Szalkaly, Janos (Oral history)

Hungarian gunner served with 1st Motorised Artillery Bn, 1st Motorised Bde, Royal Hungarian Army in Hungary and Transylvania, Romania, 1937-1940; gendarme served with Hungarian Royal Gendarmerie in Prekmurje, Yugoslavia, 1941-1944; civilian and member of White Guards in Hungary and Hungarian People's Republic, 1945-1950; inmate at Marianosztra, Varpalota and Budapest Central Prison in Hungarian People's Republic, 1952-1956; insurgent in Szekeferhervar during Hungarian Uprising in Hungarian People's Republic, 11/1956

REEL 1 Background in Hungary, 1920-1937: family. Aspects of period as gunner with 1st Motorised Artillery Bn, 1st Motorised Bde, Royal Hungarian Army in Hungary and during occupation of Transylvania, Romania, 1937-1940: nature of occupation of Transylvania; question of Hungary taking part in Second World War. Recollections of period as gendarme with Royal Hungarian Gendarmerie in Prekmurje, Yugoslavia, 1941-1944: reasons for volunteering for Royal Hungarian Gendarmerie, 1940; occupation of Prekmurje region; taking over of police station from Yugoslav control, 1941; relations between civilians and Hungarian gendarmes; level of Yugoslav Partisan activity in area, 1944; action against partisans, 1944. REEL 2 Continues: aid given to Royal Air Force aircrew; 1944; reasons for leaving Royal Hungarian Gendarmerie, 1944. Recollections of period as civilian in Hungary, 1945: character of Soviet occupation; story of escaping from forced labour with Soviet Army; arrest and escape from Soviet military police; condition of parents' home; hiding from Soviet Army troops; behaviour of Soviet Army troops. Recollections of period as civilian living in Hungary and Hungarian People's Republic, 1945-1950: dissolution of Royal Hungarian Gendarmerie by regime, 1945; relations with local police and avoiding arrest in his village, 1946; character of Hungarian regime. REEL 3 Continues: effect of Hungarian People's Republic regime's policies on father's farm, 1949; joining White Guard underground movement, 1949; objectives and methods of White Guards; character of his underground work, 1949-1950. Recollections of period of imprisonment in Hungarian People's Republic, 1950-1956: arrest by secret police of State Protection Authority (AVH); nature of interrogation and treatment by State Protection Authority (AVH); court appearance and sentencing; conditions during imprisonment at Marianosztra, 1950-1952; work in coal mines at Varpalota; belief he would not have to serve his full sentence; move to Budapest Central Prison, 1956. Recollections of period as prisoner and insurgent during Hungarian Uprising in Hungarian People's Republic, 10/1956-11/1956: initial indications that regime was in trouble, early 1956; placing of prisoners incommunicado, 23/10/1956; leafleting of prison by Swedish aircraft, 10/1956. REEL 4 Continues: release from Budapest Central Prison by Hungarian Army troops, 1/11/1956; sheltering in friend's home in Budapest, 1/11/1956-2/11/1956; interview with Cardinal József Mindszenty, 2/11/1956; lack of trust in Imre Nagy, 11/1956; move to Szekesfehervar, 11/1956; fight with Soviet Army troops at post office in Szekesfehervar. Aspects of escape from Hungary to GB via Austria, 1956: decision to escape to the West, 11/1956; crossing Hungarian-Austrian border; reception on crossing into Austria; interview with British police officers in Graz, Austria, 11/1956; period in youth hostel at Chigwell, GB, 1956; securing employment in GB, after 1956.