag" should be part of that commemoration. Contact Klaudia Kovács at Homage to 1956, LLC, 1626 N. Wilcox Ave., #393, Hollywood, CA 90028; Telephone: 323-528- 8771 or email: klaudiakovacs@msn.com Page 7
