The Hungarian Student, 1961
YOU STILL HAVE DOUBTS The Hungarian students who left their country during November and December 1956 frequently encounter scepticism among students in the West when they discuss the reasons which compelled them to flee Hungary. We fell no resentment for this scepticism. We are well aware that arguments put forward by refugees are always received with a certain reserve. In view of this, we felt that to reiterate our justification of the Hungarian Revolution which five years ago, aroused world opinion, would not contribute to an improvement in understanding. We prefer, instead, to present the sceptics with the words of those who compelled us to flee, in the hope that out fellow students who doubt the claims of the persecuted will listen with an open mind and attention to the persecutors. In the following, we quote from official Hungarian announcements and statements brought out after November 4th, 1956. These statements come staight from those people who even today are the leaders of the Regime in Budapest. We would like to call attention to the fact that these statements were issued at a time when armed combat had ceased in Hungary and therefore, apart from the Soviet Army, which was in full control of the situation, nobody could have applied force or influence on the speakers. We indicate the precise source of each quotation. We hope that an occasion may arise for our fellow students to conduct an official and indisputable investigation on the authenticity of these quotations. Although up to the present time the Government in Budapest refused entry to the Committees of both the CO SEC and UNO who wished to examine the Hungarian question, it is possible that the members of some national student union will be allowed in the future to visit Budapest and might therefore be able to look up in the archives of Budapest newspapers and radio, the statements and articles quoted herein. It would be simpler, however, if interested student unions would order the relevant editions and publications from the “Globus” book-distributors who have branches all over the world. Or they might obtain them from the newspaper “Nepszabadsag" (Blaha Lujza ter3, Budapest VIII). We ask those who might take such steps to inform our union of their findings. We make no comment on the quotations. We take the liberty, however, of grouping them in such a fashion as to allow earlier official declarations to be compared with later ones. EARLIER: “We cannot visualize any solution to the problems of the future other than that responsibility in the affairs of the country should be taken at all levels by people with a great variety of political leanings and affiliations.” ( Speech by Janos Kadar, Nepszabadsag. November 12, 1956). “We are fully convinced that it is impossible to persist in conducting affairs as hitherto. We cannot even assume that any political party can carry alone responsibility for the governing of the country.” (Sándor Gáspár—Nepszabadsag. November 14, 1956). LATER: "The creation of other parties could have served only one purpose, that of grouping anti-socialist forces, giving them a legal status, and intensifying internal dissent. Therefore the only way open to our Party was to carry full responsibility in conducting the affairs of the country, in solving its problems, thereby leading our people out of chaos.” ( Nepszabadsag. April 26, 1957). EARLIER: “With the exception of a few stubborn Rákosi supporters, everybody wants to witness the departure of Soviet troops.” ( Nepszabadsag. November 14, 1956). “It is implicit in the independence and sovereignty of the country that no foreign armed forces should be stationed on Hungarian soil. Comrade Janos Kadar has frequently stated this as the stand of the Government.” ( Nepszabadsag. November 18, 1956). LATER: “Continued presence of Soviet Army units in Hungary is a crucial factor in preventing any attempt of aggression from the imperialists. It is of paramount importance that, on the basis of the Warsaw Pact, Soviet troops be stationed in Hungary for the time bwing.” (Joint Declaration of the Governments of the Hungarian People's Republic and the Soviet Union. March 29, 1957). “We are of the opinion that the Soviet troops currently stationed in Hungary, help us to defend our national independence and that they should remain here whilever there is a need for them.” ( Speech by Janos Kadar. Nepszabadsag. April 2, 1957). EARLIER: “The student may study the language of his own choice in all schools where the study of a foreign language is obligatory.” (Resolution of the Hungarian Revolutionary Worker-Peasant Government. November 7, 1956). LATER: “ Beside the obligatory study of the Russian language, another foreign language must be learned by students in the Faculty of Science.” ( Nepszabadsag. April 26, 1957). EARLIER: “I, a former Minister in the Imre Nagy Government, must state with absolute sincerity my personal conviction that neither Nagy himself, nor his political group intended to help the counter-revolution system consciously." ( Speech by Janos Kadar. Nepszabadsag. November 12, 1956). “Wepromise that we will not initiate prosecution against Imre Nagy and his friends for their past sins, even if they themselves would admit them at a later date. We will keep this promise.” (Radio Budapest. November 26, 1956). LATER: "The Chief Prosecutor accused Imre Nagy, the first défendent for breach of law as laid down in point 1, paragraph 1 of the B.H.O., for the initiation and guidance of a subversive movement with intention to overthrow the state system of the People's Democracy—and breach of law as laid down in point 35, paragraph 1, of the B.H.O. for treason.” ("The counter-revolutionary Conspiracy of Imre Nagy and his accomplices”. A publication of the Office of Information, August 1958). EARLIER: “The fundamental cause of the popular movement which began on the 23rd of October must be sought in the grave mistakes and crimes committed against the workers of (Continued page 6) 5
