National holidays, the way they are celebrated in East-Central Europe, have become sterile and lifeless. Over the last ten years in Hungary, the individual gatherings of mini-parties with their handful of followers have shown the opposition politicians’ inability to speak to the hearts of those multitudes who have had enough of Viktor Orbán’s anti-democratic ways.
The official celebrations were even more disgusting, if that is possible. Speeches on the “historical significance” of these occasions were sometimes infuriating, sometimes ludicrous, often both. In fact, when I realized that because of the pandemic the government, somewhat reluctantly, had decided to scrap the official celebrations on March 15 and August 20 this year, I was relieved. The fewer Viktor Orbán self-congratulatory speeches the better.
I was pleased when, back in 1989, October 23 was declared to be an official holiday. It also appealed to me that the politicians of that era saw it as a symbol of the rebirth of Hungarian democracy. Viktor Orbán’s “system of national cooperation,” however, bought only shame to October 23. It was dragged down to the level of Mária Schmidt’s version of the revolution of the “pesti srácok.” Year after year, following the usual laying of wreaths, a small group of youngsters, carrying torches, walked from the Budapest Technical University to Bem Square, mimicking the actual route of the engineering students in 1956. Still, there was a disconnect between 1956 and the nation of today. How much was Orbán’s fault and how much can be attributed simply to the passage of time, it is hard to tell.
Today, however, we can truly celebrate because October 23 was once again filled with meaning. Tens of thousands of people filled the streets between the Budapest Technical University and the Uránia Nemzeti Filmszínház on Rákóczi Street. They went to demonstrate for academic freedom in an event they named “Freedom for all of us—Remembering ’56.”
The revolution of 1956 began as a student demonstration for freedom in the broadest sense of the word, including academic freedom. In the past few weeks I have heard and read many complaints about the lack of solidarity among university students, most of whom don’t seem to realize that the government’s decision to deprive the University of Theater and Film Arts (SZFE) of its autonomy is not a unique event. In fact, most universities have been “privatized,” their senates have been rendered powerless, their rectors have been appointed by the government, and newly named chancellors were placed at the very top of the university hierarchy. They didn’t realize it because their instructors and administrators never explained to them what was happening. Rectors come, rectors go, nobody was paying attention. The faculty remained quiet, hoping to survive the hard times.
The situation was different at SZFE, most likely because it is a small college with a unique structure that cannot be found in any other university, either in Hungary or abroad. The instructors are actors and actresses, called “homeroom teachers,” who oversee a small group of students all through their five years of training. Famous actors and actresses, when reminiscing about their college years, proudly say that they were “in the class of” some famous actor. Teaching acting requires close personal attention to each individual student. Because of this close interaction, the student body has been fully aware of the attempts of the Orbán government, with the assistance of the powerful director of the Budapest National Theater, to use the university for its own political purposes.
The artistic freedom associated with all aspects of the theatrical world is not to the liking of the authoritarian Orbán government. But, like it or not, artists are normally fierce defenders of freedom. That’s why it was the students of SZFE who led the revolt against the present autocratic regime, which wants to subdue all independence of thought and action. Today’s slogan was borrowed from the demonstration in defense of Central European University a couple of years ago: “Free country—free university.” Many commentators are convinced that “something important began today,” which will not end with this demonstration.
The last time I looked at Magyar Nemzet, the paper hadn’t yet reported on this impressive demonstration, but some of the government’s internet sites published opinion pieces which said a lot about the very nature of the regime. Zoltán Lomnici, Jr., the government’s favorite constitutional legal expert, was the first to publish an article in Origo titled “The heavy responsibility of the rabble-rousers for the mass demonstration on October 23.” It seems that the supporters of the regime, which up to this point had paid little attention to defensive measures in face of the growing pandemic threat, were quick to accuse critics of the Orbán government of irresponsibility in organizing a demonstration. Interestingly, 20,000 people in football stadiums, which Viktor Orbán allows, is no health problem whatsoever, but a demonstration for freedom is. Lomnici is worried about the health of young people taking part in the demonstration, who are seen as being traitors to the heroes of ’56.
Magyar Hírlap could not get over the “tasteless demonstration” under way at the Szent István Gymnasium in Zugló. The teachers wound a red and white ribbon around “the founder of the state,” indicating their support for the students and employees of SZFE. Naturally, some people accused the teachers of “bringing politics into the classrooms,” as if it were possible to exclude politics from our everyday lives.
Pesti Srácok called the students of SZFE, who have been occupying the university’s building for the last five weeks, “little revolutionaries” (forradalmárkák). Drunk with their non-stop self-applause, the students began a numbers war about the size of the crowds, the paper wrote. In any case, there were more organizers than demonstrators, claims Pesti Srácok. As for the message, “any parallel drawn between ’56 and the SZFE demonstration” is outrageous. As usual, these defenders of the regime find any criticism of the government illegitimate and believe that it should be suppressed.
It is very encouraging. They need more of it.
Unfortunately, we are better informed here about the brave opposition of SZFE agains the regime’s attempt to rob them of their independence and freedom and what they stand for, than 80-85% of the population in Budapest, less in the countryside. I talked to a few people (mostly elderly people) and they don’t know much about why the SZFE is occupying the institution and they don’t care. The viktor is fine, since there is no better leader, they say, there is nobody else to vote for.
Until there are leaders representing the true opposition, leaders who are independent form the present political system, the viktor has a lock on the country, even if he does not get the 2/3 majority again. The Fidesz NER knights own the country lock, stock and barrel. They can paralyze it.
I agree Gyula, up to a pont, but when Orbán’s regime crumbles, the illegitimate manner in which most of the property deals have been done through his greedy fingers will be exposed and most of his acolytes will be serving jail time.
It will be an opportunity to return to some kind of normal, for Hungary. And the frequencies for news sites in the countryside will once again be available, informing the ignorant about exactly what has been going on, under their noses, throughout the Fidez regime.
I am happy and grateful to “Hungarian Spectrum” after reading today’s post. There will be some who may write that the demonstration by students in Budapest is too little and too late. However, those comments would miss the significance of the date, October 23, let alone that the 1956 revolution was part of a historical process. At age 73, I hope I will live long enough to see the end of this wretched regime, but it is clear to me that the regime will end. Only the timing is in question. The students have reclaimed October 23 from the regime, which I am certain, was exactly their point! Thus, the events of today are also part of a process, ending this regime. Congratulations to the young and their friends such as Professor Balogh. On another topic, I have done what I can to unseat the regime here in the US. When Trump is turned out, it will be clear that his defeat was part of a larger process. Sadly, many have been injured on multiple levels by these two regimes. Many have lost their lives, especially in US, but also in Hungary, secondary to incompetence regarding Covid-19. We must never… Read more »
The SZFE initiated demonstration yesterday was much more than remembrance of the 1956 uprising and sympathy towards towards the students and their teachers. It showed that there is still hope on which one can build that in-spite of the overwhelming and forceful control of the regime this could be the start of a movement that perhaps even Orban and his henchmen cannot stop. To participate in the demonstration was such a heartwarming experience in these hard times of the pandemic that that wasn’t felt for many years under this nightmarish regime. The evil people of the world that Orban, Trump, Johnson and the likes belong undoubtedly will lose sooner or later and democracy and humanity will return, the sooner the better…
No need to put everything in bold, it makes texts harder to read and misses the point to stress out what needs to be.
Sorry about this, but the text was written on an iPad and apparently inherited the format from there….
When you put it into the wordpress text box you should be able to highlight it all, and unclick B.
“64 years ago today, freedom-loving Hungarians revolted against communist rule. Their spirit inspired the Prague Spring, Poland’s Solidarity movement, and the fall of the Berlin Wall.
As president, I’ll always stand in defense of democracy and freedom at home and around the world.”
Joe Biden, 2020-10-23
https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1319732324616077315
Joe Biden, after his staff helped him figure out how to post those words on Twitter:
“Whawazzat? Hungary? No thanks, I just had lunch…. whooo hahahah!
Now, when I was vice-president under Senator Barack O… Baracko… oh, YOU KNOW that thing!!!!
I remember when we used to have those dirigibles coming down onto the Empire State Building… the kids liked my hairy legs and used to stroke them… man, I like oatmeal.”
1956-10-22
The 16 points (demands) of the student organization of the Budapest University of Technology:
Demands that have to be repeated 64 years later:
#5
‘We demand equal multiparty […] elections’.
‘We demand that workers should have the right to go on strike’.
#8: ‘The [secret] foreign trade agreements should be published’.
(today’s secret agreements: Russian Paks II atomic power plant, Chinese Beograd – Budapest train line, etc).
#9 ‘We demand the [re]establishment of the minimal living wage for workers.’ [Orban’s statistical office stopped disclosing the minimal living wage a few years ago].
#12. ‘We demand complete freedom of opinion, speech and press and free radio stations’
#14 ‘We demand the official usage of the Kossuth coats & arms instead of [the current one]’.
Thank you. Great set of comments, especially showing some parallels between October, 1956 and October, 1956. I still have the old Kossuth coat of arms in my office. Sadly, many, especially the young do not understand the value of that symbol.
I meant parallels between Oct.1956 and Oct.2020.
A Hungarian government standpoint concerning yesterday’s SZFE demonstrations was recently published by atv.hu. The link is here, it is in Hungarian but I believe many of us who read this blog can read Hungarian texts… http://www.atv.hu/belfold/20201023-en-orulok-hogy-ilyen-sokan-tuntetnek-ertunk-kommentalta-a-szinmuveszetisek-demonstraciojat-gulyas-gergely
and it’s cynical, demagogic, and entirely predictable.
“Freedom for all of us—Remembering ’56.” From the history …
Erika Kornélia Szeles 15 was daughter of Noémi Blumenfeld and Sándor Sleser. Her mother worked as a typist in a company. “She was a communist in an almost religious way” Erika’s father died in 1944, some sources say he was killed by Germans in a concentration camp.
When her boyfriend formed a resistance group with some fellow students she chose to join them. She learned how to use a sub-machine gun and fought alongside the group in several skirmishes with Soviet soldiers. A few days afterward she was approached by friends who, knowing that Russian divisions were pouring into Hungary, feared for her safety. They argued that she was too young to be fighting and she agreed to put down her gun and to instead serve the resistance as a Red Cross nurse.
The resistance group she was with became involved in a heavy firefight with Russian soldiers in the center of Budapest. When a friend of hers was wounded she ran forward to help him. Despite being unarmed and wearing a Red Cross uniform she was gunned down and died instantly.
Hungary’s tragic fight for Freedom
http://thefemalesoldier.com/blog/erika-szeles
Orban is a really good con and some people will let him con them but its base gets smaller every time. The only ones who could change anything in Hungary are the womens. The lazy fat sacks lie on the couch and do themselves not bother with Orbán’s patriarchal church Latin creed as long as they are not affected themself.
@Don…
Yes, Sir, President Orban must be quite a magician as, in consideration of what you say as his base getting smaller every time, it’s quite amazing how he and Fidsesz continue to win with such large margins.
Yes Orban is a really good con.
I think I have lost track of the number of large demonstrations in Budapest Eva has discussed on the blog over the years I have been reading it. One of largest was over the internet tax proposal in October 2014. Then there was the large teachers march in Budapest in 2016. At least in tone Eva discussed all of these demonstrations as harbingers of the eventual demise of Orban. It goes on and on. What Belarus shows if that truly massive demonstrations can be organized and sustained week after week even then they will not necessarily bring down a repressive regime. There has to be a disruption to society for mass mobilizations to shake the foundations of a repressive government. If the foundation is shaken then the regime still has response options. For one thing the government can pretend it’s not happening for a long time, they may or may not believe the continuous demonstrations are undermining the foundations of a repressive government. The disruption to the life of the majority of people who are not activists is featured in the media and calls for control of the situation are argued for. Then force is used in an escalating fashion… Read more »
You are right Istvan that time is not on the side of the protesters. And why should it be? I know that there are question marks about the ability of the voters in Hungary to send Orban packing, but in my view there is a much bigger question mark over their willingness to support a move to achieve that in an election.
As for the USA and how it is policed must be ultimately a matter for the people who live there. Education, protest, political commitment all play an important role. The BLM movement is for extreme activists in the USA and will achieve nothing. In the U.K. where we do not have the policing problem demonstrated in the Floyd killing BLM has become very silly. It is concentrated in combating a largely invented racism in Soccer crowds. So, before each soccer game they must all “take the knee” in what are these days empty stadiums.
You are right to ask “if Biden is elected”. After his finger in the pie with son Hunter and his oil gaff, the old chap is in much trouble.
Aida, re Biden:
You should read this:
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/10/smears-against-biden-dont-need-make-any-sense/616824/
Btw the author is Anne Applebaum – many here have heard her name and she’s been mentioned on this site.
Thanks for this. I have not read it in the detail I am sure it deserves.
The Biden problem is the email thanking Hunter for meeting Dad. After 47 years in politics he is very likely to have succumbed to temptation. People will very likely believe he did.
Trump says he had done more for blacks than anyone since Lincoln. Where is the rebuttal?
Trump is winning. Sadly, but that is the likely result. The oil gaff was catastrophic.
The photograph shows a lot of people who look unified, peaceful and determined. Congratulations to those in the march for choosing the day so auspiciously. This is a strong statement to the dictatorial Orbán government: People don’t like the way you are doing business: You are secretive, flagrantly dishonest, you do not listen (except to your own daemons) and you have no interest in the Greater Good of Hungarian Society, bound up as you are in your own dogma and your bizarre Nationalism.
We know that laws have been crafted to prevent a Fidesz election loss at the national level, so what do people ask? Where is the alternative? The use of force would be tragic. It is to be hoped that that path is not forced on to the People.
I have been following the SZFE story from the beginning. There have been protests and marches before but this seems better timed, better planned and very intelligent in its self-presentation. They have been very careful not to associate themselves with any particular opposition party, or indeed with the notion of ‘opposition’ at all. It was interesting that their speakers appear not to have been pre=publicised and that their spokespeople keep changing. The government can’t pick them off one by one nor can they smear them too easily. It is very encouraging. The longer the SZFE stand-off lasts the less good the government looks. It may turn out to be a small thing but it may be the removal of one more brick in the government wall.
Re: ‘It is very encouraging’. The demonstrators do indeed having those sparks of liberty living inside them. They duly believe and understand something of what Genet had said… “The main object of a revolution is the liberation of man , not the interpretation and application of some transcendental ideology”. Jean Genet 1983 In that they honor the Magyar dead of ‘56 who fought the ‘Big Lie’ against those who saw revolution as simply an act to double down on repression and throw freedoms and rights into garbage cans. Another ‘revolution’, an ‘illiberalist’ one now has come on the scene and rears its head with limiting and denying rights , smothering free expression, subjugating media and holding a nation hostage to its ‘laws’. It is none other than the active suppression of democracy. And some of the people experiencing the suffocations are not being quiet. Heartening to see the torch of democracy always flickering. They understand what was lost in ‘89. They apparently know very well what they want to be and that’s to be always free rather than a slave subject to overseers. And for some watchers who take in the unfolding scene they know implicitly that once you experience… Read more »
Re: US elections
Long-term trends in US economy:
change of the number of wage earners ; change of the inequality of net wages
wage inequality: = [net average]/[net median] wage
Clinton: 2001 vs 1993:
#wage earners up 15.19%; wage inequality up 2.6% (8-year change)
Bush Jr: 2009 vs 2001:
#wage earners up 1.78%; wage inequality up 2.5% (8-year change)
Obama : 2017 vs 2009:
#wage earners up 9.62%; wage inequality up 2.8% (8-year change)
Trump : 2019 vs 2017:
#wage earners up 2.35%; wage inequality down 0.8% (2-year change)
Labor participation rate:
Sep 2001: 66.8%
Sep 2009: 65.1%
Sep 2017: 63.1%
Sep 2020: 61.4%
The Slovak government started the antigen testing of the ENTIRE population.
If you are not willing to take the test, you will be confined to your home for 10 days.
Details:
https://parameter.sk/igy-zajlik-majd-tomeges-teszteles-mutatjuk-pontos-menetet
First results from 4 districts: 3.64% of the population are contagious !!
https://parameter.sk/porog-tovabb-probateszteles-az-eszaki-jarasokban
Just this minute:
US confirmed infections: 8,800,000
US confirmed CoViD-19 deaths: 230,000
I imagine the core meaning of the 1956 revolt holiday is all about celebrating an unwillingness to NOT be swallowed up by larger external forces, something which, one would think, is every bit as meaningful today as then – perhaps even more so, because not only is the new threat interested in shutting down The Hungarian Churches, it would also like to shut down the Hungarian race, identity, and nation – and, just in case that is not enough, it would also like to obliterate customs, as well.
Soviet Communism, for all it’s horrors, really was a silly thing compared to the Modern Western Liberal threat, if that last semantic could be applied to that which is presently hunting The Hungarian Nation.
Those Hungarians who are feeling very fearful are wise to do so, for what is now threatening them, from without and within, has conquered my land and is now bleeding it dry of every resource – both inner and outer.
The 1957 UN report “The Hungarian Revolution of 1956” quotes an 18-year-old girl student:
“We wanted freedom and not a good comfortable life. Even though we might lack bread and other necessities of life, we wanted freedom. We, the young people, were particularly hampered because we were brought up amidst lies. We continually had to lie. We could not have a healthy idea, because everything was choked in us. We wanted freedom of thought…”
The Special UN Committee stated that her words most concisely expressed the motives for the 1956 Revolution.
source: http://www.hungarianhistory.com/lib/unreport/unreport.pdf
Currently under OV’s “lidurshyp” Hungary is clearly evolving in the opposite direction to the wishes as then expressed by that 18-year-old girl… and now felt again by many!