Resolutions Honoring the 1956 Hungarian Revolution

AHF is pursuing resolutions commemorating the 1956 Hungarian Revolution in State Legislatures! AHF's 1956 Commemoration Committee announced a nationwide effort urging state houses and governors to adopt resolutions honoring the heroes of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. Texas became the first state to adopt the resolution and congratulated the American Hungarian Federation on its 100th anniversary. Ohio, Colorado, Maryland, and Virginia have followed with other states. Join us and help!

States that have passed the 1956 Revolution:

U.S. Congress | Texas | Ohio | Colorado | Maryland | Virginia | Massachusetts | Minnesota | Washington | California (under construction)

4/28/2006 - Texas became the first state to adopt the AHF 1956 resolution (House Resolution 75). AHF extends sincere thanks to Texas Senator Janek and Representative Woolley for introducing the measure and to AHF's Texas Chapter President Chris Cutrone in Austin and Honorary Consul for Hungary Phillip Aronoff in Houston for their efforts in securing the introuduction of the resolution. The resolution's title: "Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution and recognizing the sacrifices of Hungarian Freedom Fighters, the contributions of Hungarian Americans, and the friendship between the people and governments of the United States and Hungary." Full text of the Texas resolution can be found on the Texas House Website.

The Houston Chronicle also published an Op-Ed calling attention to the resolution by Hungarian Honorary Consul Phillip Aronoff in Houston and Bryan Dawson-Szilagyi, AHF Chairman of the Executive Committee.

Ohio. Special thanks to the Hon. Péter Ujvági, Ohio State Representative (D) who successfully pushed the resolution (#212) through both state houses.

Colorado. Special thanks to Jeno Megyessy for introducing a joint resolution that also makes Octbober 23, 2006 "Hungarian Freedom Fighter's Day" in Colorado! [download]

Maryland. Special thanks to Frank Kapitan for taking the lead in getting the resolution passed!

Virginia. Special thanks to Laura Spinner for her leadership in getting Gov. Kaine to issue this proclamation!

12/7/2005 - House unanimously passes resolution recognizing 50th anniverary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. By a unanimous and recorded vote, the House of Representatives passed H. Res. 479 on December 6, 2005. The resolution, which had been introduced by Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA), recognizes the 50th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and enjoyed the support of the American Hungarian community and its various organizations. The American Hungarian Federation applauds Congressman Lantos for taking the initiative to introduce and secure passage of H. Res. 479. As stated earlier by the Federation, "With this resolution, the Congress has eloquently recognized the extraordinary sacrifices made by Hungarians 50 years ago, reaffirmed the historic ties and close friendship between the United States and Hungary and acknowledged the tremendous contribution made by Hungarians forced to flee tyranny and start a new life in the United States."

Original Title: "Recognizing the 50th Anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution that began on October 23, 1956 and reaffirming the friendship between the people and governments of the United States and Hungary."

Passed Title: "Whereas on October 23, 1956, university students marching through the streets of Budapest were joined by workers and others until their numbers reached some 100,000 Hungarian citizens."

[Download H. Res. 479]

NOTE: You will need the free Adobe Reader to open the document. Click image to download.

Go to [ALL 1956 News]

How can you help?

1) Download the Resolution
2) Add your state's name to the text in the appropriate section
3) Save the document to your hard drive
4) See below to find your local state representatives by entering your zip code
4) Call them! Here's a sample of what to say:

"Hi, my name is _____. I am a constituent of Representative/Senator _____ and also a member of the American Hungarian Federation. I am calling to ask for your support of a resolution honoring the Freedom Fighters of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution which was the first tear in the Soviet Iron Curtain. 2006 marks its 50th anniversary and our community would be grateful for your support. We have a template resolution to send you."

Find Your Representative!

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10/18/2006 - President Bush issues a proclamation honoring the 1956 Hungarian Revolution... "The story of Hungarian democracy represents the triumph of liberty over tyranny. In the fall of 1956, the Hungarian people demanded change, and tens of thousands of students, workers, and other citizens bravely marched through the streets to call for freedom. Though Soviet tanks brutally crushed the Hungarian uprising, the thirst for freedom lived on, and in 1989 Hungary became the first communist nation in Europe to make the transition to democracy."
[download the resolution]

Are you or your organization planning an event for the 50th Anniversary of 1956? AHF is calling on all local organizations to coordinate efforts to ensure that this important event receives national and worldwide attention.

Member organizations receive publicity on the AHF Website and eNewsletters. Importantly, AHF can serve as a central information resource for all.

All are invited to help both local organizations and AHF in its own efforts at commemorating 1956 in the Nation's Capital!

AHF needs volunteers and funds to make our bold
and far-reaching goals a reality...
Join AHF and help us coordinate events around the nation and the world. Contact info@americanhungarianfederation.org or click the image below to Contribute or join online!

(You do not need to become a member to donate. The American Hungarian Federation is a tax-exempt 501c(3) organization.)

In Memoriam

11/15/2005 - AHF President Emeritus, Entrepreneur, Freedom Activist, and 1959 US "Citizen of the Year," George K. Haydu, passed away after long illness. The death of this great humanitarian and leader is a major loss for the Hungarian-American community and to all his many friends. Despite many death threats and being shot in the leg during "Loyalty Day" parade in New York City, George was undeterred in his efforts to bring freedom to Hungary and comfort to refugees.
[read more about George Haydu]
or see [All Memorials]
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5/19/2005 - Gergely "Bajusz" Pongratz, a leader and hero of Hungary's anti-communist revolution of 1956, has died at age 73.

Pongratz suffered a heart attack on Wednesday in the southern Hungarian town of Kiskunmajsa where he lived, said Dezso Abraham, secretary general of the World Council of Hungarian 56ers revolutionary veterans group. During the revolution, Pongratz was commander of one of the key resistance groups fighting the Soviet army. [read more].
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12/10/2004 - JENO SZEREDAS, 90, Hungarian Freedom Fighter Federation Founder, AHF Member, and Noted Artist Dies...

Jeno Andras Szeredas, Hungarian political activist and Senator, 1956 Freedom Fighter, Founder of the Freedom Fighters Federation in the United States, poet and artist of rare talent died quietly in his sleep at his daughter's home in Connecticut on November 30. He had just celebrated his 90th birthday.

Born in Iglo, Hungary (now Slovakia) in 1914, Mr. Szeredas was both witness to and active participant in the turmoil sweeping over Europe for the balance of the 20th century. [more]

Memorials Dedicated to 1956

"October 23, 1956, is a day that will live forever in the annals of free men and nations. It was a day of courage, conscience and triumph. No other day since history began has shown more clearly the eternal unquenchability of man's desire to be free, whatever the odds against success, whatever the sacrifice required."- President John F. Kennedy,
on the first anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution.

Albert Camus' Stirring Letter to the World:

"The Blood of the Hungarians"

I am not one of those who wish to see the people of Hungary take up arms again in a rising certain to be crushed, under the eyes of the nations of the world, who would spare them neither applause nor pious tears, but who would go back at one to their slippers by the fireside like a football crowd on a Sunday evening after a cup final.

There are already too many dead on the field, and we cannot be generous with any but our own blood. The blood of Hungary has re-emerged too precious to Europe and to freedom for us not to be jealous of it to the last drop.

But I am not one of those who think that there can be a compromise, even one made with resignation, even provisional, with a regime of terror which has as much right to call itself socialist as the executioners of the Inquisition had to call themselves Christians.

And on this anniversary of liberty, I hope with all my heart that the silent resistance of the people of Hungary will endure, will grow stronger, and, reinforced by all the voices which we can raise on their behalf, will induce unanimous international opinion to boycott their oppressors.

And if world opinion is too feeble or egoistical to do justice to a martyred people, and if our voices also are too weak, I hope that Hungary’s resistance will endure until the counter-revolutionary State collapses everywhere in the East under the weight of its lies and contradictions.

Hungary conquered and in chains has done more for freedom and justice than any people for twenty years. But for this lesson to get through and convince those in the West who shut their eyes and ears, it was necessary, and it can be no comfort to us, for the people of Hungary to shed so much blood which is already drying in our memories.

In Europe’s isolation today, we have only one way of being true to Hungary, and that is never to betray, among ourselves and everywhere, what the Hungarian heroes died for, never to condone, among ourselves and everywhere, even indirectly, those who killed them.

It would indeed be difficult for us to be worthy of such sacrifices. But we can try to be so, in uniting Europe at last, in forgetting our quarrels, in correcting our own errors, in increasing our creativeness, and our solidarity. We have faith that there is on the march in the world, parallel with the forces of oppression and death which are darkening our history, a force of conviction and life, an immense movement of emancipation which is culture and which is born of freedom to create and of freedom to work.

Those Hungarian workers and intellectuals, beside whom we stand today with such impotent sorrow, understood this and have made us the better understand it. That is why, if their distress is ours, their hope is ours also. In spite of their misery, their chains, their exile, they have left us a glorious heritage which we must deserve: freedom, which they did not win, but which in one single day they gave back to us. (October 23, 1957)

AHF dedicates this work
to the memory of all our comrades who passed during those faithful days of October, 1956.

- Read this in German, Hungarian, French, and Spanish on this AHF member site, the [American Hungarian Museum]

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