Wanna know why?On 23rd October 1956 a huge mass of people gathered for a protest started against communism. Someone cut out the Soviet version of Hungary's arms from the middle of the flag and these flags soon became main symbols for the fight for freedom.
I have told you that most of our national holidays are evoking daring but sad moments from our history. October 23rd is commemorating the nation wide revolt against the Soviet imposed regime in 1956. The revolution lasted from 23rd October till the 10th November - a few days only which marked this century for Hungary, a few days which could have changed our history. Maybe this is why it is our national holiday where emotions and protests have gone beyond the borders in the recent years.
A key figure was the politician Imre Nagy, who was the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the People's Republic of Hungary at the time. He backed up the protests and declared the withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact on 1st November.
During the time when the Communist leadership of Hungary would not permit his death to be commemorated, or permit access to his burial place, a cenotaph in his honor was erected in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.
 |
In 1989, Imre Nagy was rehabilitated and his remains reburied on the 31st anniversary of his execution in the same plot after a funeral organized in part by opponents of the country's communist regime.
You can find his beautiful statue just walking from the Parliament in the directin of Szabadság (freedom) square here.
This is a video with a mix of pictures and film pieces from the revolution. You can read on youtube the translation of the lyrics to get an idea of the strong feelings around this issue.
In the last years, you might have heard in the news (it was on BBC CNN and everywhere) that the manifestations on this day got out of control. Actually, this is true, and a crazy guy even went loose on a tank (which he took from a museum), some occupied the Television building (trying to copy the heroes of 1956), but in the end of the day, these were protests against the governing party and a general discontent with life. It is also important to say that it is a minor group taking part in these protests, so it cannot not even slightly be compared to a "real" revolution.
If you want to see more pictures on how we remembered, quite peacefully this year, 1956 today in Budapest, click here:
http://index.hu/belfold/2010/10/23/kepek_az_1956-os_forradalom_2010-es_megemlekezeseirol/
and then click on the pictures to open a gallery.
Interesting movie on communism and 1956
Torn from the Flag (Klaudia Kovacs)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torn_from_the_Flag
Bakonyi Zsuzsa
No comments:
Post a Comment