Peter Orincsay Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 (edited) For many years these photos were hidden up on the attic, rolled inside a curtain roll, in an old country house not far from Budapest. The discover of these kind of photograph could lead to years in prison for anyone. My grandfather went around the last days October and in the beginning of November with his bike and photographed the scenes of the fighting of the 1956 peoples revolution. The photographs shows the soviet troops leaving Budapest. Houses are damaged from the days of fighting and people are again moving in the streets. These were the days of hope and success, filled with relief. I got these photographs some years ago after the passing-away of my grandfather in 1995. He was blind the last 15 years of his life and was never able to see the photos again when he could finally take them from their hiding. In the last days I scanned the whole series of the 25 photographs and display some of them for the first time ever, here on GMIC. Edited September 17, 2009 by Peter Nyitray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Orincsay Posted September 17, 2009 Author Share Posted September 17, 2009 The building of the Hungarian Radio. It was here that the first real fighting started in the evening of the 23rd of October 1956. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Orincsay Posted September 17, 2009 Author Share Posted September 17, 2009 Temporarily dug graves for fallen martyrs seen in front of the statue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Orincsay Posted September 17, 2009 Author Share Posted September 17, 2009 Buildings along the avenue are filled with evidence of the fierce fighting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Orincsay Posted September 17, 2009 Author Share Posted September 17, 2009 Soviet troops is seen by strolling bystanders, leaving Budapest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Orincsay Posted September 17, 2009 Author Share Posted September 17, 2009 Soviet tanks near the parliament building. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Orincsay Posted September 17, 2009 Author Share Posted September 17, 2009 A father with his son are walking among the empty trams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rick Research Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Tahnk you for sharing these remarkable photos. I hope the city of Budapest's historical archives would also be interested in having copies of these. I worked with a refugee of 1956 when I was in college-- they fled with nothing but the clithes on their backs, afraid to be slowed down by anything before the border was slammed shut again. Eyewitness images like this are incredible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulsterman Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Fantastic historical images!!!! :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunyadi Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 Peter - what a fantastic archive of historical photos. I wish that I could have asked you for permission to use the one for the Magyar Radio for publication. (BTW - the book is at the press as we speak = more details to follow! IE 2 weeks) I would certainly get these images into the 1956 Archive or the Hungarian National Musuem. I think the Magyar Radio one is perhaps the most significant. Its also errie to see those and know I have walked those hallowed avenues... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Orincsay Posted September 18, 2009 Author Share Posted September 18, 2009 Soviet troops along the Budapest avenues. Seen on this photo are a BTR-152, light APC. They made easy targets for the "Molotov-cocktails" since they had a open top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Orincsay Posted September 18, 2009 Author Share Posted September 18, 2009 Burned bodies of fallen soldiers are being removed. The buildings in the background are the "Killián Barracks". This were the scene of some of the most violent street battles during the revolution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Orincsay Posted September 19, 2009 Author Share Posted September 19, 2009 (edited) The remains of a burned out BTR-152 APC, most likely on the Prater Street near "the Corvin Passage". Freedom fighters attacked the light APS´s with Molotov-cocktails in the near streets. These vehicles had small chances to avoid the attacks since their open tops gave no protection. Someone has written some comments on the destroyed vehicles. "Javitás Alatt" means under construction. "MEO I" is a quality mark for top quality.. Edited September 19, 2009 by Peter Nyitray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Orincsay Posted September 19, 2009 Author Share Posted September 19, 2009 Another street view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 Peter, I never show much interest in post 45/cold war photos but these are absolutely fantastic. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulsterman Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 I said it before, but I'll say it again- FANTASTIC!!!!! :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Orincsay Posted September 19, 2009 Author Share Posted September 19, 2009 People looks anxiously around on the remains of the previous days fighting. The street is most likely Práter street near the Corvin Passage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Orincsay Posted September 19, 2009 Author Share Posted September 19, 2009 (edited) Yet another burned out BTR-152 APC. "Alakitás Alatt" means under repair. "Az élenjáró Szovjet ipar terméke, Hurráh" means The product of the outstanding Soviet technique HURRAY ! Bitter times resulted into bitter humour.. Edited September 19, 2009 by Peter Nyitray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Orincsay Posted September 20, 2009 Author Share Posted September 20, 2009 Bread id being handed out from a lorry to the people in Budapest. To ease the shortage of food in the city theses days, people from the country side helped with food deliveries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe campbell Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 had a chance as a small child to meet one of those men who fought on the streets of budapest... he was a handsome man with a brilliant smile. i don't remember much more (age 7 or 8??) except him saying in conversation with my parents "they tried to kill my country!". it left an impression which has lasted fifty years. joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Orincsay Posted September 20, 2009 Author Share Posted September 20, 2009 A convoy with Soviets passing by at the Avenue.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Orincsay Posted September 20, 2009 Author Share Posted September 20, 2009 A destroyed column at the entrance of the building. I'm not sure witch exact building it is in Budapest, maybe someone here can help me out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunyadi Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 I believe this is the entrance to the Technical University on the Pest side near Szabadsag hid (Freedom Bridge). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Orincsay Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 I believe this is the entrance to the Technical University on the Pest side near Szabadsag hid (Freedom Bridge). I found it! It wasn't the Technical University.. It´s the house of the Supreme Court on Markó Street. Here´s a resent photo from Google. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Orincsay Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 Tanks in the narrow street near the historical Museum. This photo looks like it´s taken from one of the tanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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