On this anniversary, we appeal to all our friends throughout the world to join with us in commemorating the Hungarian revolution of 1956. We proclaim our common determination to fight for political democracy in our countries, for their independence, for pluralism based on the principles of self-management, for the peaceful reunification of a divided Europe and for the rights of all national minorities. We stress our reciprocal support for all efforts underway to achieve a better, free and honest life in our countries and throughout the world. The tradition and experience of the Hungarian revolution Signed: Hungary: Ivan Baba, Peter Bokros, Geza Buda, Sandor Csoori, Istan Csurka, Gabor Demsky, Olga Dioszegi, Istan Eorsi, Gyorgy Gado, Arpad Goncz, Csaba Gonczol, Bela Gonda, Judit Gyenes, Aliz Halda, Miklos Haraszti, Janos Kenedi, Zsolt Keszthelyi, Janos Kis, Karoly Kiszely, Gyorgy Konrad, Ferenc Koszeg, Gyorgy Krasso, Zsolt Krokovay, Gabriella Lengyel, Sandor Lezsak, Fruszina Magyar, Imre Mecs, Miklos Meszoly, Tamas Mikes, Tamas Molnar, Andras Nagy, Jano Nagy, Tibor Pakh, Robert Palinkas, Gyuala Perlaki, Gyorgy Petri, Sandor Racz, Sandor Radnoti, Laszlo Rajh, Laszlo Rusai, Ottilia Solt, Miklos Sulyok, Jeno Szell, Sandor Szilagyi, Pal-Szalai, Josef Talata, Gaspar Miklos Tamas, Mihaly Vajda, Judit Vasarhelyi, Miklos Vasarhelyi.
Czechoslovakia: Rudolf Battek, Vaclav Benda, Jan Carnogursky, Jiri Dienstbier, Miklos Duray, Jiri Gruntorad, Jiri Hajek, Vaclav Havel, Ladislav Hejdanek, Eva Kanturkova, Jan Kozlik, Miroslav Kusy, Ivan Lamper, Ladislav Lis, Vaclav Maly, Anna Marvanova, Martin Palus, Jiri Rumi, Jaroslav Sabata, Anna Sabatova, Libuse Silhanova, Milan Simecka, Frantisek, Starek, Petr Uhl.
Poland: Konrad Bielinski, Marian Brandys, Jacek Czaputowicz, Marek Edelman, Jacek Fedorowicz, Jan Andrzej Gorny, Janusz Grzelak, Zbigniew Janas, Jan Kielanowski, Wiktor Kulerski, W. Kunicki-Goldfinger, Zofia Kuratowska, Jacek Kuron, Jan Jozef Lipski, Jan Litynski, Barbara Malak, Wojciech Maziarski, Adam Michnik, Leszek Moczulski, Piotr Niemczyk, Zofia Romaszewski, Zbigniew Romaszewski, Klemens Szaniawski, Jacek Szymanderski, Henryk Wujec.
East Germany: Martin Bottger, Barbel Bohley, Reiner Deitrich, Werner Fischer, Peter Grimm, Monika Haeger, Ralf Hirsch, Herbert Misslitz, Lutz Nagorski, Gerd Poppe, Ulrike Poppe, Wolfgang Ruddenklau, revolution of 1956 remain our common heritage and our inspiration.
Sinico Schonfeld,
Wetzky.
Templin, Wolfgang Templin, Mario their growing ties and an act of defiance to the bureaucratic regimes.
The most numerous signatories to this statement were Hungarian dissidents. The dissident movement in Czechoslovakia also made a major effort, within the limitations of its modest forces. In East Germany, it seems that the statement was not so widely circulated, but the opposition in that country is the least structured in East Europe today. The Polish signatories reflect only partially the breadth and diversity of the social movement as it appears today.
The first to react were the Polish political police. They immediately called in some of the signatories to inform them that once again they had committed a new act "contrary to the national understanding and to the interests of People's Poland."
2. B.N. Lopienska, E. Szymanska, 'Stare numery, Aneks, London, 1986, p.83.
3. B. Lomax, 'Hungary 1956', Allison & Busby, London, 1976, p.203.
dividing line is clear. The people are on one side, the Stalinist section of the leadership of the regime on the other, basing itself on the forces of the political police.
"Among the insurgents are thousands of communists. A part of the Hungarian army is remaining neutral, but another part has joined the revolution. The workers have taken power in the factories. The student and worker youth is on the barricades. It is fighting against the Soviet troops called in by Gero." (2)
In the fall of 1956, Hungary gave the signal for a new Springtime of the Peoples, this time aimed against the bureaucracy. Bill Lomax, a British Marxist historian of this revolution, wrote:
"The Hungarian workers, in establishing direct control over their factories through the workers' councils, had thus in one blow both smashed the former state power ruled over by the Communist Party, and reopened the road to that society which had been the original aim of Marxism and socialism - in which hierarchy would give way to equality, in which political institutions would be replaced by popular organs, in which political rule would be replaced by social power, and where 'the government of persons is replaced by the administration of things'." (3)
The night of November 3 and 4, the Kremlin began their final military intervention.
On the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the beginning of the Hungarian revolution, the anti-bureaucratic oppositions of four countries — Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia and East Germany - published a joint statement paying homage to the heroic Hungarian fighters and declaring their adherence to the values in defence of which they rose up. This is the first time that dissidents and oppositions in four East European countries have made a common statement on a question that goes beyond national frontiers. This is a sign of
International Viewpoint 10 November 1986
CHILE