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The Hungarian Revolution begins with students, teachers, and soon workers, soldiers, teenagers, etc.!
This Week’s Story relives American history and the Bible through brief inspiring stories presented on mp3 audio recordings and text for reading.
Leadership Is Everyman, part six
“Peter, I want to talk to you now, before you leave and join the Resistance.”
“I’m listening, Alex. Tell me about the Resistance. I heard protesters’ shouts about the government’s abuses. I watched secret police shoot anyone who protested. I saw the blood of Hungarian people who gave their lives to block Russian tanks.”
“Peter, we may get a fair Hungarian government and send the Russian communists back to Russia, or maybe they will rampage our country with tanks, thousands of soldiers, and planes; and try to destroy our spirit.
“Two days ago, when you went looking for Papa, you found death on our streets. Violence replaced the possibility of negotiation. That is not what we planned.”
“What do you mean, Alex, when you say, ‘what we planned’?”
“The Hungarian Revolution began among Hungarian college students. I am one of those students. Two days ago, October 23, 1956, the revolution erupted into shooting which we did not begun.
“Earlier we students, and teachers began meeting to discuss how we could bring changes to our government. How could we get rid of the tyranny of the Russian and Hungarian communists controlling our government?”
“Alex, what irony! In our family while I have been defending Russian communism, you have been active in a student movement against it!”
“Yes.”
“Alex, why was I blind, until war filled our streets? Now Father is injured from fighting in the Resistance, and you are a member of it. Mother has been home working and praying. What a confusing world of lies and sacrifice!”
“Peter, the movement began in two university towns outside of Budapest. Students led the movement, and they asked for advice from teachers. While this happened, factory workers took similar action. There was no centralized organization.
“Older people were surprised that many students who had been educated in the communist system, rejected how it operated in Hungary.
“The day before fighting began, many students met in a Budapest university hall. They drew up a 16-point manifesto. In general, they asked for freedom of speech and freedom of expression, open multi-party elections, and the removal of Soviet troops from Hungary. Every student and teacher knew that he or she could be imprisoned by the AVO, tortured, and executed.
“Newspapers refused to publish the manifesto, but a sympathetic printing shop allowed it to be copied. The next day, October 23rd, students posted copies of the manifesto on trees and lampposts.
“Thousands of them began a march to the parliament buildings. Some students drove vans shouting over loudspeakers to announce the manifesto and march. Many people from soldiers, to factory workers, office workers, and people from other nearby towns joined them. Demonstrations began at other locations in the city.
“Peter, the fighting continues and both of us will be in the Resistance.”
“May God speed both of us, brother!”
This is Barbara Steiner. Next week we have a Christmas story and then another story from the Hungarian Revolution.
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