Chronology of Events in Hungary

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BOX-FOLDER-REPORT: 29-3-74
TITLE:             Chronology of Events in Hungary
BY:                
DATE:              1956-12-14
COUNTRY:           Hungary
ORIGINAL SUBJECT:  ERS
THEMATIC SUBJECTS: Hungary--1956 Revolution, Strikes, Political Persecution

--- Begin ---

FROM THE EVALUATION AND RESEARCH SECTION	14 DECEMBER 1956

CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS IN HUNGARY 
(All from Official Radio KOSSUTH 
unless specified)

12 DECEMBER

0630	On December 11 the strike was general in BUDAPEST. Strikes took place
	in DEBRECEN, SZEKESFEHERVAR, VESZPREM, SZOLNOK and GYOR. Demonstrations
	were made in EGER and MISKOLC. (Radio NOVI SAD.)

1000	During the fight, Out of 236 chemist's shops in BUDAPEST four were destroyed
	and 55 damaged.

1015	According to NEPAKARAT some of the pits in the PECS mines are not safe
	because no maintenance work was carried out in November.

1100	According to a radio commentary almost all the soldiers of the SZOMBATHELY
	borderguard escaped to the West. (Radio SZOMBATHELY)

1230	The strike in PECS is general. Production stoppages so far involve a loss
	of approximately 18 billion forint, (Radio PECS.)

1500	So far the trade unions paid 71/2 million forint aid to those who suffered
	during the revolution.

1605	The SZEKESFEHERVAR workers' council suggests to high-school students to
	go to class but not to answer questions at classes. (Radio SZEKESFEHERVAR.)

1810	Several factories asked for coal from the KOMLO and PECS mines. The answer
	they received was that they should come and produce coal themselves. (Radio
	PECS.)

1835	In SARVAR the shops closed down because they were forced to do so by
	armed groups. (Radio SZOMBATHELY.)

1930	Report on how the population obstructed street-car traffic in BUDAPEST.

2005	According to a decree issued by the Presidium, if a person is found guilty
	under the martial law he will be sentenced to death.

2010	The BUDAPEST police headquarters issued a communiqu� according to which
	Sandor RACZ and Sandor BALI, former president and member respectively of
	the BUDAPEST Central Workers' Council, were arrested. They are accused of
	organizing strikes, illegal activities and contacts with RFE.

2200	More than 80 per cent of the workers are on strike. (Radio NOVI SAD.)

- end of December 12 -

[page 2]

13 DECEMBER

0600	NEPLAP, the daily organ of county Bekes, called upon old Communist leaders
	to resume county administration. The population protested against this.

O63O	At the UN session 55 votes condemned the Soviet Union for interfering with
	the Hungarian affairs.

	According to Gabor ALTMAN, due to the arrest of two leaders of the
	BUDAPEST Central Workers' Council the workers intend to continue the
	strike on Thursday. Fights took place in EGER, manifestations in
	MISKOLC and KECSKEMET. (Radio NOV I SAD.)

0700	According to the lead article of NEPSZABADSAG, if coal production does not
	increase considerably the majority of factories will have to close down.

1100	The SZOMBATHELY Dairy closed down because the police arrested three of
	its workers for distributing leaflets. (Radio SZOMBATHELY.)

1500	The coal supply of several provincial factories will last for another
	two days. Numerous plants closed down already owing to power shortage.

1530	During the past few weeks workers' councils were set up in organizations
	where no industrial productive work is carried out. The radio calls upon
	these workers' councils to suspend their functions immediately.

1700	The government issued a regulation on the paying out of December wages.

1715	According to radio reports approximately 40 to 50 per cent of the
	workers resumed work.

1720	The presidium of the Free Trade Union of Miners calls upon pensioned
	miners to take up work in the mines again.

1805	Radio KOSSUTH reported that the workers of the SZIGETVAR factories are
	not on strike. Radio PECS contradicted this. (Radio PECS.)

183O	Report on the aims and organization of EPOSZ (National Federation of the
	Unified Peasant Youth) . It will safeguard the interests of peasant youth.
	So far several hundred regional EPOSZ organizations were set up.

1930	The DOROG coalmines produce 10 per cent of their normal output. It is
	to be feared that due to lack of maintenance work the mine will be
	inundated. Half of the DOROG miners gave up mining.

1945	41 per cent of the miners employed by the PECS Mining Trust gave up mining.
	Out of the 53 PECS pits only 23 can be used for picking. The situation in
	the KOMLO mine is similar.

2000	Yugoslav writers protested against the deportation of Gyorgy LUKACS.
	(Radio NOVI SAD.)

2005	According to NEPAKARAT, Kalman SANTA, nerve specialist, who was rehabilitated in summer 1956, died.

[page 3]

2005	The factories in BUDAPEST XI. again went on strike because of the
	arrest of the two members of the BUDAPEST Central Workers' Council.

	Imre HORVATH, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, returned to
	Hungary from NEW YORK. (Radio NOVI SAD.)


2220	The government called upon miners to resume work all over the country.
	It stated in the appeal that coal shortage has reached such great
	proportions that it will be necessary to introduce further power cuts.
	This means that several factories will have to close down and several
	thousand workers will become unemployed.

2230	According to a government resolution the following days will be paid
	holidays: January 1, Easter Monday, April 4, May 1, August 20 and
	both Christmas Days.

- end of December 13 -
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