After Stalin’s death, the suppression of people by the
communists eased. We were all taken back with the
changes that occurred when Nagy replaced Rakosi as prime
minister. He freed the political prisoners, including my uncle
István When uncle István came home from the labour camp
in Recsk the family huddled up behind closed doors to hear
what happened to him. We could hardly believe that human
beings could be that cruel. He was severely beaten daily
when he was at the AVH holding cell in Szombathely. But
when he was interned at the AVH headquarters in Budapest
where Cardinal Mindszenty was interned (60 Andrássy ut)
the real cruelty reached unbelievable heights.
Uncle István described the tortures he received in the
basement cells at the AVH headquarters. He spent nights
bare-footed in a cell that had water running through it with
rats swimming around. The cruelty included:
Beatings with rubber batons until he became
unconscious
Two or three policemen would kick him with boots when
he was tackled down to the floor until he passed out
Standing naked in a small cell and if he leaned on a wall,
would receive a painful electric shock
Shoving salt into his mouth then was forced to drink
water from the toilet bowl
Going without food for days
Going without sleep for many nights and days
Being handcuffed and in leg irons for several days and
nights.
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