THE HUNGARIAN REVOLUTION 50 YEARS AFTER AND THE WORDS OF ALBERT CAMUS

Why the Western media is not remembering too much the 1956 Hungarian revolt?

In Time words:

October 23, 1956: Students hold demonstration in front of the General Bem statue demanding reforms, democratization, and the return of premier Imre Nagy.

When students attempt to be heard over Budapest radio, police try to disperse crowd with tear gas, beatings and numerous arrests.

The crowd attempts to free the students and the police open fire.

The bloody revolution begins as 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.

State Minister Bibo on November 4th, as Soviets continued their massive attack on Hungary: "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..."

Hungary repeated free radio broadcast calls for Western help.

But the West never came.

November 4th marked the end of Hungary's valiant fight.

But marked the beginning of suffering for thousands involved in the fight for freedom.

Thousands died, and many more many more jailed.

2% of the population, over 200,000 people, were forced to flee.

One year after, Albert Camus wrote this magnificent "Stirring Letter to the World"


"The Blood of the Hungarians"

I am not one of those who wish to see the people of Hungary take up arms again in a rising certain to be crushed, under the eyes of the nations of the world, who would spare them neither applause nor pious tears, but who would go back at one to their slippers by the fireside like a football crowd on a Sunday evening after a cup final.

There are already too many dead on the field, and we cannot be generous with any but our own blood. The blood of Hungary has re-emerged too precious to Europe and to freedom for us not to be jealous of it to the last drop.

But I am not one of those who think that there can be a compromise, even one made with resignation, even provisional, with a regime of terror which has as much right to call itself socialist as the executioners of the Inquisition had to call themselves Christians.

And on this anniversary of liberty, I hope with all my heart that the silent resistance of the people of Hungary will endure, will grow stronger, and, reinforced by all the voices which we can raise on their behalf, will induce unanimous international opinion to boycott their oppressors.

And if world opinion is too feeble or egoistical to do justice to a martyred people, and if our voices also are too weak, I hope that Hungary’s resistance will endure until the counter-revolutionary State collapses everywhere in the East under the weight of its lies and contradictions.

Hungary conquered and in chains has done more for freedom and justice than any people for twenty years. But for this lesson to get through and convince those in the West who shut their eyes and ears, it was necessary, and it can be no comfort to us, for the people of Hungary to shed so much blood which is already drying in our memories.

In Europe’s isolation today, we have only one way of being true to Hungary, and that is never to betray, among ourselves and everywhere, what the Hungarian heroes died for, never to condone, among ourselves and everywhere, even indirectly, those who killed them.

It would indeed be difficult for us to be worthy of such sacrifices. But we can try to be so, in uniting Europe at last, in forgetting our quarrels, in correcting our own errors, in increasing our creativeness, and our solidarity. We have faith that there is on the march in the world, parallel with the forces of oppression and death which are darkening our history, a force of conviction and life, an immense movement of emancipation which is culture and which is born of freedom to create and of freedom to work.

Those Hungarian workers and intellectuals, beside whom we stand today with such impotent sorrow, understood this and have made us the better understand it. That is why, if their distress is ours, their hope is ours also. In spite of their misery, their chains, their exile, they have left us a glorious heritage which we must deserve: freedom, which they did not win, but which in one single day they gave back to us.