Joseph Mindszenty was born
in Hungary
in 1892. He became a priest
when he was twenty-three and eventually became Archbishop of Esztergom.
Mindszenty bravely opposed
the German Nazis and the Hungarian Fascists during the Second
World War. In 1946 he became a cardinal. He opposed the government
of Matyas Rakosi and in December, 1948,
was accused of treason. After five weeks of torture he confessed to
the charges made against him and he was condemned to life imprisonment.
The Protest churches were also purged and their leaders were replaced
by those willing to remain loyal to Rakosi's government.
When Imre
Nagy gained control
of the government he ordered the release of Mindszenty. On 31st October,
1956 Nagy announced: "the measures depriving Cardinal Primate
Jozsef Mindszenty of his rights are invalid and that the Cardinal
is free to exercise without restriction all his civil and ecclesiastical
rights."
The
Hungarian
Uprising began
on 23rd October by a peaceful manifestation of students in Budapest.
The students demanded an end to Soviet occupation and the implementation
of "true socialism". The following day commissioned officers
and soldiers joined the students on the streets of Budapest. Stalin's
statue was brought down and the protesters chanted "Russians
go home", "Away with Gero" and "Long Live Nagy".
On 25th October Soviet
tanks opened fire on protesters in Parliament Square. One journalist
at the scene saw 12 dead bodies and estimated that 170 had been wounded.
Shocked by these events the Central Committee of the Communist Party
forced Erno Gero to resign from office and replaced him with Janos
Kadar.
Imre
Nagy now went
on Radio Kossuth and promised the "the far-reaching democratization
of Hungarian public life, the realisation of a Hungarian road to socialism
in accord with our own national characteristics, and the realisation
of our lofty national aim: the radical improvement of the workers'
living conditions."
On
4th November 1956 Nikita Khrushchev
sent the Red Army into Hungary. Mindszenty
was granted asylum in the United States legation where he remained
until 1971 when he was allowed to go abroad.
Joseph Mindszenty died
in Vienna in 1975.
(1)
Imre
Nagy, Radio
Kossuth (31st October, 1956)
Here is an important announcement:
The Hungarian National Government wishes to state that the proceedings
instituted in 1948 against Jozsef Mindszenty, Cardinal Primate, lacked
all legal basis and that the accusations levelled against him by the
regime of that day were unjustified. In consequence the Hungarian
National Government announces that the measures depriving Cardinal
Primate Jozsef Mindszenty of his rights are invalid and that the Cardinal
is free to exercise without restriction all his civil and ecclesiastical
rights.
(2)
Joseph
Mindszenty, speech (1st November, 1956)
After long imprisonment
I am speaking to all the sons of the Hungarian nation. In my heart
there is no hatred against anyone. It is an admirable heroism that
is at present liberating the fatherland. This struggle for liberty
is unexampled in world history. Our youth deserves all glory. They
deserve gratitude and prayers for their sacrifices. Our army, workers
and peasants have shown an example of heroic love of the fatherland.
The situation of the country is very serious; conditions tor the continuance
of life are lacking. The path of fruitful development must be found
as speedily as possible. I am now gathering information, and in two
days' time I will broadcast to the nation about the means of achieving
this development.
(3)
New
York Times (3rd
November,
1956)
Joseph Cardinal Mindszenty
appealed to the West today for political support in Hungary's fight
against Soviet domination. He said his appeal was addressed especially
to the "great powers" in the West, presumably the United
States, Britain and France. He asked also for gifts to relieve the
suffering here.
Speaking in German in
a strong vibrant voice, the Cardinal told correspondents who crowded
his small, almost" bare study that "the whole Hungarian
people wish and demand that Russian troops leave Hungarian territory."
"The people," he added, "want to work for themselves
and for the life of the nation."
The Cardinal said he had
received a telegram of blessings from Pope Pius. He said the telegram
had contained nothing else. This was taken to mean that he had no
political instructions from the Vatican.
As he did just after his
release, he avoided a direct answer to the question whether he would
take part in a government. He answered that he had not had time to
get the full picture of political conditions in Hungary.
Cardinal Mindszenty resumed
his role as leader of Hungary's Roman Catholics by receiving (1 November)
a delegation headed by Vice-Premier Zoltan Tildy, one of two non-Communists
in the Imre Nagy Cabinet. Informed sources said Cardinal Mindszenty
told the delegation that he wants the formation of a Christian Democratic
party with a voice in the Cabinet and cannot consider supporting the
present regime unless this is accomplished. These sources said the
Cardinal envisages a party "on the Adenauer line," referring
to the West German CDU. But they added that the Hungarian party should
embrace "all Christians," including the nation's Protestant
Lutheran population. The sources said
they believe Cardinal Mindszenty is willing to accept a coalition
government including Hungary's "Tito Communists."
(4)
Joseph
Mindszenty, speech (1st November, 1956)
Nowadays it is often emphasized
that the speaker breaking away from the practice of the past is speaking
sincerely. I cannot say this in such a way. I need not break with
my past; by the grace of God I am the same as I was before my imprisonment.
I stand by my conviction physically and spiritually intact, just as
I was eight years ago, although imprisonment has left its mark on
me. Nor can I say that now I will speak more sincerely, for I have
always spoken sincerely.
Now is the first instance
in history that Hungary is enjoying the sympathy of all civilized
nations. We are deeply moved by this. A small nation has heartfelt
joy that because of its love of liberty the other nations have taken
up its cause. We see Providence in this, expressed by the solidarity
of foreign nations just as it says in our national anthem: "God
bless the Hungarian - reach out to him Thy protective hand."
Then our national anthem continues; "when he is fighting against
his enemy." But we, even in our extremely severe situation, hope
that we have no enemy! For we are
not enemies of anyone. We desire to live in friendship
with every people and with every country.
We, the little nation,
desire to live in friendship and in mutual respect with the great
American United States and with the mighty Russian Empire alike, in
good neighborly relationship with Prague, Bucharest, Warsaw, and Belgrade.
In this regard I must mention that for the brotherly understanding
in our present suffering every Hungarian has embraced Austria to his
heart.
And now, our entire position
is decided by what the Russian Empire of 200 millions intends to
do with the military force standing within our frontiers. Radio announcements
say that this military force is growing. We are neutral, we give the
Russian Empire no cause for bloodshed. But has the idea not occurred
to the leader of the Russian Empire that we will respect the Russian
people far more if it does not oppress us. It is only an enemy people
which is attacked by another country. We have not attacked Russia
and sincerely hope that the withdrawal of Russian military forces
from our country will soon occur.
This has been a freedom
fight which was unparalleled in the world, with the young generation
at the head of the nation. The fight for freedom was fought because
the nation wanted to decide freely on how it should live. It wants
to be free to decide about the management of its state and the use
of its labor. The people themselves will not permit this fact to be
distorted to the advantage of some unauthorized powers or hidden motives.
We need new elections - without abuses - at which every party can
nominate.
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