[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 144 (Thursday, September 22, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H5806-H5807]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMEMORATING THE 1956 HUNGARIAN REVOLUTION AGAINST THE SOVIET UNION
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from
Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) for 5 minutes.
Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise to engage in a colloquy with my very
able colleague from Florida, Congressman Dennis Ross. And perhaps as we
begin, we can welcome into our midst the very able Ambassador from
Hungary to the United States, Ms. Reka Szemerkenyi.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Ross).
Mr. ROSS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur)
for yielding. And I do wish to say hello to our good friend from
Hungary, Ambassador Szemerkenyi.
I am grateful, quite frankly, to have this opportunity, Mr. Speaker,
as I rise today to recognize the 60th anniversary of the Hungarian
Revolution and Freedom Fight.
Sixty years ago this October, Hungary stood tall in the shadows of
communism and said: Enough is enough--eleg volt. Hungarian
schoolchildren and college students took up arms against the
totalitarian government and its Soviet policies.
On October 23, 1956, approximately 20,000 protesters convened next to
the statue of General Jozef Bem, a national hero of Hungary. Despite
orders to disband, protestors tore down a 30-foot bronze statue of
Stalin near the city's Heroes' Square.
The following morning, power was consolidated and a new multiparty
government was formed. The Hungarian Revolution spread like wildfire
throughout the countryside.
On November 1, Prime Minister Imre Nagy announced Hungary's
withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact and a declaration of neutrality.
Embarrassed by the uprising, the USSR sent Soviet tanks and troops
across the Hungarian border. Unfortunately, thousands of Hungarian
civilians were killed, and the communist-backed government in Budapest
was reinstalled.
In the months that followed the Hungarian Revolution, more than
20,000
[[Page H5807]]
Hungarians were imprisoned, 229 were executed, and more than 200,000
were forced to flee across the world.
Many of the Hungarians, named ``56ers'' because of the year that this
happened, sought new lives in the United States with the help of
Hungarian Americans, many of whom live in my good friend, Ms. Kaptur's
district.
My own parents were married in the Hungarian Catholic Church, St.
Emeric, also located in Ms. Kaptur's district. And as a child and
grandchild of Hungarian Americans who helped 56ers, I am honored to
sponsor this resolution with my good friend from Ohio in commemoration
of the 60th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.
I would like to thank my Hungarian American Caucus co-chairs: Ms.
Kaptur, Andy Harris, and David Joyce.
Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for organizing this
event this morning, and I wish to also say that the 1956 Hungarian
Revolution was a breakpoint historical event that marked a turning
point in the cold war.
It took great courage by those who participated during that
unforgettable period as freedom fighters in Budapest and across that
country stood tall in opposition to the communist-installed Hungarian
people's false government and its Soviet-imposed repression.
{time} 1030
You can travel to Budapest, Hungary, today, and you can see the
bullet holes and the tank markings in some of the old, old buildings in
that country. We know over 2,500 Hungarians died, 20,000 were
imprisoned, and over 200,000 more fled as refugees.
Congressman Ross has referenced certain individuals in my own region.
Some of those refugees came to Ohio, including men like Reverend Martin
Hernady, who ministered his entire life in Ohio serving the Hungarian
diaspora, and the Ujvagi family of Toledo, whose compassion,
patriotism, and genius have meant so much to our community and to me,
personally.
In October and November of 1956, the country at the heart of the
European Continent underwent 3 weeks of political turmoil that shook
the region and exposed the ideological fissures behind the Iron
Curtain.
The movie, ``Torn From the Flag,'' I recommend to all of our
colleagues. It gives people living today a sense of what happened
during that fateful period.
During the 60th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and its
freedom fight, we commemorate tens of thousands of Hungarians who took
to the streets to protest the heavyhanded invasion by the Soviet Union.
Their heroism is legendary, and it has made a difference in world
history. They showed a united front and one that called upon their
government to promote democratic ideals and unification.
This moment in time was encapsulated in a statement by the then-
director of the Hungarian News Agency just before his untimely death in
the revolution. He said: ``We are going to die for Hungary and for
Europe.''
In the years since the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, Hungary has made
progress toward democratic reform and has since become a member of the
European Union and NATO. Its award of Nobel Prizes in every single
scientific and cultural field is a testimony to the talent and to the
abilities of the people of that country.
So like Congressman Ross, as co-chair of the Congressional Hungarian
Caucus, I remain dedicated to continuing channels of cooperation to
further these efforts and to ensure that the principles of the 1956
Hungarian Revolution are fully realized.
I think the Partnership for Peace initiative between our respective
militaries is a foundation stone to build our continuing relationship
forward and support the revolution recognizing this important moment in
world history in the 20th century.
May I say, long live liberty and long live Hungary.
I thank the gentleman, all the members of our Congressional Hungarian
Caucus, and, again, I thank the Ambassador from Hungary for being here
with us today and all of our colleagues for listening.
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