[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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