My great-great grandfather was a freedom fighter in the 1848 Hungarian revolution. I followed in his footsteps in 1956.
In October 1956 I was attending high school in Sárvár, Hungary. I just started my 4th year (Grade 12). On October 24th I got up at 6 am at the place where my mother arranged room and board for me during the school year. I turned on the radio and started to shave. First I thought that the reception was bad on the radio because I was hearing loud cracking noises. Then the announcer said with a highly excited voice: “Dear listeners, you are hearing the sounds of machine guns. Yesterday, university students were peacefully demonstrating on the streets and the AVH (Hungarian KGB) fired on them, killing many students, women and children and as a result, the fighting has now spread throughout Budapest. Hungary has erupted into a revolution”. I got dressed, packed my books and clothes, strapped the suitcase on the back of the bicycle and started my 10 km trip to the village of Nyögér where my parents lived. When I got home around noon, my parents were very excited that a revolution was in full swing in Budapest and that we may soon gain our freedom from the Soviet occupation. I spent the afternoon visiting friends and speculating on what was going on in Budapest. In the evening at 6 pm there was a mass in our Roman Catholic parish church. The priest, Father Lenarsics, was well known for his anti-communist views. So, he delivered a compassionate message to the faithful to support the revolution. Our church was parish for two other villages, so there was only standing room as people were looking for some direction from the priest. At the end of the mass, as people were coming out of church, Father Lenarsics was at the main door and suggested that somebody recite the patriotic poem of Petöfi which was an inspiration to the 1848 freedom fight against the Austrians. Since I was standing near the priest, several people volunteered me to do the honors. I was well known in the village as a leading actor in a touring troupe, and often recited poetry on special occasions. I did not have to be asked twice; I stood on the top of the stairs leading to the main entrance of the church, while the parishioners gathered around. I was about 10 stairs above the ground so I could see the faces of the people waiting. I paused for a moment, and then started the poem “Talpra Magyar”, which is translated into English as:
Rise up, Magyar, the country calls!
It's 'now or never' what fate befalls...
Shall we live as slaves or free men?
That's the question – choose your `Amen'!
God of Hungarians, we swear unto Thee, We swear unto Thee,
That slaves we shall no longer be!
I recited four verses of the poem which excited a lot of people and caused the establishment of a Revolutionary Youth Council. I was acclaimed to be the Chairman of the Council. I accepted this honor because I believed that communism had to be defeated by the people who were exploited by this cruel regime. So, I became a freedom fighter, following in the footsteps of my great-great grandfather who took part in the 1848 revolution against the Austrian empire. He paid the ultimate price for his action by losing his life. I was luckier when our revolution was defeated; although I lost my country I went on to build a better life in the free world. I hope that this family tradition stops with me and my grandchildren and great-great grandchildren can live peacefully and don’t have to become freedom fighters.
