Hungary: The Myth Exposed

[Anarchist Patriot]

http://hipcat.hungary.org/users/hipcat/1956.htm
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/CWIHP/BULLETINS/b5a7.htm
http://www.marxist.com/History/hungary1956_86.html
http://flag.blackened.net/liberty/hungary-rev.html
http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/1996/252/252p15.htm

Imry Nage: Last Message (November 4, 1956)
This fight is the fight for freedom by the Hungarian people against the Russian intervention, and it is possible that I shall only be able to stay at my post for one or two hours. The whole world will see how the Russian armed forces, contrary to all treaties and conventions, are crushing the resistance of the Hungarian people. They will also see how they are kidnapping the Prime Minister of a country which is a Member of the United Nations, taking him from the capital, and therefore it cannot be doubted at all that this is the most brutal form of intervention. I should like in these last moments to ask the leaders of the revolution, if they can, to leave the country. I ask that all that I have said in my broadcast, and what we have agreed on with the revolutionary leaders during meetings in Parliament, should be put in a memorandum, and the leaders should turn to all the peoples of the world for help and explain that today it is Hungary and tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, it will be the turn of other countries because the imperialism of Moscow does not know borders, and is only trying to play for tine.


The Hungarian uprising against the Stalinist Government of Erno Gero was shocking in may ways. It was a clear example of the people's revolution backfiring on the Stalinist butchers who imposed a "People's Republic" on an unwilling populace. Particularlly shocking for world opinion is the fact that it was, in fact a worker's revolution. The revolution was spearheaded by the "Worker's Militias", which were groups of factory workers organized by the Hungarian Worker's Party, which was the actual name of the Communist party.

Hungary, under the fascist dictatorship of Admiral Horthy was an allie of Nazi Germany and for this suffered worse than any Soviet Occupied nation after WW 2. During this period, the old Hungarian Aristocracy, which did not flee, had all property confiscated and were disenfranchised as much as possible. The Hungarian middle class was purged as well. The Church was severely prosecuted and the Catholic Archbishop, Cardinal Joseph Mindszenty, who was ironically a fervent anti-fascist during the war (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/COLDmindszenty.htm) was imprisoned in barbaric conditions. After the Soviets sponsered a democratic election (the only one in Hungarian History up until that time), the Smallholder's Party under Ferenc Nagy won. This was an embarassment ot the Communists. The Communists, under Matyas Rakosi engineered an attempt to gain power beginning with capture of the Ministry of the Interrior, the Communization of the Police force. Then after a rigged election, the communist won and a new terror state was formed. Land was confiscated from small farmers, who the communists regarded as a threat to their existance. A new Secret Police force, the AVO was formed.

The AVO quickly established themselves as the most feared members of society. They operated prisons and labor camps. They sought out opponents of the regeim, both real and perceived. They engaged in torture, rape of both sexes, and other acts of cruelty. The AVO were known to recruit the worst types of people. They included petty criminal, local bullies, sex perverts and others they fealt useful to their purposes.

The Communists did try to enlist the support of the urban working class and initially did have some success. They established a workers militia. They gave special priviliges to productive workers and recognized efforts. On the other hand, most workers began to see through the lies that they were being sold.

James Mitchner in his masterpiece, Bridges of Andau tells of one youth who was a dedicated marxist who studied marxism piously. During the People's Republic his is admitted to a university. There he sees the hypocracy of the elite becomming wealthy at the expense of working class. He sees the inhumanity of the secret police. He sees the outright theft of the nations resources by the Soviet Union. This man later joined the 1956 Rebellion.

The uprising was sparked by a protest over the suppression of a Polish protest. It led to people taking to the streets. When the worker's militia was called out to suppress the protest, the workers instead turned their guns on the police. When the army was called out, the soldiers turn sides and fought on the people's side. The Secret Police were forced out of their buildings and beaten and shot. When the Soviet Tanks were sent, people battled them in the streets with molotov cocktails. Eventually the Soviets were driven from the city.

For the next five days the Hungarians breathed freely for the first time in years. A new government was proclaimed under Imre Nagy, a reformist communist. The hated president, Erno Gero was forced to leave. Long banned political movements reappeared. The Church operated openly. Workers took over factories and operated them collectively. The press operated freely and new publications appeared. The radio stations were taken over by freedom fighters.

Then five days later the Hungarian dream of freedom was destroyed as Soviet tanks entered the country. Thousands fled the country. Others battled the tanks with molotov cocktails. The reaction was brutal. Known opponents were sought out and imprisoned, and in some cases shot or hanged. Imre Nagy was taken to the Soviet Union and hanged with several others.

Nagy's Foreign Minister, Janos Kadar made peace with the Soviets and proclaimed a "New Revolutionary Workers Republic". He thus became the "Hungarian Quisling". Though he later led the nation to economic reforms, those who lived throught the terrible time of the rebellion never forgave him.


What was so significant about this incident?

Well, for starters it did show the world the true face of Stalinist Communism. From 1918 and the establishment of the Bolshivik state, the USSR was always looked upon favorably but the leftist intelligencia around the world. When Lenin and Trotsky established their party and tolerated no opposition, people shrugged their sholders and said that it was better than life under the Czar. When Trotsky massacred the sailors of Kronstat, people said nothing. It was tragic, yes but it had to be done. After all Russia has so many mouths to feed. When Stalin took power and killed Trotsky there were some who were angry but others said, so what? Stalin is doing this for the good of his people. When USSR seized the Baltic States, invaded Finland and joined Hitler in seizing Poland, the same voices came out: Why shouldn't they? These were lands occupied by the Russian Empire. Its merely a way of getting back the land lost at the treaty of Brest in 1918. Lenin had to make a deal with the Kaiser, but so what? Now its time to get it back.

Then came the war. Yes, USSR is fighting for its life. This is the struggle of Fascism vs. The People's Republic! No... its a battle to save the Fatherland! The rest of the world eagerly supported Stalin!

After the War Stalin seized half of Europe. The answer again was "Didn't the Soviets earn this right? Did they not loose 20 Million people. (Never mind that many of these deaths could have been prevented would Stalin had not made so many blunders, including killing 90 percent of his Army officer's corps). Yes Stalin has a right to this." Then the communists consolidated their rule. They rigged elections in Poland and Hungary to kick off "People's Republics". They pulled the strings of Czech and Slovak Communists in staging a coup in 1948 which drove Benes (himself a communist dupe) from power. In Bulgaria they imprisoned opposition leaders and hanged their leader. In China, they armed Mao and drove the nationalist from power. But people still made excuses.

"Its the will of the people. The Soviets are doing this so there can be peace. Chang Kai Shek is a war lord who supports those with money and power. He is a western puppet. Who needs him. The people are better off living under communism..."

In the 40s and 50s, the soviets put on a good face. The Korean war soured relations. There was a red scare in the US and Truman and McArthur quarreled over who could best defend freedom. But for the left of the US and Europe, there were still those excuses. The bomb was a real threat. People were scared. Peace was the better way.

In 1956, Nikita Khrushchev denounced Stalin. The Soviet leader (who was one of Stalin's most ardent henchman) blamed the who evil not on the soviet state but rather on "The Cult of Personality". This was another way of saying, the millions who died were all victims of Stalin's psychosis. Things will be different now. We still have the same state but its a kinder and gentler form of Soviet Communism." Khrushchev never bothered explaining how the state could further safeguard agains another Stalin taking power.

Furthermore nobody was ever punished for the crimes under Stalin and, though some prisoners were released, many still remained in the frozen gulag which still existed.

But all the same there were many who still believed. Boris Pasternik wrote Dr. Zhuvago which netted him a nobel prise, though he was forbidden from receiving it.

In Poland, students in Poznan protested and were shot and killed. As a result Wladisaw Gomulka returned to power and promised reforms. (he lied)

Then came Hungary.

Hungary was the chrises which exposed the myth. Now, for the first time, foreign journalists saw the bare knuckles of the Red Army. True, they knew about the rape of post war Germany, but the German Nazis deserved that. They heard reports about Soviet Labor camps, but that was only rumors of a few reactonaries.

But this was real. Victims streamed out of the country by the thousands. Each had their story. Secret police, prisons, torture, hangings, murder, theft of property, Soviet Tanks, collaboration and resistance.

The Hungarians themselves felt betrayed. For years they listened secretly to Radio Free Europe. They knew they were enslaved. Now they threw off their chains but would the west come to their aid? Where were the US Marines? Where were the British Commandos? Where was the Foreign Legion?

The west, of course could do noting. The Russians had the bomb and so did we. Was Hungary really worth a nuclear holicaust? So the west complained. They made speeches in the UN and passed a resolution condemning the USSR. The USSR made a stink about what was happening in the Suez Canal where British and Frence seized the Canal from the Egyptians. They accused (quite rightfully) the US as being a land of institutionalized racism. They accused Britian as being imperalists. They cited France for Vietnam and Algeria. In the end Hungary became forgotten.

Now the left in the west did react. In France, thousands quit the communist party in disgust. In the US many leftists joined the denounciations.

The legacy of 1956 was a new status of the USSR. It was no longer a land of enlightenment. It was no longer a workers paradise. It was now another nuclear superpower.

These same lessons were relearned. In 1968 in Czechoslovakia where the Soviets destroyed a reformist Communist attempt at "Socialism with a Human Face." It happened in the 1980s in Poland when a working class attempt to secure livable wages led to a nationwide labor movement and was promptly suppressed by a military coup de etat. It continued up until the fall of the Soviet union.

In China, we still see examples of rebellion agains the Communist superstate.

Yet, even today, the names of those killed have been forgotton. In Hungary, the former communists have regained power, now under the name of the Socialist Party (not to be confused with the legitimate Social Democratic Party of Hungary). There also exists the old headquarters for the AVO or Secret Police. Inside are grim exibits showing torture chambers where thousands were held. This makes the existing regiem very uncomfortable. (http://216.26.163.62/2002/mz08_08.html

[castille]

Workers rebel against a workers paradise.

[Anarchist Patriot]

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (castille,)
Workers rebel against a workers paradise.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>
Or more properly, they rebelled against an occpied nation ruled by a corrup group of Quislings whose buttons were pushed by the Soviets.

Soviet Occupied Hungary was most certainly not a workers state.

[castille]

But what can you expect? The Soviet Union was created as a result of a violent revolution....and violent revolutionaries. You can't expect a bunch of revolutionaries to suddenly become pacifists after staining their hands in the blood of millions....


I notice not many leftists are responding to this. Are they perhaps afraid of the reality of their brutal ideology? Beyond the calm ivory towers of academia lies a world where reality is often brutal and terrifying.