Post-War Communist period History of Hungary

1 post-war communist period

1.1 transition communism (1944–1949)
1.2 stalinist era (1949–1956)

1.2.1 nationalisation of economy
1.2.2 rivalry between communist leaders


1.3 1956 revolution
1.4 post revolution (or kádár) era (1956–1989)

1.4.1 end of communism

post-war communist period

transition communism (1944–1949)

the soviet army occupied hungary september 1944 until april 1945. siege of budapest lasted 2 months, december 1944 february 1945 (the longest successful siege of city in entire war, including berlin), , city suffered widespread destruction, including demolition of danube bridges, blown germans in effort slow soviet advance.

by signing peace treaty of paris of 1947, hungary again lost territories had gained between 1938 , 1941. neither western allies nor soviet union supported change in hungary s pre-1938 borders, primary motive behind hungarian involvement in war. soviet union annexed sub-carpathia (before 1938 eastern edge of czechoslovakia), today part of ukraine.

the treaty of peace hungary signed on 10 february 1947 declared that, decisions of vienna award of november 2, 1938, declared null , void , , hungarian boundaries fixed along former frontiers existed on 1 january 1938 except minor loss of territory on czechoslovakian border. many of communist leaders of 1919 returned moscow. first major violation of civil rights suffered ethnic german minority, half of (240,000 people) deported germany in 1946–1948, although great majority of them had not supported germany during war , not members of pro-nazi movement. there forced exchange of population between hungary , czechoslovakia, involved 70,000 hungarians living in slovakia , smaller numbers of ethnic slovaks living in territory of hungary. unlike germans, these people allowed carry of property them.

the soviets planned piecemeal introduction of communist regime in hungary, therefore when set provisional government in debrecen on 21 december 1944, careful include representatives of several moderate parties. following demands of western allies democratic election, soviets authorized free election held in post-war eastern europe in hungary in november 1945. first election held in hungary on basis of universal franchise.

people voted party lists, not individual candidates. @ elections, independent smallholders party, center-right peasant party, won 57% of vote. despite hopes of communists , soviets distribution of aristocratic estates among poor peasants increase popularity, hungarian communist party received 17% of votes. soviet commander in hungary, marshal voroshilov, refused allow smallholders party form government on own.

under voroshilov s pressure, smallholders organized coalition government including communists, social democrats , national peasant party (a left-wing peasant party), in communists held of key posts. on 1 february 1946 hungary declared republic, , leader of smallholders, zoltán tildy, became president. handed on office of prime minister ferenc nagy. mátyás rákosi, leader of communist party, became deputy prime minister.

another leading communist, lászló rajk, became minister of interior responsible controlling law enforcement, , in position established hungarian security police (Ávh). communists exercised constant pressure on smallholders both inside , outside government. nationalized industrial companies, banned religious civil organizations , occupied key positions in local public administration. in february 1947, police began arresting leaders of smallholders party, charging them conspiracy against republic . several prominent figures decided emigrate or forced escape abroad, including prime minister ferenc nagy in may 1947. later, mátyás rákosi boasted had dealt partners in government, 1 one, cutting them off slices of salami .

at next parliamentary election in august 1947, communists committed widespread election fraud absentee ballots (the so-called blue slips ), so, managed increase share 17% 24% in parliament. social democrats (by time servile allies of communists) received 15% in contrast 17% in 1945. smallholders party lost of popularity , ended 15%, former voters turned towards 3 new center-right parties seemed more determined resist communist onslaught: combined share of total votes 35%.

faced second failure @ polls, communists changed tactics, and, under new orders moscow, decided eschew democratic facades , speed communist takeover. in june 1948, social democratic party forced merge communist party create hungarian working people s party, dominated communists. anti-communist leaders of social democrats, such károly peyer , anna kéthly, forced exile or excluded party. after, president zoltán tildy removed position , replaced cooperative social democrat, Árpád szakasits.

ultimately, democratic parties organized so-called people s front in february 1949, thereby losing vestiges of autonomy. leader of people s front rákosi himself. opposition parties declared illegal , leaders arrested or forced exile.

on 18 august 1949, parliament passed hungarian constitution of 1949, modeled after 1936 constitution of soviet union. name of country changed people s republic of hungary, country of workers , peasants every authority held working people . socialism declared main goal of nation. new coat-of-arms adopted communist symbols such red star, hammer , sickle.

stalinist era (1949–1956)

mátyás rákosi, chief secretary of hungarian working people s party de facto leader of hungary, possessed practically unlimited power , demanded complete obedience fellow members of party, including 2 trusted colleagues, ernő gerő , mihály farkas. 3 of them returned hungary moscow, had spent long years , had close ties high-ranking soviet leaders. main rivals in party hungarian communists led illegal party during war , considerably more popular within party ranks.

their influential leader, lászló rajk, minister of foreign affairs @ time, arrested in may 1949. accused of rather surreal crimes, such spying western imperialist powers , yugoslavia (which communist country, in bad relations soviet union @ time). @ trial in september 1949, made forced confession agent of miklós horthy, leon trotsky, josip broz tito , western imperialism. admitted had taken part in murder plot against mátyás rákosi , ernő gerő. rajk found guilty , executed. in next 3 years, other leaders of party deemed untrustworthy, such former social democrats or other hungarian illegal communists such jános kádár, arrested , imprisoned on trumped-up charges.

the showcase trial of rajk considered beginning of worst period of rákosi dictatorship. rákosi attempted impose totalitarian rule on hungary. centrally orchestrated personality cult focused on him , joseph stalin reached unprecedented proportions. rákosi s images , busts everywhere, , public speakers required glorify wisdom , leadership. in meantime, secret police, led through gábor péter rákosi himself, mercilessly persecuted class enemies , enemies of people .

an estimated 2,000 people executed , on 100,000 imprisoned. 44,000 ended in forced-labor camps, many died due horrible work conditions, poor food , practically no medical care. 15,000 people, former aristocrats, industrialists, military generals , other upper-class people deported capital , other cities countryside villages forced perform hard agricultural labor. these policies opposed members of hungarian working people s party , around 200,000 expelled rákosi organization.

nationalisation of economy

by 1950, state controlled of economy, large , mid-sized industrial companies, plants, mines, banks of kind companies of retail , foreign trade nationalized without compensation. slavishly following soviet economic policies, rákosi declared hungary become country of iron , steel though hungary lacked iron ore completely. forced development of heavy industry served military purposes; meant preparation impending world war iii against western imperialism . disproportionate amount of country s resources spent on building whole new industrial cities , plants scratch, while of country still in ruins since war. traditional strengths of hungary, such agricultural , textile industries, neglected.

large agricultural latifundia divided , distributed among poor peasants in 1945. in agriculture, government tried force independent peasants enter co-operatives in become merely paid laborers, many of them stubbornly resisted. government retaliated ever-higher requirements of compulsory food quotas imposed on peasants produce. rich peasants, called kulaks in russian, declared class enemies , suffered sorts of discrimination, including imprisonment , loss of property. them, of able farmers removed production. declining agricultural output led constant scarcity of food, meat.

rákosi rapidly expanded education system in hungary. attempt replace educated class of past rákosi called new working intelligentsia . in addition effects such better education poor, more opportunities working class children , increased literacy in general, measure included dissemination of communist ideology in schools , universities. also, part of efforts @ separation of church , state, practically religious schools taken state ownership, , religious instruction denounced retrograde propaganda , gradually eliminated schools.

the hungarian churches systematically intimidated. cardinal józsef mindszenty, had bravely opposed german nazis , hungarian fascists during second world war, arrested in december 1948 , accused of treason. after 5 weeks under arrest (which included torture), confessed charges against him , sentenced life imprisonment. protestant churches purged , leaders replaced willing remain loyal rákosi s government.

the new hungarian military hastily staged public, pre-arranged trials purge nazi remnants , imperialist saboteurs . several officers sentenced death , executed in 1951, including lajos toth, distinguished fighter ace of world war ii royal hungarian air force, had voluntarily returned captivity revive hungarian aviation. victims cleared posthumously following overthrow of communism.

preparations show trial started in budapest in 1953 prove raoul wallenberg had not been dragged off in 1945 soviet union, victim of cosmopolitan zionists . purposes of show trial, 3 jewish leaders 2 would-be eyewitnesses arrested , interrogated torture. show trial initiated in moscow, following stalin s anti-zionist campaign. after death of stalin , lavrentiy beria, preparations trial stopped , arrested persons released.

rivalry between communist leaders

rákosi s priorities economy developing military industry , heavy industry , providing soviet union war compensation. improving standards of living not priority, , reason people of hungary saw living standards fall. although government became increasingly unpopular, had firm grip on power until stalin died on 5 march 1953 , confused power struggle began in moscow. of soviet leaders perceived unpopularity of hungarian regime , ordered rákosi give position prime minister in favor of former communist-in-exile in moscow, imre nagy, rákosi s chief opponent in party. rákosi, however, retained position general secretary of hungarian working people s party , on next 3 years 2 men became involved in bitter struggle power.

as hungary s new prime minister, imre nagy relaxed state control on economy , mass media , encouraged public discussion on political , economic reform. in order improve general living standards, increased production , distribution of consumer goods , reduced tax , quota burdens of peasants. nagy closed forced-labor camps, released of political prisoners – communists allowed party ranks – , reined in secret police, hated head, gábor péter, convicted , imprisoned in 1954. these rather moderate reforms earned him widespread popularity in country, among peasantry , left-wing intellectuals.

following turn in moscow, malenkov, nagy s primary patron, lost power struggle against khrushchev, mátyás rákosi started counterattack on nagy. on 9 march 1955, central committee of hungarian working people s party condemned nagy rightist deviation . hungarian newspapers joined attacks, , nagy accused of being responsible country s economic problems. on 18 april, dismissed post unanimous vote of national assembly. after, nagy excluded party , temporarily retired politics. rákosi once again became unchallenged leader of hungary.

rákosi s second reign, however, did not last long. power undermined speech made nikita khrushchev in february 1956, in denounced policies of joseph stalin , followers in eastern europe, attacks on yugoslavia , propagation of cults of personality. on 18 july 1956, visiting soviet leaders removed rákosi positions, , boarded plane bound soviet union, never return hungary. soviets made major mistake appointment of close friend , ally, ernő gerő, successor, equally unpopular , shared responsibility of rákosi s crimes.

the fall of rákosi followed flurry of reform agitation both inside , outside party. lászló rajk , fellow victims of showcase trial of 1949 cleared of charges, , on 6 october 1956, party authorized reburial, attended tens of thousands of people , became silent demonstration against crimes of regime. on 13 october, announced imre nagy had been re-instated member of party.

1956 revolution


a soviet tank attempts clear road barricade in budapest, october 1956.

on 23 october 1956, peaceful student demonstration in budapest produced list of 16 demands of hungarians revolutionaries reform , greater political freedom. students attempted broadcast these demands, state protection authority made arrests , tried disperse crowd tear gas. when students attempted free arrested, police opened fire on crowd, setting off chain of events led hungarian revolution of 1956.

that night, commissioned officers , soldiers joined students on streets of budapest. stalin s statue brought down , protesters chanted russians go home , away gerő , long live nagy . central committee of hungarian working people s party responded these developments requesting soviet military intervention , deciding imre nagy should become head of new government. soviet tanks entered budapest @ 2 a.m. on 24 october.

on 25 october, soviet tanks opened fire on protesters in parliament square. 1 journalist @ scene saw 12 dead bodies , estimated 170 had been wounded. shocked these events, central committee of hungarian working people s party forced ernő gerő resign office , replaced him jános kádár.

imre nagy went on radio kossuth , announced had taken on leadership of government chairman of council of ministers . promised far-reaching democratization of hungarian public life, realization of hungarian road socialism in accord our own national characteristics, , realization of our lofty national aim: radical improvement of workers living conditions .

on 28 october, nagy , group of supporters, including jános kádár, géza losonczy, antal apró, károly kiss, ferenc münnich , zoltán szabó, managed take control of hungarian working people s party. @ same time, revolutionary workers councils , local national committees formed on hungary.

the change of leadership in party reflected in articles of government newspaper szabad nép ( free people ). on 29 october newspaper welcomed new government , openly criticized soviet attempts influence political situation in hungary. view supported radio miskolc, called immediate withdrawal of soviet troops country.

on 30 october, imre nagy announced freeing cardinal józsef mindszenty , other political prisoners. informed people government intends abolish one-party state. followed statements of zoltán tildy, anna kéthly , ferenc farkas concerning restitution of smallholders party, social democratic party , petőfi (former peasants) party.

nagy s controversial decision took place on 1 november, when announced hungary intended withdraw warsaw pact proclaiming hungarian neutrality. asked united nations become involved in country s dispute soviet union.

on 3 november, nagy announced details of coalition government. included communists (jános kádár, georg lukács, géza losonczy), 3 members of smallholders party (zoltán tildy, béla kovács , istván szabó), 3 social democrats (anna kéthly, gyula keleman, joseph fischer), , 2 petőfi peasants (istván bibó , ferenc farkas). pál maléter appointed minister of defence.

nikita khrushchev, leader of soviet union, became increasingly concerned these developments , on 4 november 1956 sent red army hungary. soviet tanks captured hungary s airfields, highway junctions , bridges. fighting took place on country, hungarian forces defeated.

during hungarian uprising, estimated 20,000 people killed, during soviet intervention. imre nagy arrested , replaced soviet loyalist jános kádár. nagy imprisoned until execution in 1958. other government ministers or supporters either executed or died in captivity included pál maléter, géza losonczy, attila szigethy , miklós gimes.

post revolution (or kádár) era (1956–1989)

once in power, jános kádár led attack against revolutionaries. 21,600 mavericks (democrats, liberals, reformist communists alike) imprisoned, 13,000 interned, , 400 killed. in 1960s, kádár announced new policy under motto of not against us , modification of rákosi s statement, not against . declared general amnesty, gradually curbed of excesses of secret police, , introduced relatively liberal cultural , economic course aimed @ overcoming post-1956 hostility towards him , regime.

in 1966, central committee approved new economic mechanism , through sought rebuild economy, increase productivity, make hungary more competitive in world markets, , create prosperity ensure political stability. on next 2 decades of relative domestic quiet, kádár s government responded alternately pressures minor political , economic reforms counter-pressures reform opponents. 1980s, had achieved lasting economic reforms , limited political liberalization , pursued foreign policy encouraged more trade west. nevertheless, new economic mechanism led mounting foreign debt incurred in order shore unprofitable industries.

hungary s transition western-style democracy 1 of smoothest among former soviet bloc. late 1988, activists within party , bureaucracy , budapest-based intellectuals increasing pressure change. of these became reform socialists, while others began movements develop parties. young liberals formed federation of young democrats (fidesz); core so-called democratic opposition formed alliance of free democrats (szdsz), , national opposition established hungarian democratic forum (mdf). civic activism intensified level not seen since 1956 revolution.

end of communism

in 1988, kádár replaced general secretary of communist party, , reform communist leader imre pozsgay admitted politburo. in 1989, parliament adopted democracy package included trade-union pluralism; freedom of association, assembly, , press; new electoral law; , in october 1989 radical revision of constitution, among others. since then, hungary has reformed economy , increased connections western europe. became member of european union in 2004.

a central committee plenum in february 1989 endorsed in principle multiparty political system , characterisation of october 1956 revolution popular uprising , in words of pozsgay, reform movement had been gathering strength communist party membership declined dramatically. kádár s major political rivals cooperated move country gradually democracy. soviet union reduced involvement signing agreement in april 1989 withdraw soviet forces june 1991.

national unity culminated in june 1989 country re-buried imre nagy, associates, and, symbolically, other victims of 1956 revolution. hungarian national round table, comprising representatives of new parties , re-created old parties (such smallholders , social democrats), communist party, , different social groups, met in late summer of 1989 discuss major changes hungarian constitution in preparation free elections , transition free , democratic political system.

in october 1989, communist party convened last congress , re-established hungarian socialist party (mszp). in historic session on 16–20 october 1989, parliament adopted legislation providing multi-party parliamentary elections , direct presidential election. legislation transformed hungary people s republic republic of hungary, guaranteed human , civil rights, , created institutional structure ensures separation of powers among judicial, executive, , legislative branches of government. on anniversary of 1956 revolution, 23 october, hungarian republic officially declared provisional president of republic mátyás szűrös replacement hungarian people s republic. revised constitution championed values of bourgeois democracy , democratic socialism , gave equal status public , private property.