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Richard Lettis: The Hungarian Revolt |
"Those Heroic Days"[1]
IMRE KOVACS, Editor
OCTOBER 23
Student demonstration in Budapest takes place in front of the statue
of General Bem and the Polish Embassy. Students demand reforms, democratization,
the return of Imre Nagy. Police try to disperse crowd when students attempt
to be heard over Budapest radio. Tear gas zs used and then students are
arrested. The crowd attempts to free the students and the police open fire.
The demonstration turns into a riot and street fighting breaks out.
Martial law is declared, a call for Russian troops issued, and, during
the night, Soviet tanks and jets are reported used against demonstrators.
OCTOBER 24
Additional Soviet military units enter Budapest at the request of the Communist regime. Fighting breaks out between Soviet troops and the Hungarian people. Changes in the Party Central Committee and in the government are announced. Imre Nagy replaces Andras Hegedus as Premier, but Erno Gero remains First Secretary of the Party. Nagy appeals to the people to stop fighting. Surrender deadlines are announced as fighting continues. The deadlines are moved forward several times, and finally altogether abandoned. Rebels capture factories in Budapest. Fighting reported in Debrecen, Szolnok, and Szeged. [83/84]
OCTOBER 25
The Nagy government claims its forces have restored order in Budapest, but admits fighting continues. Erno Gero is relieved as First Secretary of the Party and replaced by Janos Kadar. Nagy and Kadar announce that, following restoration of order, negotiations for withdrawal of Soviet troops will be initiated. Nagy promises to reconvene parliament and to consider a reform program and reorganzzation of the government.
OCTOBER 26
Fighting continues throughout the country. Insurgents take the entire area between Magyarovar and the Hungarian frontier station of Hegyeshalom. The Party Central Committee pledges: (1) election of a new government based on the Patriotic People's Front; (2) correction of past mistakes; (3) negotiations with the Soviet Union for withdrawal of Soviet troops; (4) the establishment of relations between the two countries on the basis of complete equality; (5) acceptance of workers' councils and raising of wage rates; (6) a complete amnesty to all participants in the fighting.
OCTOBER 27
Formation of a new government is announced. The cabinet is headed by Imre Nagy. Non-Communist personalities in the government include Zoltan Tildy, former President of the Republic, and Bela Kovacs, former Secretary General of the Smallholders' Party.
OCTOBER 28
Local negotiations with Soviet troop commanders reported and in some
cases Soviet forces join the insurgents. The government announces a cease-fire
and Nagy states that Soviet troops will withdraw from Budapest immediately,
and that the security police will be dissolved.
An emergency committee, composed of Janos Kadar, Antal Apro, Karoly Kiss,
Ferenc Munnich, Imre Nagy and Zoltan Szabo, assumes temporary leadership
of the Party. [84/85]
OCTOBER 29
Central Party organ Szabad Nep answers the Soviet Pravda
attack on the revolution and defends the Hungarian uprising.
Radio Free Miskolc calls for immediate withdrawal of Soviet troops from
Hungarian soil, not merely their return to bases outside Budapest. The
Minister of Defense announces withdrawal of Soviet units from Budapest;
Hungarian Army units are replacing them.
Heavy fighting continues in Budapest, particularly at Kilian (Maria Theresia)
Barracks.
OCTOBER 30
Nagy announces abolition of the one-party system, a return to the political conditions prevailing after 1945, and negotiations for immediate withdrawal of all Soviet forces from Hungary. A new coalition government is formed with Imre Nagy as Premier. Three non-Communists -Bela Kovacs, Zoltan Tildy and Ferenc Erdei- are included. The recall of the Hungarian representative to the U.N., Peter Kos, is announced [85/86]
OCTOBER 31
Radio Free Kossuth broadcasts Soviet declaration concerning changes
in relations between Soviet Union and Satellite States. Ministry of Agriculture
announces suspension of compulsory deliveries of farm produce.
Cardinal Mindszenty arrives in Budapest.
Independent Smallholders' Party announces formation of a new executive
committee and resumes control of its former news paper,"Kis Ujsag."
Hungarian Social Democratic Party is reorganized in Budapest, with Anna
Kethly as president, and "Nepszava" as its official publication.
Pal Maleter replaces Lajos Toth as First Deputy Defense Minister and Istvan
Kovacs takes Toth's former job as Army Chief of Staff. Nagy announces that
the Hungarian government is prepared to leave the Warsaw Pact and has asked
for negotiations on withdrawal of Soviet forces from Hungary.
The Council of Ministers appoints Maj. Gen. Bela Kiraly as military commander
of the capital.
A Trans-Danubian National Council is organized from various area councils.
It requests immediate evacuation of Soviet troops, repudiation of the Warsaw
Pact, free elections, a declaration of Hungary's neutrality, and freedom
of speech, press, assembly and worship. [86/87]
NOVEMBER 1
Imre Nagy announces Hungary's withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact, proclaims
Hungarian neutrality, and asks the United Nations to put the Hungarian
question on its agenda. "Nepakarat," newspaper of the
Free Hungarian Trade Unions, is published for the first time. The National
Peasant Party, now called Petofi Party, is reorganized. Kadar attacks past
leaders and policies of the Hungarian Communist Party and announces the
reorganization of the Party under the name of the Hungartan Socialist Workers'
Party.
Coordinating and controlling all the Revolutionary forces, National Guard
formed. Commander-in-chief: Bela Kiraly. Deputy: Police Colonel Bela Kopacsy.
Soviet units surround Hungarian airfields, allegedly to protect evacuation
of Soviet dependents. Budapest ringed by Soviet tanks. Social Democrat
leader Anna Kethly left for Vienna to attend the meettng of the Socialist
International.
NOVEMBER 2
Hungarian government protests to the Soviet Embassy the re-entry of
Soviet troops on Hungarian soil. The United Nations is notified of Soviet
activities in the second official note within two days, and is requested
to appeal to the great powers to recognize Hungarian neutrality.
Soviet troops take rail line from Zahony to Nyiregyhaza; hold Budapest
International Airport, and Kalocsa Airfield. United Hungarian Youth Federation
is organized in Budapest.
The Budapest National Committee elects Jozsef Kovago as its president,
i.e., Mayor of Budapest.
NOVEMBER 3
Considerable Soviet reinforcements and troop movements to the Austro-Hungartan
border are reported. Russian tanks surround uranium mines at Pecs.
The Hungarian government is reorganized after resignation of most of its
ministers. The new ministers, many of them non-Communists, take over the
administration.[87/88]
NOVEMBER 4
Imre Nagy announces Soviet attack on Budapest. Russian forces take over
most of the country: airfields, highway junctions, bridges, railway yards.
Heavy fighting reported in Csepel and Kobanya. Soviet paratroops in action
near Gyor. Fighting at Pecs as Hungarian troops resist Soviet efforts to
take uranium mines and airfields. Heavy fighting in Budapest. Gyor and
Sopron fall to the Russians. Fighting continues in all parts of the country
and the situation remains confused.
New government changes announced from Szolnok: Janos Kadar, Premier; Ferenc
Munnich, Deputy Premier and Minister of Security; Imre Horvath, Minister
of Foreign Affairs; Istvan Kossa, Minister of Finance; Antal Apro, Minister
of Industry.
State Minister Bibo: "I appeal to the great powers of the world for
a wise and courageous decision in the interest of my enslaved nation and
of the liberty of all Eastern European nations. God preserve Hungary..."
Repeated free radio broadcasts call for Western help.
The Hungarian Writers' Union appeals for Western aid: "To every writer
in the world, to all scientists, to all writers' federations, to all science
academies and associations, to the intelligentsia of the world! - - - HELP
HUNGARY!" [88]
[1]"Those Heroic Days . . . ," Facts about
Hungary, Ed. Imre Kovacs [New York, Hungarian Committee, 1958), pp.83-68.
Reprinted by permission of the Hungarian Committee.
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Richard Lettis: The Hungarian Revolt |