VOA常速英语2007年-Hungary Mourns 1956 Victims of Soviet Invasion

By Stefan Bos
Budapest
04 November 2007

Hungarians remembered Sunday those who died when troops from the Soviet¹ Union crushed the 1956 Hungarian Revolution against Soviet domination and Communism. But as Stefan Bos reports from Budapest, this year's commemoration occurs during a time of political turmoil² in Hungary.

Hungarians across the country mourned those who died in the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.

At a main cemetery³ of Budapest, Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany and President Laszlo Solyom were among those laying flowers at the graves of leaders executed for their role in Hungary's fight for democracy and against Soviet domination.

Among them Hungarian Prime Minister Imre Nagy and his aids who were reburied in 1989, decades after they were executed and dumped in an unmarked grave for their role in the freedom fight by Hungary's Kremlin-backed Communist regime.

Initially⁴, the revolution began with great hope on October 23, but the battle was lost November 4 when Soviet forces massively invaded Budapest. News reels discovered in archives reported on the relentless⁵ attack on the Hungarian capital.

"Russian tanks rumble⁶ back into Budapest to turn that hope into heartbreak, 5,000 tanks come with 200,000 Soviet troops to snuff out the torch that brave Budapest had held so high ..."

About 2,800 Hungarians, including many young rebel fighters, were killed in the Soviet Army attack and the ensuing period. About 700 Red Army soldiers also died, according to experts.

At a corner in Budapest in the shadow of what is now a gigantic shopping mall stands a bronze monument with small nearby wooden works of art to honor those who died. In 1956 there were dead bodies here at Szena Square, as outgunned freedom fighters and unarmed demonstrators were killed.

While many were busy shopping in the nearby mall this Sunday, elderly Hungarians paused, burning candles and covering the otherwise forgotten memorial with flowers. Among them 77-year-old Ferenc Gerzanics, accompanied by a teenager who studies it at school.

He says it is like going to church. I always come here. Not only November 4, he tells the student and a reporter. He says, I was 26 when the revolution broke out. I knew people who died here, for me this is a place of reflection.

Hunor Intze, who is 65, brought with him a candle to this windy site of town. He regrets that many Hungarians, in his words, have not changed their mentality⁷ since the collapse⁸ of Communism in 1989.

He explains that one of his older brothers died in the fighting near the town of Pecs in 1956, while another brother who also fought in the revolution managed to flee to the United States. He says he was only 14, but still remembers the demonstrations⁹. He says, you had two types of people: those who worked with the regime and others, like my family, who opposed it. I regret that many Hungarians have not changed their Communist mentality, he says.

 

The commemorations were held at a time of political turmoil. Since late last month far-right demonstrators, including people known for their anti-Jewish and anti-Roma opinions, have protested against the government they regard as made up of communists.

In clashes with police last month nearly 20 people were injured and dozens of protesters detained. They are particularly angry that Hungarian Prime Minister Gyurcsany, a former leader of the communist youth movement, admitted in a leaked recording¹⁰ to lying about the economy to win re-election. There are also protesters who accuse the government of establishing close ties with Russia.

Younger people, including 30-year-old Internet Technology consultant¹¹ Istvan Molnar, believe it is time to learn from those who gave their lives for Hungary's freedom.

"Yeah, it is important to remember it but not in a negative way, like bad things that we should hate Russians because of this," said Istvan Molnar. "No, no, no. Not at all. Those things happened in the past. We have to remember those things and we have to ensure that it does not happen again. By keeping up the democracy and so on. And we have to remember those people who were fighting for the revolution and for freedom."

He regrets there are still problems with Hungary's young democracy and that not all ideals of the revolution may have been realized. At the same time many believe their country's membership of the European Union and NATO are hopeful signs for the future.

1 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

2 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

3 cemetery   

n.坟墓，墓地，坟场

参考例句：

• He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。
• His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。

4 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

5 relentless   

adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的

参考例句：

• The traffic noise is relentless.交通车辆的噪音一刻也不停止。
• Their training has to be relentless.他们的训练必须是无情的。

6 rumble   

n.隆隆声；吵嚷；v.隆隆响；低沉地说

参考例句：

• I hear the rumble of thunder in the distance.我听到远处雷声隆隆。
• We could tell from the rumble of the thunder that rain was coming.我们根据雷的轰隆声可断定，天要下雨了。

7 mentality   

n.心理，思想，脑力

参考例句：

• He has many years'experience of the criminal mentality.他研究犯罪心理有多年经验。
• Running a business requires a very different mentality from being a salaried employee.经营企业所要求具备的心态和上班族的心态截然不同。

8 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

9 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

10 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

11 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。