Description
Object description
Hungarian officer cadet with Hungarian People's Army during Hungarian Uprising in Budapest, Hungarian People's Republic, 10/1956-11/1956
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Tokaj and Kosica, Hungary, 1932-1945: family; education; entry of German Army into Kosica, Hungary, 3/1944. Recollections of evacuation from Hungary to Germany, 1/1945-2/1945: flight of family in hospital train from invading Soviet forces, 1/1945; arriving in Berlin, Germany, 1/1945; devastated state of Berlin, Germany; halt in Dresden, Germany, 2/1945; congested state of Dresden, Germany and how hospital train escaped the city a few hours before it was bombed by Allied aircraft, 12/2/1945; arrival of hospital train in Gyor, Hungary, 2/1945; work and conditions on board train; sight of German forces' efforts to repel Soviet offensive, 2/1945; move of hospital train to Szombathely, Hungary. Aspects of trek from Hungary towards Salzburg, Austria, 4/1945; Allied bombing of Salzburg, Austria; shots fired at him by German policeman; leaflets dropped by Allied aircraft; United States Army Air force bombing of Salzburg, Austria, 4/1945; entry of United States Army troops into Salzburg, Austria; abandoned weapons in Salzburg area, Austria, 5/1945; Allied handing over of Hungarian Displaced Persons to move back to Hungary, 5/1945.
REEL 2 Continues: escape from train which took Displaced Persons to Soviet Union. Aspects of period as schoolchild and student in Hungary and Hungarian People's Republic, 1945-1955: return to home, 6/1945; start of education in boarding school, Szeged, 1945; economic conditions in early post-war years; rigging of elections by Hungarian Communist Party in 1947; effect of Hungarian Communist Party take over on education; arrest for complaining of official's treatment of drunk, 1948; arrest by State Protection Authority (AVH) after his name was found in diary of youth who escaped to the West, 1949; how State Protection Authority (AVH) monitored him after this arrest; allocation to architecture course at University of Budapest. Recollections of period as officer cadet with Hungarian People's Army in Hungarian People's Republic, 1955-1956: conscription into Hungarian People's Army, 1955; entry as artillery officer cadet into Kossuth Military Academy, 1955; question of uneducated men made into commissioned officers by regime.
REEL 3 Continues: background to becoming military athlete, summer 1956. Recollections of operations as insurgent during Hungarian Uprising in Budapest, Hungarian People's Republic, 1956: first sign of possibility of political change, summer 1956; cancellation of military leave without explanation, 22/10/1956; reaction to radio broadcast by Erno Gero, 23/10/1956; riots in Budapest, 1954; experiences at Radio Building during disturbances in Budapest, demand of crowd for soldiers to hand over weapons and shooting dead of one civilian, 23/10/1956; Soviet Army troops move from Székesféhervar into Budapest, 24/10/1956; arming of Hungarian civilians at Kilian Barracks; attacks on Soviet Army tanks, 24/10/1956; fighting in Budapest, 25/10/1956; formation of revolutionary council in his barracks; orders for Colonel Pal Maleter to retake Kilian Barracks; his arrival at Kilian Barracks and sight of Colonel Pal Maleter; anxiety to avoid atrocities.
REEL 4 Continues: presence at disturbances when Paris Match reporter was shot near Headquarters, Communist Party of Hungary, 26/10/1956; sight of shooting of State Protection Authority (AVH) personnel; Soviet forces' withdrawal from city, 30/10/1956; Janos Kadar's apparent support for uprising; return of Soviet Army troops, 2/11/1956; lack of hostility from Soviet Army troops long stationed in Hungarian People's Republic; Soviet Army tank shelling in city, 3/11/1956; taking automatic weapon and hand grenades from his barracks to Kilian Barracks, 3/11/1956; his grenade attack on Soviet Army armoured personnel carrier, 3/11/1956; Soviet Army's mortaring of area around Kilian Barracks; supply of weapons to workers from Csepel area; question of becoming indifferent to survival during fighting, 11/1956; Soviet shooting of civilian in Red Cross clothing, 5/11/1956; pledge of fellow insurgents to continue the fight, 7/11/1956.
REEL 5 Continues: reduction of fighting to night-time raids on Soviet checkpoints; narrow escape from death at hands of Soviet forces, 8/11/1956; end of fighting, 9/11/1956; ordering twelve year old boy to go back to his parents; realisation of hopelessness of situation and decision of fourteen of his group to cross into Austria; escape from Budapest in potato lorry to Székesféhervar; boarding train at Siofok; aid from railway official; growth of escape party to over seventy including women and children, 16/11/1956; crossing of Austrian border, 17/11/1956. Recollections of period as refugee in Austria and GB, 1956-1957: reception of Hungarians at Graz, Austria, 11/1956; desire to go to Australia or New Zealand; arrival in GB, 4/12/1956; placing of Hungarian refugees in former military barracks in Colchester, GB, 12/1956; employment with English architect and decision to stay in GB rather than going to Australia, 1957.
REEL 6 Continues: settlement in GB and development of career as architect. Recollections of operations as insurgent during Hungarian Uprising in Budapest Hungarian People's Republic, 10/1956-11/1956: fate of army group sent to Kilian Barracks, 24/10/1956; holding State Protection Authority (AVH) officer hostage, 28/10/1956; his political opinion of regime by 10/1956; how Hungarian Communist Party regime ruled by fear; how it was children and workers of 'Red Csepel' who engaged in majority of fighting; attitude to participation in Hungarian Uprising; question of achievements of Hungarian Uprising; story of insurgent who shot himself in foot, 11/1956; Soviet forces' attack on food queue in Budapest, 11/1956.
