The Hungarian Student, 1957 (1. évfolyam, 2-8. szám)
1957 / 5-6. szám
The Hungarian Student 3 Statement HUNGARIAN STUDENTS IN YUGOSLAVIA I.HROUGH THE Hungarian Student Newsletter, I wish to send greetings to the many brave young people who struck a blow against tyranny that the world will never forget. The people of New York State have shown in concrete form their admiration for the brave citizens of Hungary who engaged in the valiant attempt to win freedom from Soviet oppression. Over 8,000 Hungarian refugees found new homes and job opportunities through the efforts of the citizens of New York State. Of the more than 1,300 Hungarian students who came to the United States, more than 620 are studying in colleges and universities in New York State on full or partial scholarships. I have been informed by the New York State Committee on Refugees, and by the officials of many of these institutions of higher learning, that the recently-arrived Hungarian students are doing remarkably well in the furtherance of their studies. My best wishes for your continued success, as 1 join with you in looking forward to the day when Hungary will once again live as a free nation. AVERELL HARRIMAN * * * August 20, 1957 The Hon. Francis E. Walter, M.C. U.S. House of Representatives Washington, D.C. Dear Mr. Walter: It was an immense pleasure to be informed that about 2,000 refugees to Yugoslavia may come to the United States. We feel that we owe this result so near to our hearts to you primarily, for you hastened to help the persecuted in their predicament. Allow me to present a further request on behalf of the Hungarian university students who came to the United States. I appeal to your generosity to facilitate the arrival of as many of the 2,000 refugee university students as possible. Many of these students are very likely to become valuable assets to the United States within a few years, as scientists. Our confederation would like to make its own endeavors to liberate our student colleagues from the camps. We pledge ourselves to secure sponsors for 150 university students. We shall also undertake to organize language courses for the coming students which will be supported by our members and by the friends of our association. We address our request to you with unbounded confidence, on behalf of our student colleagues still in refugee camps. We ask you to put all your influence to bear as you have done so often in the past. Respectfully yours, President, AHS D ue TO THE indefatigable activity of the UFHS delegates, we at last have a clear view of the situation of the high school and university students in Yugoslavia. We should also add that Congressman Bentley described the contents of our memorandum on the problem to the U.S. Congress, while Congressman Walter left personally for Yugoslavia, in order to examine the situation in the camps. There are now about eight thousand five hundred Hungarians awaiting the settlement of their cases in the various Yugoslav camps. It is true that their accommodations have improved lately, but the uncertainty of their future has shattered their nerves. Furthermore, the Yugoslav Government has extradited numerous youths (all 18 years and younger) to Hungary. We are well aware of the meaning of this fact, especially in view of the fate of Mary W, who has been sentenced, in spite of her 18 years of age, to a four-year imprisonment for having taken part in the fights on Széna Place. We are sorry to state that the fate of those under 18 is entirely uncertain, for they are set free by the Yugoslavs only if their parents give written declaration before “official” organizations of their assent to the departure of their children to the West. According to the information we have obtained, the following camps contain high school and university students: Ecka, the place where high school and university students over 18 are interned, Osijek, Gerovo, Bajna Basta, Niska Banja, and Bela Crkva, where children under 18 are interned. The following countries have taken in students liberated from the Yugoslav Dear Congressman Bentley: Please accept our deepest gratitude for your great efforts to aid Hungarian students. I can assure you that the deported students and those still in Yugoslav camps will be grateful to you for your initiative. It is a wonderful feeling for us young people, separated from our families, to have found friends like you, who extend helping hands toward us. We wish to thank you for entering our resolutions in the Congressional Record. We hope that this information will induce the United States Government to take every necessary step in order to save the Hungarian youth from their inevitable fate camps: Sweden accepted 30, Switzerland 2 and France 63 university students. Hungarian university students living in Norway contributed part of their scholarship money to a collection to cover transportation expenses for one of their colleagues. They worked at shining shoes for two months and the money collected is to be spent to defray the transportation costs of 24 students to Norway. The most efficacious work has been done by the Association of Hungarian Students in Belgium. They were able to secure the inclusion of 29 university students in the labor crews dispatched to Denmark. Although they are now working in the mines under difficult conditions, they are expected to have a chance of continuing their university courses by October. In mid-July, 30 university students were admitted to Denmark with scholarships. The total result—59 university students accepted. Lately an additional 30 students have arrived in Belgium. The Ford Foundation intends to send 22 more to France and 30 more to Germany; and the Swiss Studentische Directhilfe will take care of 20. But even if the French, Swiss and German actions are successful, the fate of about 150 university students is still unsettled. We are doing our best to secure their transportation fare in order to enable them to follow their colleagues abroad. We have already approached Congressman Walter, the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, to request that these 150 colleagues of ours be admitted to the U.S. Our hopes are high, for we are informed by the press that there is a possibility that 2,000 refuge Hungarians in Yugoslavia will be transported to the United States. in deportation. We are hopeful that the United Nations will effectively intervene with the Soviet Union for release of the prisoners and that the recently-introduced Student Act will enable them to continue the studies that they so gloriously interrupted. Will you please pass our message on to all members of your committee who are in favor of our cause. We firmly hope that future Congressional action will only strengthen our belief in the fact that the United States is the champion of human rights for all oppressed people. Very truly yours President, AHS Our Thanks to Congressman Bentley
