This volume of studies considers the central scene of events in Buda during the 1956 revolution, and the activity and fate of those who took part in the armed resistance there. Waging the fight against Stalinist dictatorship and the occupying Soviet forces under the legendary Uncle Szabó were local youths, joined by a large number of miners and industrial trainees. On one occasion, the vastly superior strength of the Soviet-Hungarian armed forces expelled them from the area for a time.

The Széna tér group formed the next largest and best-known resistance force after the Corvin köz group in Pest. They kept the largest area under their control and managed to take 150 ÁVH security police and party functionaries prisoner. (Most of the group moved to the nearby Maros utca barracks of the government guard during the ceasefire.) It seems hard to credit now that the decisive majority of the insurgents in the group (and elsewhere) were fighting for freedom under some kind of de-Stalinized, Third Road, Yugoslav pattern of socialism. Most Széna tér fighters left the country after the revolution was crushed. Most of those who stayed were arrested between 1956 and 1959. Fourteen of them were condemned to death and executed and the rest received prison sentences of various lengths.

Contents:

Summary

Introduction

The history of the Széna tér group

Formation

Early days

The ‘Bridge Guard’

Pilisszentiván miners and industrial trainees

Military engagements

Ceasefire negotiations

The National Committee and ‘provisional’ command

Formation of the miners’ brigade

The Széna tér people during the ceasefire

Reorganization of the group and the ‘permanent’ command

External relations of the Széna tér people

Capture of the Maros utca barracks

The National Committee and the insurgents

The activity of Company I (the miners’ brigade)

The activity of Company II

The activity of Company III

ÁVH men imprisoned at Maros utca

The activity of the company remaining in Széna tér

The ÁVH premises in Hűvösvölgy

At the meeting of the Armed Forces Committee

The ‘illegal’ road to Győr and Szombathely

The Széna tér men and the Soviet intervention

The November 4 occupation

Units remaining under arms

In the hills

The Széna tér people after the change of system

Biographies

Index of names

List of sources and bibliography

List of abbreviations

Appendix

The main biographical details of the Széna tér insurgents

The trial data of the Széna tér insurgents

Casualties in the 1st, 2nd and 12th districts of Budapest

Memorial tablets to the Széna tér people