Special: 70 Jahre Ungarn 1956

Prof. Paul Lendvai comments on historical newsreels of the Hungarian Revolution

On the evening of October 23, 1956, armed conflict erupted after the Hungarian government ordered the bloody suppression of a peaceful demonstration in which students were demanding democratic reforms. Within a few days, the Communist dictatorship was replaced by a new, broad-based government led by Imre Nagy; this administration decided to withdraw from the Warsaw Pact and declared the country's neutrality.

At the same time, calls were made for the Soviet army to leave the country. The Hungarian Revolution was short-lived; overwhelming Soviet forces soon marched into Hungary and occupied the nation. On November 4, 1956, the Soviets installed a loyalist government under János Kádár; hundreds of insurgents were executed, and tens of thousands were interned. A mass exodus from Hungary ensued, with 200,000 people fleeing to the West—Austria being their first destination.

Visual coverage of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution marked a high point for newsreels. Even before television became widespread, millions of people followed reports by newsreel crews—including the Viennese cameraman Otto Pammer—in movie theaters. Most of these original segments have survived and today represent a fascinating, dramatic chapter in the history of media. One of the most prominent refugees from Hungary was Paul Lendvai; he fled via Prague and Warsaw in 1956 and arrived in Vienna in 1957. There, he obtained Austrian citizenship in 1959 and rose to become one of Europe's most distinguished journalists. To mark the 70th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution, the legendary journalist and broadcaster—born in Budapest in 1929—will comment on original newsreel footage in conversation with historian Hannes Leidinger.