Szittyakürt, 1982 (21. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1982-12-01 / 12. szám
I VOL. VID. No. 3-4. Official publication of the Revolutionary Council of the <fT0% 23 ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDITION OF «ITTVAKÖRT HUNGÁRIA FREEDOM FIGHTER NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1982 MOVEMENT A LOOK AT HUNGAR Y 26 YEARS LA TER Twenty-six yerars ago this month, the abortive Hungarian Revolution shook the world. But instead of being a pretty footnote in history books, the events in Hungary in October 1956 continue to hold significance, especially in light of the recent developments in Poland. At the end of the Second World War, the “Big Three,” Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin, divided up Europe into the American and Soviet spheres of influence. Eastern Europe was awarded to Stalin on the condition that he would hold free elections and allow democratic governments to flourish. In Hungary, the Communist Party lost the elections, but the Soviet Armies and the collaborating natives eventually eradicated the opposition and puppet regimes were set up. These regimes were supported by the Kremlin and kept in power by brutal repression. Between 1948 and 1956, sheer terror reigned in Hungary. Deportations, executions, beatings, torture, and mysterious “disappearances” were carried out by the secret police, the feared and hated A VO. ' In the autumn of 1956, workers rioted in Poland. Khrushchev’s denunciation speech on Stalin had spread by word of mouth into Hungary. In Budapest on October 23, 1956, mass demonstrations broke out in support of the Poles, and greater liberties for Hungary. The demonstrators peacefully sang longforbidden patriotic songs, recited poems, and cut out the red star from the center of the Hungarian flag. The flag-waving, singing masses converged on the radio building in downtown Budapest, demanding access to the airwaves. Here, from the rooftops, the A VO opened fire on the unthreatening and unarmed crowd. That was the spark that exploded the people’s hate of the A VO. Weapons were obtained, and fire was returned by the crowd. The entire nation revolted. The army supported the workers and the students. Fierce fighting erupted when the besieged government called in Soviet troops. The demands of the freedom fighters were simple, yet echoed a universal tone. They were, briefly: independence and neutrality for Hungary, a free press, free elections, a multiparty system, free speech, the removal of all foreign troops from the nation, and the release of political prisoners. The Hungarians stared with disbelief as the Soviets withdrew from Budapest, some units even leaving the country. The nation enjoyed a brief burst of freedom. Scores of newspapers and political parties were founded. Negotiations for the final withdrawal of Soviet troops began. General Maiéter, who turned his troops against the Soviets headed the negotitations. During a bargaining session, the negotiators were abducted by the KGB and later tortured and killed. by CHARLES JOKAY On November 4, 6000 Soviet tanks reentered the country. They were accompanied by 15 divisions of the Red Army. The rag-tag, illarmed students and workers, many of them in their teens, elected to fight until the last bullet and last drop of blood was expended. They hoped the United States would help them. The free radio stations broadcast continuous pleas for Western assistance in four languages, but Eisenhower’s promises of “rolling back the Iron Curtain” went unfulfilled. When it was all over, 40,000 Hungarians had died in the fighting while 250,000 fled to the West. Most of them ended up in the United States and Canada. Also on that fateful day the United Nations Security Council was to meet, but the Soviets naturally vetoed it. Thus the General Assembly passes a resolution calling for free elections and immediate Soviet withdrawal under UN supervision. (The same thing happened concerning the Afghanistan invasion.) Nothing ever came of the resolution. Today, Hungary is the best off economically and politically among the eastern European satellites of the Soviet Union. Twenty percent of its gross national product is from trade with the West. The government uses a mix of capitalism and socialism to encourage peasants and craftsmen to produce more goods, if they can keep the profit. With this “New Economic Mechanism”, Hungary’s standard of living rivals East Germany’s. There are no shortages of food in Hungary, in fact, Hungary exports food to all of eastern Europe. Because of this some have suggested that Hungary lost the battle of 1956 but won the revolution. But the picture is not rosy. Walking in today’s Budapest, one sees many bullet-riddled buildings, physical evidence of 1956. Speaking about what happened is taboo. All of the demands of the 1956 revolution are unmet. The Soviets still occupy the country: no civil liberties exist. Hungary is afflicted with high alcoholism and suicide rates. The population is not growing. The nation lost its national pride and love of its history. Just last summer a new crackdown on dissidents began. In addition, the Hungarian government has totally neglected the 4 million to 5 million ethnic Hungarians living in the countries around Hungary. These people were separated from their compatriots after World War I, and are subject to ongoing cultural genocide. Since the events of 1956 in Hungary were partially Polish inspired, the events of 1980 and 1982 deserve to be mentioned. Poland may be able to avoid Hungary’s fate in 1956, if “Solidarity” and the reformers don’t go as far as demanding secession from the Warsaw pact, or a multi-party democratic system. They cannot demand the fundamental rights of self-determination and national independence. Hungary set the example of how valuable liberty and freedom is to those who don’t have it. Hungary serves as a reminder of what the USSR will do to nations wanting freedom. Poland and its Solidarity union are a perfect slap in the face of Soviet imperialism and the economic system it represents. The workers themselves refute the system that is supposed to “unite the workers of the world”. Poland certainly is treading on hot coals, since the past and the present behavior of the Soviet Union has proven that they will stop at nothing to preserve and expand their empire. Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Afghanistan have proven that point with their own blood. How many more times will this be allowed to happen? HUNGARIAN CONGRESS MET IN CLEVELAND For the twenty-second time the Árpád Academy and the Hungarian Congress met in Cleveland, Ohio at the Bound Court Hotel on the 26 - 27, and 28th of November. The Hungarian Association, which was the host for this annual gathering of Hungarians from all over the world, was headed by Dr. John Nádas of Cleveland, Ohio. Year after year interesting and varied programs are scheduled concerning Hungarian affairs: youth, economics, the United Hungarian Foundation, education, fine arts, stamp collecting, immigration and minority matters, engineering, medicine, cultural performances, songs music, and dances. On November 27, at 3 P. M. the Oriental Studies Division of the Árpád Academy was established and Dr. Alfonz Lengyel of Rosemont, Pennsylvania became it’s president. He is chairman of the Art History Department at Rosemont College and has been involved with Chinese archaelogy for some years now. The Oriental Studies Division is ready to accept proposals of Hungarian orientalist scholars and researchers. Those interested in contributing to the work of the Oriental Studies Division of the Árpád Academy are to write to Dr. Alfonz Lengyel chairman, Art History Department, Rosemont College, Rosemont, Pa. 19010. Monetary support is also welcome and may be sent as tax deductable to the same address. On November 27, and 28 as part of the Oriental Studies, Dr. Ferenc Veress of N. Y., N. Y. delivered his well prepared presentations. He has been part of the Árpád Academy’s annual activities for a number of years now and this time he and his associates spoke on the “universality of the MANDALA” (in Sanscrit it means Magic Circle; MANTARA in Japanese). Dr. Paposi-Jobb Andor of Clarion, Pa. aided him with his visual presentation, who also represents the Cárpáthology division of the Oriental Studies. Dr. Veress in his presentations referred to the works of Mihály Hoppál, István Dénes, Vilmos Diószegi, Mihály Sozán, etc., and compared visual images from the Malonyai Collection and from Transylvanian—Hungarian folk designs with various Tibetian and Asiatic Shaman “prayer circles”. Dr. Veress is a psychologist as well as being a devout researcher in ancient folk history and finds unusual relationships between folk customs, folk imagery, and medical science or therapy. He related to the 0Contenued on page four.)
