Description
Object description
Hungarian civilian in Kesztolc, Hungary, 1941-1945; member of resistance to regime in Hungarian People's Republic, 1949-1952; inmate in Budapest Prison and mines at Valpalota and Dorag in Hungarian People's Republic, 1952-1956; insurgent during Hungarian Uprising in Hungarian People's Republic, 10/1956-11/1956; escaped to GB via Austria, 1956-1957
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Kesztolc, Hungary, 1925-1943: family; education. Recollections of period as civilian living in Kesztolc, Hungary, 1943-1945: attitude towards Second Word War, 1943; Jewish civilians who hid in woods in area; fate of Jews in village; how his father saved a female Jewish civilians; attitude of villagers towards Soviet Army, 1944; removal of villagers to Sovet Union, 1944-1945; treatment of villagers by Soviet Army; Soviet Army execution of German prisoners of war; accidental bombing of village by Soviet Air Force aircraft. Recollections of period as member of resistance to regime in Hungarian People's Republic, 1949-1952: establishment of socialist regime, 8/1949; attitude towards collectivisation; confiscation of family's property; employment; joining anti-Communist organisation; distributing leaflets aimed at regime; prior recollection of listening to Lazlo Rajk's speech at Dorog, 1946; question of how as a member of the Social Democratic Party of Hungary he automatically became a member of the Hungarian Communist Party. Aspects of period of as inmate in Budapest Prison and in mines at Varpalota and Dorag in Hungarian People's Republic,1952-1956: arrest for anti-Communist activities, 1952.
REEL 2 Continues: how he was kept incommunicado for six months after arrest; conditions in Budapest Prison; transfer to mining work at Varpalota; character of trial; willingness to use armed force against regime, 1952; release from mines at Dorag, 8/1956; refusal to shake hands with local Hungarian Communist Party official on release. Recollections of period as insurgent during Hungarian Uprising in Hungarian People's Republic, 10/1956-11/1956: blowing up of local Hungarian Communist Party official at Kesztolc; attending meeting during which Soviet Army fired into crowd at Esztergom, 24/10/1956; second meeting at Esztergom; capture of tanks and attempt to use one against Soviet Army Headquarters in Esztergom, 25/10/1956-26/10/1956; joining party of insurgents to go and fight in Budapest, 27/10/1956.
REEL 3 Continues: question of indecision of insurgents; reasons why his wife opposed him becoming local revolutionary leader in Kesztolc; organisation of food supplies for Budapest, 28/10/1956; distribution of weapons to civilians in Budapest, 29/10/1956; preparations to stop Soviet Army tanks moving through Kesztolc towards Budapest; released political prisoners who wanted to escape to Austria; aid given to insurgents who were heading to the West; belief that western powers would intervene in conflict. Aspects of his escape to GB via Austria, 1956-1957: manhunt for him after his move into hiding, 12/1956; decision to escape to Austria with wife; problems of escaping from Hungary; crossing into Austria, 20/12/1956; stay in Austria and move to GB, 1957.
REEL 4 Continues: settling in GB, 1957. Aspects of period as insurgent Hungarian Uprising in Hungarian People's Republic, 10/1956-11/1956: reasons why he went to Esztergom at beginning of uprising, 10/1956; offer from troops of Hungarian People's Army to aid uprising in Esztergom; types of people who joined secret police of the State Protection Authority.