Hungarian Revolution

October 23, 1956

I was reminded this morning, by a comment on the radio, that the 68th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution/Revolt is occurring this coming Wednesday, October 23rd.

I was vividly reminded of that time. I was a Freshman at Penn State and we had only been in classes for about a month. Penn State was a “Land Grant School” and as a result it was a requirement that all male students take R.O.T.C. for two years. I had chosen Air force R.O.T.C. We had a choice between Army or Air Force. Navy R.O.T.C. was a scholarship program, and those in that program were in for all four years of college. Upon graduation, they would become an officer in either the Navy or Marines.

Those in Army or Air Force R.O.T.C. could apply for advanced R.O.T.C. for the last two years of college. To qualify for advanced R.O.T.C. you had to take both a physical as well as an I.Q. oriented test and meet certain requirements.

In 1956, you were required to register for the draft for the armed forces. As a college student, we were exempt from the draft during the period that we were in school. Upon graduation we were eligible to be drafted into one of the services.

When the Hungarian Revolution began, the rumors were rampant that we were going to be drafted immediately. As members of the R.O.T.C. program, we expected to get the word, any day, that we were going to be called to active duty. As a result, we all followed the television and radio reporting of the situation in Hungary diligently.

The Revolution began in Budapest on October 23, 1956, by a group of university students . They were protesting against Russia’s domination of Hungary. The students had 16 demands for political and economic reform. They managed to take over the radio station in Budapest, and broadcast their demands to the people of Hungary. They were met by the Hungarian State Police and several students were killed.

As a result of this, Hungarian’s formed militias and captured many local communist leaders and policemen. Many of those captured were executed. Russia entered Hungary with troops and tanks to quell the revolution. US television carried pictures and reporting daily.

Fighting was fierce and on November 10, 1956, the rebellion was over, and Russia was once again in control. Over 200,000 Hungarians fled Hungary for political refuge in other countries. Many were able to come to the United States as political refugees. Most of the refugees went to Austria but thirty seven countries took in these refugees.

During this revolt, over 2,500 Hungarians were killed and over 20,000 wounded. Russia suffered 689 deaths and 1,450 wounded.

The rumors that college students were going to be drafted quickly went away.

Hungary suffered under communist rule until 1989 when the “Berlin Wall” came down between Europe and Eastern Europe. “The Republic of Hungary” was declared on the 33rdanniversary of this revolt.

My wife and I had the opportunity to visit Budapest in the late 1990’s. What an experience! Budapest is a vibrant city with many magnificent sights and historical buildings. Many of the buildings still carry the “gun shot” marks of 1956.

One of the reasons that this still stands out so clearly in my memory is because the two Doctor’s that delivered and cared for our first child, in 1962, were refugees from that revolt.

Both parents, of one of the Doctor’s, were also Doctors. However, the language barrier prevented them from being licensed in this country. Their daughter and her husband were also Doctors and licensed. They had established a thriving OB-GYN practice in Alexandria, Va., with the parents serving as medical technicians.