Impact of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution in Argentina

Abstract

The outbreak of the Hungarian revolution in 1956 brought forth solidarity movements fromHungarian émigrés all over the world. In Argentina, the response was overwhelming. Hungarianémigré organizations formed a "Comité de Ayuda pro Hungría Libre" (Aid Committee for a FreeHungary), coordinating the strategies and actions aimed at providing moral and material supportfor the revolution. Supplementing and aiding these actions were those of the Argentinegovernment and population at large. The government named a special commission for refugees;and there was a tremendous outpour of sympathy and material support for Hungarians amongArgentines, with major press coverage for months to come. Of special importance is the literaryand press output following the revolution. These actions provoked fear and rejection from theEmbassy of the People's Republic of Hungary, and it accused the Argentine government of openlysiding with the émigrés. Upon the Hungarian Foreign Ministry's instructions, the Embassystrongly intensified the espionage on the émigré institutions and its prominent members for years.Relations between émigré organizations and the Hungarian Government remained nonexistent orstrained until the lifting of the Iron Curtain in 1990.