Flash Back to Refugee Life

November 19th 1956 was a pivotal day in my life. I crossed the Austrian border from Hungary, left behind family and the homeland that I loved. At 18 one is supposed to be adventurous, willing to explore new horizons. But, when at age 18 you are away from home for the first time, and in a foreign land where you don’t understand the language, live in a guarded camp, the spirit of adventure can become a frightening picture of reality.
The exodus of over 200,000 Hungarians to the west after the defeat of the 1956 student revolution in Hungary created some real challenges to western powers. Governments were genuinely willing to help by taking in refugees but the numbers put a new reality check on the magnitude of willingness. Besides the humanitarian sympathy, there was a feeling of guilt by some countries who encouraged freedom fighters through Radio Free Europe and Voice of America by implying (without actually saying) that help was on its way. We believed them and when help was not coming, we felt abandoned. (In addition, the timing of the French-British-Israeli invasion of Egypt over the nationalization of the Suez canal was considered to be a significant contributor towards the defeat of the revolution.
In the refugee camps near Graz, Austria, delegations of western countries were holding meeting to screen refugees. There was a serious concern by western countries, that members of the dreaded Hungarian secret police also crossed the border and were among us seeking refugee status. Then there was talk that our ranks were infiltrated by communists who’s objective was to spy for the Soviet Union. This in turn created suspicion on all refugees and the onus was on us to proved that we were not one of the undesirables.
When the exodus of refugees picked up momentum, the US Government initially set a limit of 6,500 but this number went up to 80,000. Canada welcomed 40,000, Britain took in 22,000, France 13,000 and the rest went to other countries. I ended up among those who went to Britain.
Today, it is estimated that over 35 million men, women and children are either temporarily or permanently exiled from their homes. This is more than the entire population of Canada.
Flashback to refugee life brings back memories that are bittersweet. There were feelings of hopelessness: how will I survive in this strange land without speaking the language, having no education or trade, and without the family to support me? At the same time, there was a glimmer of hope that new opportunities will open up. And, I was one of the lucky ones. A wonderful and caring family that I met in church in Halifax, Yorkshire (Mrs. and Mrs. Gillespie) took interest in my situation. They helped me with learning the English language and invited me for lunch every Sunday after church. They also helped me to win a scholarship at the University of Edinburgh to study science. Nine months after leaving the refugee camp, I was a full time student at the University studying for a B.Sc. degree.
My message to today’s refugees: show that you are willing to take the next step. There are many caring people in volunteer and church organizations who are willing to help you. You only need to reach out to them and show that you are willing to re-build your shattered life. And, remember: every dark cloud has a silver lining.