That on 4th November 1956, a large Soviet force invaded Budapest and other regions of the country. The Hungarian resistance continued until 10 November. Over 2,500 Hungarians and 700 Soviet troops were killed in the conflict, and 200,000 Hungarians fled as refugees.
Many of the Hungarians crossed the borders with the help of smugglers, and many arrived without ID papers – but it did not tarnish their image or impede their acceptance as refugees.
The 1956 uprising and its aftermath helped shape the way humanitarian organisations – not least UNHCR – were to deal with refugee crises. The episode also left an indelible mark on international refugee law and policy.
The Hungarian Refugees settled in many countries including America, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, UK and New Zealand,
HUNGARIAN REFUGEES
1,400 Hungarians were given a welcome marked with orchestra, Danish pastry and flowers when they arrived in Denmark after the uprising against the communist regime in 1956. They were the first official refugees and perhaps the best received refugees in the history of Denmark.
1,400 Hungarians were given a welcome marked with orchestra, Danish pastry and flowers when they arrived in Denmark after the uprising against the communist regime in 1956. They were the first official refugees and perhaps the best received refugees in the history of Denmark.
HUNGARIAN REFUGEES
"Olga Murphy arrived in Ireland in 1956 as a young girl of 17, one of 350 refugees who came to Ireland fleeing the Soviet tanks after the Hungarian Revolution. Arriving in the midst of an Irish Winter the refugees were housed in Knockalisheen, a former army summer camp in Limerick. Olga was one of the few Hungarians who remained in Ireland after leaving the refugee camp and she continues to live in Limerick. The following is from the story of Dorrit O’Shaugnessy, a Hungarian friend of Olga’s, also living in Limerick, who among many experiences and achievements in her life, acted as an interpreter in the Knockalisheen camp following the arrival of the refugees."
"1956. A date, surely, that must be indelibly etched in the consciousness of almost every Hungarian of the modern era.”
No one chooses to be a Refugee
Every minute eight people leave everything behind to escape war, persecution or terror.
Every minute eight people leave everything behind to escape war, persecution or terror.
If conflict threatened your family, what would you do? Stay and risk your lives? Or try to flee, and risk kidnap, rape or torture?
For many refugees the choice is between the horrific or something worse.
While no one chooses to become a refugee, you do have a choice to help – Even in difficult economic times, it doesn’t cost a single cent to show interest in others, learn, and share your new knowledge and interest.
Is there 1 thing you could do to show your support for a refugee or asylum seeker?
I wonder how hard it must have been then to be fleeing your own country, and become a refugee in another.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to imagine Blogoratti, yet I feel that it must be a very disturbing and frightening experience - my heart goes out to the refugees.
DeleteI went to college starting in 1961 with a young man whose family fled Hungary five years before. He told me he learned the language by listening to the radio and singing the songs. I went to college with children from Vietnam. While not refugees, they were more and more concerned for the safety of their families as that awful war began. My entire contribution to their well being was friendship, nevertheless, two remain friends. I do not know why these people cannot be protected at the borders, helped, distributed among all of us. The world has gone mad.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your considerations Joanne am certain that your ideas are practicable and correct.
DeleteWhat do these countries, including our own fair island, think they're up to? Put up walls and fences? Turn them back at the borders? What do they suppose the refugees are going to do? Walk back to the coast, get in their dingies and paddle back across the Mediterranean? Get real.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the great comment John.
DeleteBravo , refugees welcome. There is such a lack of emphatic feeling, I just do not understand why. Hate, despite and ignorance. Are all.these hate preachers still.humans ? I wonder.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments Mia.
Delete"Are all.these hate preachers still.humans ? I wonder."
Yes, they are human. We have to understand that those who fear the strangers in their midst are coming from a place of insecurity; they the fear mongers are damaged people who need to be nurtured and re-educated to understand that there is nothing to fear other than (their irrational) fear itself.
There was a very moving comment on the news last evening from an elderly lady who was a volunteer somewhere on the European mainland, helping refugees. When asked why she was doing it she replied that at the end of World war 2
ReplyDeleteshe was herself a small child and a refugee, and she still remembers the terror. 'You never ever forget' she said.
Thank you very much Pat your comment is greatly appreciated.
DeleteWe should not comment on Mr. Cro's blog anymore, people commenting there are so narrow minded and strange, but sometimes I have to react cause it makes me angry . Wish you a nice evening , I discover your blog and compliments for your red trousers , just great.
ReplyDeleteHello again Mia very good of you to write. I do appreciate what you have to say about Cro's blog, people with similar views seem to congregate together.
DeleteYou too have a very pleasant evening were ever it is that you live.
It seems to be easier to forget than we realise, Mel. I think of the Israeli/Palestine situation and wonder if the Israelis remember their own plight during the war when they deal with the Palestinians. Now we have Germany forgetting how they were released from debt obligations after the war while they are dealing with Greece, and we also have this terrible situation where people forget the suffering of what it means to be a refugee in their fear of being 'swamped'. You are right about the fear factor, though. What we can all do is show that we have none and that we welcome them!
ReplyDeleteThank you Val. The Cloak of Forgetfulness is easy to wear, that is until some activist starts to remember and remind.
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