Commemorating the 1956 Hungarian Revolution at the EU Bubble

Believing that through events and symbolic acts nations can present themselves to the wider world — enriching globalized culture with diversity and meaning — MCC Brussels brought together a broad Hungarian community, joined by international friends and representatives, to commemorate Hungary’s 1956 Revolution and Freedom Fight on October 23. During the Freedom Breakfast event, it turned out that even in this tragic chapter of history, Hungarians have something unique and deeply meaningful to celebrate.

Hungarian Ambassador, Tamás Iván Kovács emphasized that the Hungarian nation's struggle for freedom had an impact on the entire world. Although the revolution failed at a terrible cost, Hungarians learned that they belonged together in freedom. The communists, meanwhile, learned that without the support of armored forces, they could not be invincible. The Hungarians rose up against tyranny. Their brief, tragic moral manifesto was not only a national uprising but also set an example for a divided continent. Justice cannot be built on fear. However, the uprising was followed by communist terror, systematic purges, the silencing of opponents, and propaganda, education, and bureaucracy directed against freedom. Trust declined, lawsuits were filed, people were forced into migration, citizens were subjugated, and memories were silenced. The harshest punishment, however, was the "normalization" of people's thinking. However, as the ambassador emphasized, communism is not exclusively a thing of the past. It is like a hydra that reappears in the form of the woke movement or Antifa—both of which are enemies of European Judeo-Christian foundations. Today, democracy faces new challenges as our fundamental traditions are under attack. The ambassador concluded his speech with a quote from Nobel Prize winner László Krasznahorkai, who saw the goal of Hungarian history as achieving the common good without harming anyone. He viewed the legacy of 1956 as the pursuit of freedom, solidarity, and human dignity.

Jakub Moroz, Polish theater critic and presenter, stated that commemorating the heroic uprising of 1956 was an important act of resistance against communism. This memory is still important to Poles. But what about Polish-Hungarian solidarity? Did the fall of Soviet communism finally bring about the values that Hungarians fought for? Moroz believes that it is time to revisit history and examine it in today's context, where ideological conquest is more prevalent. In historical crises, traditions and a sense of community saved the Hungarians. Today, radical social upheaval manifests itself in consumer excesses and multiculturalism, which have deprived people of their original identity. "Do not forget the past!" Moroz emphasized. The European community is a utopian idea. Migration is causing the concept of "home" to disappear. The labeling of hate speech has become a weapon of censorship. The memory of the heroic resistance of 1956 strengthens our determination to resist the current ideological expansion.

Frank Füredi, Executive Director of MCC Brussels, presented the audience with a dilemma: should we mourn or celebrate 23 October? The answer is that this day is about Hungarians taking matters into their own hands. He recalled the smiles on people's faces, the gestures of solidarity, and the result: the 12 days of the Hungarian Revolution completely dismantled the status quo that had existed until then. According to Füredi, the memory of the Hungarian national uprising is uplifting and one of the unique moments of the 20th century. He quoted Hannah Arendt, who also believed that those 12 days left behind an incredibly significant historical legacy. Reflecting on the opinion of Nikita Khrushchev at the time, who said that if ten Hungarian writers had been shot before the uprising, it would not have happened, Füredi explained: the Communist Party leader misunderstood the unique essence of this historical event, as it was not only the educated social class but also ordinary people who took control of their lives.

Füredi stressed that 1956 continues to be important. Then, Hungarians were forced to confess to being fascists; Imre Nagy, the deposed prime minister, refused to do so. He was shot. Today, Antifa accuses MCC Brussels of being fascist - an Orwellian totalitarianism is spreading. Füredi ended his speech by recounting the final moments with his family before they emigrated in 1956: His father took out a bottle of pálinka, looked back at the Hungarian border and said, 'We'll be back!' So, there is no such thing as a hopeless situation — Hungarians are definitely back! - concluded Füredi.