Magyar Baráti Közösség

1956  :: Laszlo Papp: Hungarians in New Canaan ::

Közölte lelteto Időpont: 2006. november 13., hétfő, 22:24 PST (506 olvasás)     

During the night of November 4th, 1956, a few of us, mostly students of the nearby Technical University, kept vigil in a third floor apartment facing one of Budapest’s major thoroughfares. The weather was mild, and all our windows were open with Molotov cocktails lined up on the windowsills, ready to be thrown onto the street when the Soviet tanks arrive. And we waited....
We were waiting for the Russians and waiting for the Americans. Russian tanks and American diplomats. We were convinced that if we could delay the Soviet-planned “final solution” for a few days, the international community would intervene and prevent the Soviets from destroying Hungary’s newly gained freedom.

As you all know this did not happen. Instead - despite Khruschev’s promise of withdrawal - the Soviets attacked Budapest, Hungary’s capital city, with 4000 tanks; more than all the tanks Patton had for the US Army’s disposal during the Second World War. The Soviet attack was devastating and allowed the Soviets to install a puppet communist regime that would rule Hungary for 34 years, until the Soviet empire ultimately collapsed following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
In parenthetical note, let add that Hungarian action also contributed to the final demise of the Soviet Union. The Berlin Wall would fall only two days after Hungary opened its borders, removing the “Iron Curtain,”, and let the East Germans through. After the collapse of the Berlin wall, East and West Germany became unified and the Soviet Union would disintegrate.

But let us step back in history for a moment. After World War II, the allied powers imposed a division of spheres at the Yalta conference. The US, Great Britain and France oversaw reconstruction of Western Europe under the Marshall Plan while the Soviet Union was to become the dominant power over East-Central Europe. In effect, the Soviet Union would control those countries that were allied with Germany during the war, like Austria, Slovakia and Hungary, as well as countries that were against the Germans, like Poland and the Czech Republic, as well as countries that had changed alliances like Romania. The Soviets forced these countries into a military alliance, the “Warsaw Pact,” and the Soviet army would occupy these countries indefinitely. In essence, decisions at Yalta would allow Soviet control over Eastern Europe for more than 40 years.

The Soviet rule was brutally oppressive. The “iron curtain” with barbed wire and land mines along the borders separated Eastern Europe physically from the rest of Europe. Rights of free expression, individual rights, freedom of the press and all those liberties which we consider “God given” were banned. Instead a “cult of personality” ruled, meaning that we were required to worship Stalin and his henchmen.
Moreover, the Russians inundated Hungary with propaganda proclaiming the superiority of communism. As in Russia, factories, farmland, and private property were nationalized without compensation. Former capitalists were branded as enemies of the state and many thousands were jailed or deported to forced camps without trials.

Stalin’s death in 1953 brought great relief for countries under Soviet domination. For example, in Hungary the hated prime-minister Rakosi was replaced by a moderate communist, Imre Nagy, who would later became the people’s choice for leadership during the revolution.
Nagy abolished the labor camps, returned land to the farmers, and liberalized the strict control over many aspects of daily life in Hungary.

Within two years, however, the Stalinist hardliners regained the upper hand. By rejecting the reformers, such as Nagy, they reinstalled the oppressive regime, thereby creating a recipe for the revolution. The revolution finally came on October 23, 1956 after the state-controlled radio station refused to allow the students to announce their “16 point” demands on the air waves. Instead, they were shot at by the secret police, and the Russian army were called in to suppress the rebellion. Much to the Russian’s surprise, the young freedom fighters would fight Russia’s well-equipped army using “Molotov cocktails” and primitive weapons.

The fighting quickly escalated and soon a large part of Budapest’s central area became a battlefield. Disabled Soviet tanks and bodies of the invaders as well as Hungarians littered the streets. Many buildings were damaged or destroyed. Among the fallen Hungarian fighters were young boys and girls, some just in their early teens. Their heroism inspired the nation. Demonstrations and resistance to communist rule spread, and the people’s determination to achieve freedom grew.

By the end of October, the revolution’s first phase ended in jubilation. The Russians withdrew their defeated forces from the city and promised to leave the country. Stalin’s large bronze statue was torn down. Every factory and office elected Worker’s Councils to replace the Communist Party leadership. Imre Nagy became prime minister and formed a coalition government with members of the banned popular parties. The entire country celebrated victory and the return of democracy. Free elections were planned.

Unfortunately, the Russians were only biding their time. Fresh Soviet replacements arrived directly from the Soviet union. The Soviets called Hungary’s revolutionary leaders for negotiation, but when they arrived they were arrested instead. Finally, on the morning of Sunday, November 4th, Soviet tanks rolled in from every direction. The Hungarian freedom fighters like me still believed that the West would intervene and help Hungary to maintain its newly earned freedoms.
Despite the stated promise of the Eisenhower administration that the US would help those countries who tried to liberate themselves, the US and the world stood by. No help arrived. Inevitably, the Soviet war-machine overpowered the revolutionaries. Many Hungarians (more than 200 thousand) fled the country on foot after the Soviets reinstalled the communist regime. About a quarter of these refugees eventually settled in the United States. They were received with open arms. Harrison L. Salisbury wrote in The New York Times, that the reception of the (1956) Hungarians was the most successful mass-immigration in the history of the United States. A loss for Hungary, but a gain for America. We can only express the greatest appreciation and gratitude for those who helped the refugees.

New Canaan took part in this process. At the news of the Soviet attack in Budapest a “Hungarian Relief Appeal” was formed here. This was initiated by a group of seven women, led by Mrs. Nelson Jesup. They sponsored clothing collection and sent out appeal for financial contributions. 12 station wagon full of clothing and blankets were flown to Vienna, where the refugees were gathering. Monies received were channelled through the Greenwich Committee for Foreign Relief and the Red Cross. Those assisting Mrs. Jesup included Jeanne Hart, Mrs. William Walters, Mrs. Arthur Trench, Mrs. Norborne Berkeley, Mrs. HT Vandigen,Jr., and Mrs. James Ridpath.

Eventually the local relief efforts were being consolidated under the aegis of three churches, known as the” First Aid for Hungary”. This was co-chaired by James Rogers of St. Marks, Karen Naill and Janet Eberman of the Congregational, and Arthur d’Arizien of the Methodist Church. Malcolm Herdgroves of New Canaan, witnessing the influx of so many refugees reported from Vienna in December, that relief is arriving and the International Red Cross is sending 1 million Dollar. That was soon increased to 5 million.

The Advertiser reported on the front page of the January 24th, 1957 issue, that the first Hungarian refugee family, the Gyula Schmittchens arrived in New Canaan with two doughters, Agnes (9) and Eva Maria (12). They were temporarily housed in the Holmwood Inn’s cottage. After treatment for his leg broken during the escape, Mr. Schmittchen was placed in a job in Stamford with an engineering firm. Two more families arrived during January, later the number reached eleven. Among were the Lokodys, Paul and Georgina, who lived here for many years before moving to Branford. They started their New Canaan life with the Talbot Rantoul family. Paul found work with Dana C. Ackerly’s law firm, later working in New York as a lawyer. Unfortunately he passed away in July of this year, but I believe his son is with us today.

On July 3rd, 1957 the Committee held a reception for all the refugees and their local supporters who participated in the relief effort. It was held at the home of James and Henriette Rogers. More than 150 people of all ages were present.
This formally ended the work of the committee, but the refugees continued their life in their new community. Judith and I started our American life elsewhere and we came to New Canaan only in 1959. I can testify that this was and is a most welcoming and loving community.

After living in Stamford, finally we thought that we can afford to buy our own place and found a one-room summer cottage at the end of Valley Road. We had two children before having built the second room, but that was one of the happiest period of our life.

Many other refugees settled in the area, in Stamford and Norwalk, and I believe several of them are with us today. Some of Hungarian families who settled here, were nationally famous, such as Peter Goldmark, inventor with CBS, Marcel Breuer, architect, one of the noted “Harcard Five”, Paul and Daisy Soros who launched a Fellowship program for new Americans.

Let me finish this brief overview of the 1956 events with a special salute to the Hungarians, that was offered by the now deceased New Canaan resident Brown Bolte. He was an architectural designer, inventor, poet and composer, also active in the New Canaan Historical Society. He wrote a poem entitled “A Prayer for Peace”, and composed its musical adaptation, that was performed by New Canaan’s Community Chorus at its spring event on April 12, 1957. This will be heard now by two prominent ladies from Greenwich, Eniko Szatai mezzo-soprano, and Mary Radcliffe, president of the Greenwich Symphony, accompanying her on the piano.

Laszlo Papp