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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 32
WHEREAS, The 50th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution,
an epochal event in the history of the Cold War, is being
commemorated in 2006; and
WHEREAS, On October 23, 1956, hundreds of thousands of
Hungarians from all walks of life joined university students in a
peaceful call for democracy and an end to the brutal and
oppressive Soviet-dominated Hungarian communist government; and
WHEREAS, The Hungarian Security Police fired on the
protestors, killing hundreds and triggering a bloody fight for
freedom and democracy and the first tear in the Iron Curtain; in
the wake of that first bloodshed, millions of
Hungarians--students, workers, men, women, and children--rose up
against impossible odds and risked their lives to take part in
the noble fight; and
WHEREAS, The Hungarian Freedom Fighters were able to
establish a revolutionary government under Prime Minister Imre Nagy,
who released political prisoners, including major church leaders,
took steps to establish a multiparty democracy, called for the
withdrawal of all Soviet troops from Hungary, announced Hungary's
withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact, and requested the assistance of
the United Nations in establishing Hungarian neutrality; and
WHEREAS, In retaliation, the Soviet Union launched a
massive military counteroffensive on November 4, 1956, sending
tens of thousands of additional Soviet troops and unleashing air
strikes, artillery bombardments, and coordinated actions
involving infantry and some 6,000 tanks; notwithstanding the
tremendous military superiority enjoyed by the Soviets, the
outnumbered and underequipped Hungarian Army and Hungarian
Freedom Fighters succeeded in resisting for several days; and
WHEREAS, Prime Minister Nagy was seized by Soviet security
forces, despite assurances of safe passage, when he left the
Yugoslav Embassy in Budapest, where he had sought asylum; he was
taken to Romania, where he was subsequently tried and executed;
thousands of other Hungarians were also tortured, tried, and
executed by the post-1956 Hungarian government; and
WHEREAS, More than 200,000 Hungarians fled their country
in the aftermath of the uprising, and over 47,000 of them were
eventually able to settle in the United States, where they have
contributed greatly to the cultural diversity and economic
strength of their adopted home; and
WHEREAS, The American Hungarian Federation, founded in
1906, played a key role in the resettlement of Hungarian refugees
and in illuminating the abuses of the post-1956 Hungarian
government; the members of the federation, many of whom are 1956
Freedom Fighters, continue to work for the advancement of freedom
and democracy; and
WHEREAS, The uprising of the Hungarian people in 1956
dramatically confirmed the widespread contempt in which the
Hungarians held the Soviet Union, while also demonstrating the
strength of popular support in Hungary for democratic principles
and the desire of Hungarian citizens to determine their own
destiny; and
WHEREAS, At the same time, the revolt pointed up the
underlying weakness of the communist system imposed by Soviet
authorities in Central and Eastern Europe; by unmasking the true
nature of that system, the Hungarian Revolution contributed to
the disintegration of communist parties in the West and across
the globe; and
WHEREAS, On October 23, 1989, the Republic of Hungary
proclaimed its independence, and in 1990 the Hungarian Parliament
officially designated October 23 as a Hungarian national holiday,
signaling that the legacy of the 1956 revolution continues to
inspire Hungarians to this day; and
WHEREAS, The Hungarian government, reflecting the will of
the Hungarian people, formally became a member of NATO on
March 12, 1999, and on May 1, 2004, Hungary became a full member
of the European Union; and
WHEREAS, The Hungarian Revolution, though crushed within
two weeks, had long-term consequences, setting the stage for the
ultimate collapse of communism throughout Central and Eastern
Europe in 1989 and, two years later, in the Soviet Union itself;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
79th Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby honor the people of
Hungary as they mark the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian
Revolution; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That this body recognize the Hungarian Freedom
Fighters for their bravery in the face of insurmountable odds,
and that it express appreciation to those refugees who brought
their talents, skills, and love of freedom to the United States
and helped to build a stronger America; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That this body express condolences, both to the
people of Hungary for the death of Prime Minister Imre Nagy and to
all Hungarians who lost loved ones, either to hostile action
during the revolution itself or to execution by Soviet and
Hungarian communist authorities during the five years that
followed; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That this body congratulate the American
Hungarian Federation on its 100th anniversary; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That this body recognize the friendship that
exists between the governments of Hungary and the United States
and between the Hungarian and American people.
Janek
________________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on April 20, 2006.
________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
________________________________
Member, Texas Senate