"The Hungarian Revolution 1956: Fifty Years Later"

Commemorative Lecture Series

In 1956 Communist Hungary was convulsed by a revolution against the Soviet imposed political and economic system. Following a brief period of liberalisation under Imre Nagy, folllowing Stalin's death in 1953, Hungary's Communist party returned to a Stalinist line. By the middle of 1956 there was considerable instability in the leadership. On October 16th University students in Szeged formed an independent league. They were rapidly joined by students from around the country. By October 24th popular demonstrations had led to the collapse of the government. Independent student organisations and workers' councils had formed all over Hungary. These popular groups began actions of direct confrontation aimed at changing the regime. Thousands of ordinary people took to the streets.

However by early November Soviet tolerance was at an end, and on November 4th Soviet and other Warsaw Pact troops invaded the country. In the resulting counter-revolution strikes were banned, activists were imprisoned and some were executed. At least 3,000 died and 13,000 were sent to the camps. Over 200,000 fled the country.

The West had issued declarations of encouragement to the Hungarian people but when the crunch came Western governments were unwilling to act. Perhaps because the stakes were too high, perhaps because Britain and France were distracted with their own neo-colonial adventures in the Sinai.

CERC was pleased to present a series of four lectures to commemorate and examine this salient and tragic event in 20th Century history.

The Lectures

All lectures took place at 8.00pm in Public Policy Lecture Theatre 234 Queensberry Street, Carlton.

All lectures were free and open to the public.

CERC expresses its gratitude to the public, and especially the Melbourne Hungarian community, for making this series such a success. Over 150 people were in attendence at each lecture. We would particularly like to thank Prof Joe Hajdu for his wonderful organisation and his chairing of each lecture.

Thursday 12th October, 8:00 pm

"The Hungarian Revolution 1956: Fifty Years Later"
Commemorative Lecture Series Pt 1
“Eastern Europe, the Kremlin and 1956"

Prof Leslie Holmes
(Deputy Director CERC, Dept of Political Science, University of Melbourne)

Thursday 19th October 8:00 pm

"The Hungarian Revolution 1956: Fifty Years Later"
Commemorative Lecture Series Pt 2
“The 1956 Revolution: Why Hungary? The events of October-November 1956"

Prof Sandor Szakaly
(Semmelweis University, Budapest)

Thursday 26th October, 8:00 pm

"The Hungarian Revolution 1956: Fifty Years Later"
Commemorative Lecture Series Pt 3
“The Hungarian Revolution and the West"

Dr Robert Horvath
(CERC, Dept of History, University of Melbourne)

audio download mp3 (approx 15MB)

Thursday 2nd November, 8:00 pm

"The Hungarian Revolution 1956: Fifty Years Later"
Commemorative Lecture Series Pt 4
“Australia and its Reception of Hungarian Refugees"

Dr Rodger Hein
(Monash University)