I left Hungary with my brother Frank in 1969 when we were 16 years old, lucky for us swimming at the place is called Kopper, Yugoslavia was mentioned in this video.After acrossing it was sheewering coming out of the water, remember got in the water around midnight,no moon and no patrol boats just on the left seeing huge barrels by the boarders to Italy.Waiting 5 months in the refugee camp before moved to America. Since,50 years ago never forget the feeling of being free,as a 'Gaya rob' mean a person a slave on a Roman merchant row boat for life got a new beginning. Tremendous amount of relief ran true your body .I learned one thing for sure in the Western world, freedom is God's eternal blessings.
Freedom is a right that everyone should have on this earth no matter how many people try to tell us that having money or making it in life is bad it's our choice to live life how we want to
I vividly remember when the news came out here that a Hungarian couple with an 8 month baby tried to escape the country to the west in a hidden section of a truck. The mother wanted to smother the cries of the child at the Hungarian border but was so afraid to be detected she suffocated it. They did manage to make it to Austria but with their child being dead. It hounded me for weeks coz at the time our son was that age and now when I am writing this it still does have its impact on me. How can a mother live on after such a tragedy?
@@AnonymousIdealistSpared indeed. The child would have become a ward of the state while the woman would have been shot at the worst or, at best thrown into a work camp for ten years. The commies were brutal, devoid of any compassion, empathy, or mercy.
I grew up in the 70s in Hungary, for me socialism was the norm. Because I lived in a small village i didn't experience any fear of the communist party. In fact i was the member of the KISZ, we had great school activities and travels in the country. I had a great childhood, considering the circumstances. When i traveled to US in 1986 the first time i was amazed the things people enjoyed. I kept asking why can't we have them in Hungary? Even while the country is socialist we could enjoy life the way the Americans do. I ended up living in California, now Hungary is so different. When I go visit my family I miss the old country, the one I left. We have grown a lot in a positive direction, but we also adapted so many bad lifestyle and ideas. I am really sad about that.
My wife is Hungarian and her parents say the same. Was great being kids in socialist society, plus everyone had their own house and job and holidays. The gypsies were not a problem. I'm pretty sure if you did as you're told living in a socialist state you lived a good life. The problem is people dont like being told how to live.
I visited my grandparents in Hungary in the 70's and 80's almost every summer. It was a horrible place growing up. Nothing going on. Yes, Budapest was less crowded but it wreaked of leaded fuel and my back blistered after swimming in the Balaton, likely from pollutant runoff that were dumped by the state run old regime factories. The 90s were problematic because of all the wild west transformations, but now the living standard for many is far better and people are able to frequent other countries within the Schengen sphere they were not able to visit.
I LOVE HEARING STORIES LIKE THIS. my nurse even I was in hospital was from East Germany she escaped in 77 before the wall fell. she told me so many interesting things! like waiting 13 yrs for a car, the toilet paper was recycled newspaper that you could see the writing on still. Idky but im terribly fascinated w the eastern way of life
@@callumanderson2645 We are witnessing the breakdown before our eyes. I fear that communists are going to get a real grip in this country, which is why I am here watching this. I sense no logic or morals in a devoted communist, they are pure evil and frighten me. I worry about how my children are going to survive in the US in the coming decades. I am seriously considering trying to moving abroad if things keep getting worse here. Like anything else, capitalism can be corrupted.
I left as a 1 year old with my parents in February 2, 1957, when the border was almost sealed. An incredible story that could have been a movie script ,(I am currently translating his memoirs of the escape). I returned in 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970 and 1971 , as a young teen. I saw the Lunar landing in a youth camp on Lake Balaton, ironic in the sense that no communist official dared to tell us it was a fantasy filmed in Hollywood (which many conspiracy theorists in the West still believe). I remember having to sing Beatles songs at the campfire for all the to enjoy , as it was considered deliciously subversive. Also getting requests for sending packages from Canada with Nestle's Quick (a huge sensation) as well as "even empty" Dunhill cigarette packaging to put their Bulgarian smokes in! and blue jeans were the most sought after Western commodity....With my dad, we met a Hungarian CP minister in a famous Budapest restaurant, who once plied with enough alcohol, got up ON the table and shouted" Me, a Communist? hahahaha! How else can I get a Rolex, Gucci shoes, suits from Saville Row and a BMW? " . Ironic again that the approval rate for the Kadar regime rose after his death, though truth is that it really was the happiest Soviet barrack, but still a barrack run by an elite group of Party hacks.
I grew up 15 minutes walk from a river that's still the border to the West. Back then there were huge lights, barbed wires, and armed officers with dogs 24/7. If they caught you trying to swim across, they did not rescue you, they let the dogs on you and killed you. Those living in these border areas had to get a permit and explain whenever they were to receive a visitor who did not live there. Yay happy times.
...yeah! - they "LIBERATED" Hungary, alright! Just in the same way as they "LIBERATED" us Poles!... All the Very Best to my Hungarian brethren! Polak, Wegier- dwa bratanki!
My grandparents escaped in 1947 with my two young uncles. My mom was born in DP community in Bad Reichenhall, Germany in ‘48. They were sponsored to go to the U.S. in ‘56, and ended up in Cleveland, Ohio. The things they, and others that fled, went through are incredible.
I always wondered how Hungary was in the 1970’s-80’s. We’re most people satisfied with Kadar’s “goulash Communism “ ? Economic relative prosperity even within the one party State ?
Many boomers keep on crying back Kádár-era. He and his government didn't want another 1956 so we went on to be the most liberal country in the whole Eastern Bloc with relative prosperity allowed as well. "The happiest barrack". Panem and circensis. Who cared about what's going on behind the secenes? Economic downfall followed by IMF credits. Many think Hungary already pays no price for all these but of course we do. Money isn't everything.
@@museumofcommunistterror Thank you for asking. My sister wrote a book about our escape called 'A year's journey' by Georgette Doan (available on amazon) It is more detailed than I can say here. I reside in Oregon 🇺🇸. There are many parallels to this mans story. My mom is Hungarian, one of my brothers tried to escape twice through Hungary and brought back and beat by the 'securitate'. We also ended up in a refugee camp in Austria. We escaped to Yugoslavia and we were told that we could go to Australia from there. My older brother and wife and baby were sent there and then they didn't want the rest of us. Yes, this man's story brought me back to that experience! Americans have no idea what evil communism is!
1963, "Shopping ! Bastards left the great retail stores intact in Buda, destination for party leader's families, can't buy crap in Moscow" remarked a high school friend whose family escaped as the country fell.
Reminds me of my family. My parents escaped Hungary in 1956, walking to Austria. My mother arrived without shoes which she lost whilst crossing a bog. It was a scary journey for them at age 19 and 22.
As an American I've come to love and appreciate the Polish people and their history so much in recent years. I've only visited Gdansk and Krakow briefly, but hope to return to see more someday.
Look more closely at the people who took charge then. Look at who they are. There are similar men to Kun and Rákosi in America now. They follow us around and stick knives in our backs.
Liberalism and communism are polar opposites, but you are likely seeing resemblances due to it being a bureaucratic country like the ussr was. The ussr was acctualy never truly communist but a authoritarian socialist state that had a bureaucratic system, also using a capitalist market system.
The greatest tragedy is that the smartest ones all leave this godforsaken place. Almost none of the Hungarian inventors, scientists etc we like to be proud of did their work in Hungary. Today this is even more the trend than ever.
I'm sure "The Museum of Communist Terror" is a good place to get unbiased, even handed information about this subject. Next I'll learn about meat production from the Army of Vegan Warriors.
@NesMeme Everything he said about communism/socialism is true. I am also a former defector from Hungary with my family. You people live in a sort of dream world if you think it's good. This is what happens when you have cushy lives in the West. We have a saying in Hungary "It's easy to be a communist in the West".
@@274norbi hahahahahhaha 😂 I live in Bangladesh. Capitalist greed exploits the sweatshop workers and give’s us near-starving wages, I’d rather live in the ‘Hungarian dystopia’ than here. Don’t try to personally attack me, that scare tactic might work with westerners, but not me.
@@274norbi 1992 Russia also had a saying,” you know what capitalism achieved in 1 year, that communism couldn’t do in 70 years? Answer: Make communism look good.”
There was no terror of communism there! I grew up in that system and know of those"terrors" . Free healthcare, free education, free University diploma for me (Primary school teacher), young people after they marry get a loan with no interest to pay, workers get free apartments, new mothers financial package and time off paid..My father worked in a factory and we had apartment given to us by government with paying only small amount for utilities. Life was focused on physical development, sports, teaching life skills in schools, free lunches. It was all about children and their wellbeing and healthy development...We had all we needed. No, we did not have Western goods, but we also did not have Western crime, drugs, homelesness and people had guaranteed simple life without worries of what is going to be tommorow. Most of us lived similar life and that is what made us to be united and way much stronger than society now with tis crazy divisions and everything for PROFIT. Money, greed rules now!!!
So, most of it is right on target, but getting so many signatures for a passport is a lie. You did need a signature from the Union and the Communist Party office, but that was it. It took me 3 try before I was able to leave and consequently escape from the (tour) group before they returned to Hungary. I spent 9 months in a refugee camp in Capua, Italy, before getting a visa to come to the USA (legally).
I left Hungary in 1982, as a 17 year old young man with my brother, he was 23. We had a decent life in Hungary under that regime, but it was light years behind Austria and Germany and the US. To get Levi's jeans we had to go to a black market to buy some. Most people could only buy 1 per year. I visited most parts of Hungary as a young guy with my friends, we hitchhiked everywhere, we had sleeping bags and our change of clothing was rolled inside it. Had very little money, but we could recycle other people's empty beer bottles and that was enough money for food. We slept outskirts of town in parks, on rainy days we slept in bus stops. We went to Lake Balaton, Debrecen, Holloko, Eger, Tokaly, Pecs, Niregyhaza, etc. Those were so much fun times as a young man. We never knew that there was such thing as 6 puttonyos Tokaly Aszu, because in the stores you could only buy 3 puttonyos. Now I sleep in nice hotels, but still have lots of fun with my four children and great wife, we visit as many countries as we can in Europe and still spend some time in Hungary with them every few years. The cars were horrendous, the two stroke engines spewed toxic fumes everywhere. I didn't realize while living there why all the buildings in Budapest were grey and the air bad smelling. Anything you touched left a thin layer of dirty film on your hand. After the regime change in the '90s when I visited again and walked the streets of Budapest I realized that those houses were not grey anymore, people pressure washed them, and you could see yellow, blue, green, red, white etc buildings. It blew my mind how pretty the city looked with all that awesome architecture. The air was cleaner as well, because most of the East German and Russian and Romanian cars were replaced by West German and Italian cars with much cleaner burning engines. By the way, the education system was quite decent, but to get a college degree you either had to be a genius or needed political connection, otherwise you wouldn't get in. I had neither, my b+ average wasn't good enough to get in a university. Luckily, it was good enough for the US and I got a college degree, the first in my family.
@@ChrisJones-ij3xp Hi Chris! How are you doing? We got to get together sometime! Tokaj is a special wine producing area in Hungary. where they grow grapes on a mountain that has volcanic ash and lots of stones. Because of the stones reflecting heat, the grapes can be left on the vine longer. They become really sweet and are harvested when they are raisin looking. The people harvesting the grapes carry a backpack called "puttony". (That's where they place the grape during picking). To make this special wine named Aszu you start with 100 liters of local white wine, and you add the raisin grapes to it. Backpack=puttony. The least you do is 3 per 100 liters, the most I heard of was 7, but that is already very sweet, almost like honey. I have some at home, come over bring Steve aka Pisti along and we'll sample some!
I'm different here in view. Capitalism or socialism, always the same. Humans are constructed corrupt. I see horrors of both sides. Both system's weaknesses can be exploited because humans will try to move above the system. Caring for each other must be taught starting from birth. Minimize the competition, maximize the cooperation and empathy. Majority of Old people will be a part of the past they can't be taught new things unlike children.
People don't tend to immigrate to Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea, etc. Millions, some legally, some illegally, try to enter the USA every year. A "capitalist" or private business can still be very moral, helpful, valuable. It provides a good or service that people need and are willing to pay for. A monopoly is another matter and yes, must be regulated.
Regarding "Capitalism or socialism, always the same." That is a false statement. Perhaps you mean human nature is the same. The United States, the most successful capitalist country in the history of the world has provided more security, freedom and prosperity for more millions of people than any other nation on this planet. That is one essential difference that disqualifies your notion that "capitalism or socialism, always the same." Another fundamental difference that sets America apart from other nations is our Constitution which states "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." Whether you live life as an atheist or a Christian or other religion this is an essential difference in the American system of governance as it informs the entire economic system of the country. Essentially it means that you, not the state, have ownership of your property and the innate right to pursue happiness. The state does NOT have the right to give or take away your freedom and rights without cause, nor does it have the right to force you to cooperate and be "empathetic" (as you mentioned) to anyone by force of law, but rather by what your individual conscience dictates for you alone.
@@themeerofkats8908 I asked someone whose mom experienced life in the USSR what life was like and she said it was ok. Probably an actor or something lol.
Based on what I think of my personality I may have lived a content life in a Socialist country. In a way I think it would have been okay but of course such a life is easy to romanticise such a life when living a comparatively easy life with material wealth. Too many people think Socialism will help us. It may in the short term. However in the long term the lack of freedom Socialism requires will lead to poverty and unhappiness.
There has never been any communist state in history of mankind. It was socialisem,variety of different kind,like in kapitalisem. What life looks in capitalist countries, of many different kinds? Is it nice to live in bangladesh,ukraine, niger,libiya,albania,romania........ Ups,the list is simply too long. Homeless in the richest of all, Usa? I beleive some Jose,mahmud,nbwana and jusuf can provide you with juicy stories of their miserable life.
Bad grammar. I can tell you that I’m from Bangladesh, and it’s shit here. Like literal 10 year olds drive motorcycles, and the police don’t do anything about it.
15:54 perfectly sums up why fascism is classicalist in nature and is anti-socialist or “white” (as in “anti-red”), despite the “National Socialist” name in Germany, which came about at a time when the Nazis included both left and right wing extremists, in power the Nazis were not social revolutionaries, in fact their rise to power was based off the growing danger of communist social revolution, unfortunately when a country is on the edge of sliding to communism you don’t really get to choose your leaders, it’s basically whoever is left that will protect business and save classical society, sometimes you get a benign bureaucrat like Salazar, sometimes you get a genocidal maniac like Hitler, whoever will save the country from collapse to communism. It’s an incentive to not come too close to Communism. The system he speaks of is currently still wreaking havoc on the world as the CCP attempts to censor the entire world and take over global trade, economy and thought
Fascinating story - those who grew up in a liberal democracy probably can't even imagine what it is like to live in a totalitarian communist state where as a person you have absolutely no rights, and a single monolithic state bureaucracy controls everything around you - the media, churches, corporations, housing, sports clubs, social services, unions and every other social institution is run by the same party apparatus. The state has absolute control over where you can live, where you can work, if and where you can study, if you are allowed to travel, what you can buy, who you are allowed to meet, what you can read and listen to.... This nightmare society is the direct implementation of marxist doctrine, perhaps the most noxious and murderous ideology in all of human history, directly responsible for a hundred million deaths and untold human misery. All the claims and predictions of Marx have been conclusively falsified long ago, as Karl Popper convincingly showed - yet many left-wing Western intellectual still adhere to this inhumane belief system, posing as well-intentioned proponents of progress and equality. It is high time to wake up and realize that marxism represents a deadly threat to human liberty and well-being, and its more recent tribal incarnations - woke-ism, cancel culture, political correctness, identity politics and 'critical theory' should be emphatically rejected by everyone who cares about human liberty and flourishing. This video is a historical reminder of what is at risk - we must learn from history so we don't have to repeat it!
Ok Joe. My family left Hungary in 1957,after we were arrested twice in late 56 trying to cross the border .We ended up in Sydney,my brother was 10 years old, 5 months older than you and I'm nearly 6 years older than you. So we grew up in similar circumstances. I would like to know what your childhood was like in your formative years. The education system under communism was superior to that of Australia,particularly up to 18 years of age . Medical cover was free and universal albeit at a somewhat primitive level . It seems you were able to attend uni in Hungary. More than likely your family had the right credentials. It's important to know what influences you were under in your formative years.That could have added to your success in Australia. As you're aware many Hungarians who migrated to Australia became leading lights in that society. Why do you think that happened? Was there something which made us so successful while growing up in Communist Hungary? Did you ever wonder about that?
So called communism (rather, the social revolution) in USSR improved living conditions and education for the vast majority of people. There was terrible poverty and illiteracy throughout Russia in 1917 and the revolution transformed life expectancy, health, education and dignity for most people profoundly by the 1960s. The story is similar in China, with average life expectancy 40 years old in 1950 and 75 years old when Mao returned, with similar improvements in literacy from 10% to 75% over the same period. The advances in China today are almost small compared to the major advances early on when imperialist capitalism was overcome, no small feat.
And what about the GULAG? And the Dalstroy? Have these happy masses been to Kolima? Are their dead bodies built into the foundation of Road of the Bones? And those surviving, was it better to them than to the Americans of same age? I doubt.
@@barsanyibela4027devil’s island was worse than any gulag in existence. The US’s prison population is 2 million. Whereas the height of the USSR’s prison population was 1.2 million. And gulag is an acronym you know that right? Who am I kidding of course you don’t.
I'm glad I live in Cuba were under socialism I have free healthcare and having a home is a human right so I don't have to give money to a parasitic landlord! 🇨🇺☭
@@spaghettimon3851 for all I know Cuba is a nicer place to live than here. I've never been there. Tell me about it. It would be nice to hear an unbiased opinion instead of media propaganda.
@@spaghettimon3851 healthcare is never free. It’s free at the point of service, but it’s funded by the citizens, nor is quality of service great. Stopping kidding yourself.
Yugoslavia was not a litlle bit liberal than hungary but was instead 100% free and with our red passport we travelled all around the world. From eastern block to all westeren world!!! There was no teror in our comunist homeland
It was Socialism, not comunism as well as in other East block countries. Perfect education - for free, high level of health care system - for free, no beggars, no homeless, most of families had a home and additional weekend home, no problem with drag addiction, childhood full of joy
Ask the hungarians today and a majority of them will say that they had a better life then than now! In reality oppression in a socialist country was never a propblem for a communist only for right wingers!
One should also ask them which side Hungary was in WW2, whose shoes are on the river bank in the center of their capital, and who exactly "rose up" in 1956.
Meanwhile in capitalist world oppression is for everyone, except the rich. OF COURSE everyone wants to escape to the USA!!! But why dont they escape to Congo? To Haiti? To Central America and the Banana Republics? Those are also capitalist countries. Probably thousands of soviets fell for the illusion and died trying to escape to Western Europe and USA, where all the riches of the world are accumulated. But what's not talked about is that almost every capitalist nation (outside of the G7) we are speaking about dozens and dozens of countries. All of these nations had huge inner power struggles because millions of people wanted communism. The soviets censored right wingers and shut them off... But the USA waged full WAR on everyone unhappy under capitalism: Severe repression, terrorism, massive torture, drug cartels, paramilitary groups, contras, dictatorships, muhajideen. Almost every Latin American nation developed guerrillas and civil wars. These guerrillas were not created by the USSR, they first arose organically and later on in the conflict USSR provided weapons. But these were entirely organical movements of the people from the start.
if Latin America had become communist, I'm 100% sure all the food problems in USSR would have been completely solved. We have abundance of fruits and vegetables of all kinds. Bananas, mangoes, pineapples, oranges, strawberries, coffee, corn, potatoes, etc. Potatoes are actually a biotechnological invention by early native americans. The descendants of these native americans were markedly communist in the XX century. We also have vast extensions of land to grow up animals and cattle. Also availability of natural resources. Oil, gold, emeralds, lithium, copper. These resources would have been fraternally and selflessly shared among all soviet nations, in exchange of infrastructure and technology which we lacked.
@@themeerofkats8908 I live in Hungary. From England originally. I would class Hungary as a socialist country controlled by Jewish capitalism. They have the highest vat tax in Europe, a huge welfare and health program. Mandatory vaccinations at gun point. Orban is like a self hating communist.
@@omanvictory4011I'm not surprised that you are an anti-semite. That just destroys what little credibility you have Also, lol at Orban being communist. I guess big guberment is communist
@@themeerofkats8908 yes big government is the definition of communism/ socialism. Also I'm part Jewish and very proud of my Jewish race having so much power. Stalin was a huge anti semite by the way
There are always 2 sides to a story, though communism failed , it did have its own glory days . The regimes had secure jobs but unfortunately no one was rich , only if Communism provided more freedom to the people , would have been a different story.
Well, it’s not meant to provide freedom. That’s why it’s usually one party state or evolves into authoritarian or dictatorship, with censorship, concentration camps and no ownership of property or land
@@GodmadeTrends but then what has the globalisation lead to . Hungary now has highest rate of suicides and unemployment and it's still a third world economy. Many of the Hungarian s and the people from the former iron countries now feel they were better off in the times of communism instead of the current times
@@Ghazal7i7 BS, you have it back wards and quite misinformed! Hungary and Sweden vied for first place in the 60s, 70s and 80s . Hungary today has the same rate as the USA. Get some facts down , mate!
Szégyelld magad!!! Én is kiszöktem de az anyanyelvet soha nem feledtem !!! Az ilyen típusú magyarok jöttek haza 1960-as években és ezt mondták “nem beszélni magyar” én meg köptem egyet.. 43 éve hagytam el hazámat akarsz magyarul beszélni velem..
I left Hungary with my brother Frank in 1969 when we were 16 years old, lucky for us swimming at the place is called Kopper, Yugoslavia was mentioned in this video.After acrossing it was sheewering coming out of the water, remember got in the water around midnight,no moon and no patrol boats just on the left seeing huge barrels by the boarders to Italy.Waiting 5 months in the refugee camp before moved to America. Since,50 years ago never forget the feeling of being free,as a 'Gaya rob' mean a person a slave on a Roman merchant row boat for life got a new beginning. Tremendous amount of relief ran true your body .I learned one thing for sure in the Western world, freedom is God's eternal blessings.
Its Koper, Slovenia today.
Freedom is a right that everyone should have on this earth no matter how many people try to tell us that having money or making it in life is bad it's our choice to live life how we want to
you might now have to escape to East Europe now, USA is more and more becoming a communist state
@@lilli9822 the rational mind set dwindles,atheists become confused,but when you learned the everlasting truth there is no turning back!
@@alintrex8433 unfortunately too many people are leftist useful idiots, I actually feel more safe in east Europe than in USA at the moment
I recall Professor Forgas’ lectures as a psychology student of his. A very engaging and noble man.
I vividly remember when the news came out here that a Hungarian couple with an 8 month baby tried to escape the country to the west in a hidden section of a truck. The mother wanted to smother the cries of the child at the Hungarian border but was so afraid to be detected she suffocated it. They did manage to make it to Austria but with their child being dead. It hounded me for weeks coz at the time our son was that age and now when I am writing this it still does have its impact on me. How can a mother live on after such a tragedy?
What an incredibly awful situation for that poor woman.
😥
This seems to be common in such situations. A Greek woman hiding from the Ottomans did the same. It's extremely sad.
She murdered her child….
She and her child probably would have been spared.
Lord Have Mercy. ✝️🇻🇦
@@AnonymousIdealistSpared indeed. The child would have become a ward of the state while the woman would have been shot at the worst or, at best thrown into a work camp for ten years. The commies were brutal, devoid of any compassion, empathy, or mercy.
I grew up in the 70s in Hungary, for me socialism was the norm. Because I lived in a small village i didn't experience any fear of the communist party. In fact i was the member of the KISZ, we had great school activities and travels in the country. I had a great childhood, considering the circumstances. When i traveled to US in 1986 the first time i was amazed the things people enjoyed. I kept asking why can't we have them in Hungary? Even while the country is socialist we could enjoy life the way the Americans do. I ended up living in California, now Hungary is so different. When I go visit my family I miss the old country, the one I left. We have grown a lot in a positive direction, but we also adapted so many bad lifestyle and ideas. I am really sad about that.
My wife is Hungarian and her parents say the same. Was great being kids in socialist society, plus everyone had their own house and job and holidays. The gypsies were not a problem. I'm pretty sure if you did as you're told living in a socialist state you lived a good life. The problem is people dont like being told how to live.
I visited my grandparents in Hungary in the 70's and 80's almost every summer. It was a horrible place growing up. Nothing going on. Yes, Budapest was less crowded but it wreaked of leaded fuel and my back blistered after swimming in the Balaton, likely from pollutant runoff that were dumped by the state run old regime factories. The 90s were problematic because of all the wild west transformations, but now the living standard for many is far better and people are able to frequent other countries within the Schengen sphere they were not able to visit.
cool im glad you had a happy child hood sweetie
I LOVE HEARING STORIES LIKE THIS. my nurse even I was in hospital was from East Germany she escaped in 77 before the wall fell. she told me so many interesting things! like waiting 13 yrs for a car, the toilet paper was recycled newspaper that you could see the writing on still. Idky but im terribly fascinated w the eastern way of life
@@callumanderson2645 We are witnessing the breakdown before our eyes. I fear that communists are going to get a real grip in this country, which is why I am here watching this. I sense no logic or morals in a devoted communist, they are pure evil and frighten me. I worry about how my children are going to survive in the US in the coming decades. I am seriously considering trying to moving abroad if things keep getting worse here. Like anything else, capitalism can be corrupted.
I left as a 1 year old with my parents in February 2, 1957, when the border was almost sealed. An incredible story that could have been a movie script ,(I am currently translating his memoirs of the escape). I returned in 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970 and 1971 , as a young teen. I saw the Lunar landing in a youth camp on Lake Balaton, ironic in the sense that no communist official dared to tell us it was a fantasy filmed in Hollywood (which many conspiracy theorists in the West still believe). I remember having to sing Beatles songs at the campfire for all the to enjoy , as it was considered deliciously subversive. Also getting requests for sending packages from Canada with Nestle's Quick (a huge sensation) as well as "even empty" Dunhill cigarette packaging to put their Bulgarian smokes in! and blue jeans were the most sought after Western commodity....With my dad, we met a Hungarian CP minister in a famous Budapest restaurant, who once plied with enough alcohol, got up ON the table and shouted" Me, a Communist? hahahaha! How else can I get a Rolex, Gucci shoes, suits from Saville Row and a BMW? " . Ironic again that the approval rate for the Kadar regime rose after his death, though truth is that it really was the happiest Soviet barrack, but still a barrack run by an elite group of Party hacks.
how is the translating going?
@@mango11119 By Xmas , hopefully
I grew up 15 minutes walk from a river that's still the border to the West. Back then there were huge lights, barbed wires, and armed officers with dogs 24/7. If they caught you trying to swim across, they did not rescue you, they let the dogs on you and killed you. Those living in these border areas had to get a permit and explain whenever they were to receive a visitor who did not live there. Yay happy times.
Wow.. your made up story is comparable to the sundarban border between Bangladesh and India.
And your dad was an electrician - he wore tiny lightnings on his collar, right?
Ignore the tankie trolls.
Thank you for sharing.
...yeah! - they "LIBERATED" Hungary, alright! Just in the same way as they "LIBERATED" us Poles!...
All the Very Best to my Hungarian brethren! Polak, Wegier- dwa bratanki!
So stupid they use that word.
My dad was born/raised around Szeged/Szentes and fled in 1948, three years as a DP in the then W Germany and, was sponsored to come here in 1951.
My grandparents escaped in 1947 with my two young uncles. My mom was born in DP community in Bad Reichenhall, Germany in ‘48. They were sponsored to go to the U.S. in ‘56, and ended up in Cleveland, Ohio. The things they, and others that fled, went through are incredible.
Mr. Forgas reminds me of my grandfather, especially his boyhood picture.
I always wondered how Hungary was in the 1970’s-80’s. We’re most people satisfied with Kadar’s “goulash Communism “ ? Economic relative prosperity even within the one party State ?
Many boomers keep on crying back Kádár-era. He and his government didn't want another 1956 so we went on to be the most liberal country in the whole Eastern Bloc with relative prosperity allowed as well. "The happiest barrack". Panem and circensis. Who cared about what's going on behind the secenes? Economic downfall followed by IMF credits. Many think Hungary already pays no price for all these but of course we do. Money isn't everything.
@@gaborkovari5093 how big of the market economy was cooperatives?
Check out Scene:Young Hungarians (1988) here on youtube.
Escaped with 11 members of my family from Romania in 1980.
Thank you for your contribution. May we ask, how did you escape and where do you live now?
@@museumofcommunistterror Thank you for asking. My sister wrote a book about our escape called 'A year's journey' by Georgette Doan (available on amazon) It is more detailed than I can say here. I reside in Oregon 🇺🇸. There are many parallels to this mans story. My mom is Hungarian, one of my brothers tried to escape twice through Hungary and brought back and beat by the 'securitate'. We also ended up in a refugee camp in Austria. We escaped to Yugoslavia and we were told that we could go to Australia from there. My older brother and wife and baby were sent there and then they didn't want the rest of us. Yes, this man's story brought me back to that experience! Americans have no idea what evil communism is!
Chiar asa rau era in anii 80?stiu ca in anii 70 se traia bine
@@stefanf5186 it also depended on if you were a christian too...the religious persecution was even worse.
Blue people in US will say you had it great in Romania.
His observations of the attitude towards Communism hold true to this day!
1963, "Shopping ! Bastards left the great retail stores intact in Buda, destination for party leader's families, can't buy crap in Moscow" remarked a high school friend whose family escaped as the country fell.
Great interview
My comment was deleted !! Why ? Censorship is working.This is free speech in capitalism.
I don't know what you wrote. There's not 'limitless' free speech. If you want that, go out in the woods
Almost the same in Slovakia
I was born in 1972 and grew up at the lake Balaton. That was the small west in the east. The socialism was kinda soft.
Very good video.I learned whith it
that hunglish accent
uhnmmm beautiful
Better than 99.99% of Hungarian accents.
Same as my dad and grandparents....all who escaped communism as well.
Reminds me of my family.
My parents escaped Hungary in 1956, walking to Austria. My mother arrived without shoes which she lost whilst crossing a bog. It was a scary journey for them at age 19 and 22.
How almost unbelievable everything sounds to someone born in the 2000s
Fascinating video. Thank you!
I am from Poland ♥️
As an American I've come to love and appreciate the Polish people and their history so much in recent years. I've only visited Gdansk and Krakow briefly, but hope to return to see more someday.
@@myjeevie Great but I don't like PiS
The Western form called liberalism today is very similar to communism. I am Hungarian, I have experience.
Liberalism is literally against everything communist
Exactly what it is.....no one sees it :/
We see it, the one's who don't are the ones who have been captivated by the liberalism ideology.
Look more closely at the people who took charge then. Look at who they are.
There are similar men to Kun and Rákosi in America now. They follow us around and stick knives in our backs.
Liberalism and communism are polar opposites, but you are likely seeing resemblances due to it being a bureaucratic country like the ussr was. The ussr was acctualy never truly communist but a authoritarian socialist state that had a bureaucratic system, also using a capitalist market system.
Australia gained a remarkable person. Why is it that Hungarians seem to a man , so intelligent And street smart
We are ;)
The greatest tragedy is that the smartest ones all leave this godforsaken place. Almost none of the Hungarian inventors, scientists etc we like to be proud of did their work in Hungary. Today this is even more the trend than ever.
Thank you to all who tell the truth about socialism/communism. The west is in trouble.
How you know? When the west go down the world goes down
Americans still can own guns, not ideal for Commies to go around and try to bully people into their ideology😊
Great video!
"Liberated". Like when my dog liberates my steak off the dinner table.
Did your steak do the Holocaust right in the center of the steak's capital too?
I'm sure "The Museum of Communist Terror" is a good place to get unbiased, even handed information about this subject.
Next I'll learn about meat production from the Army of Vegan Warriors.
Yup 👍 totally unbiased. And They sure know the difference between communism and socialism.
@NesMeme Everything he said about communism/socialism is true. I am also a former defector from Hungary with my family. You people live in a sort of dream world if you think it's good. This is what happens when you have cushy lives in the West. We have a saying in Hungary "It's easy to be a communist in the West".
@@274norbi hahahahahhaha 😂 I live in Bangladesh. Capitalist greed exploits the sweatshop workers and give’s us near-starving wages, I’d rather live in the ‘Hungarian dystopia’ than here. Don’t try to personally attack me, that scare tactic might work with westerners, but not me.
@@274norbi 1992 Russia also had a saying,” you know what capitalism achieved in 1 year, that communism couldn’t do in 70 years?
Answer: Make communism look good.”
@@274norbi tell me, when did you ‘defect’ from Hungary?
Whatever he is saying is currently going on in Indian occupied Kashmir. And this is fully supported and suppressed by European Union
Interesting journey to get out from the terror of communism .. Greetings from Australia, Perth.... //
There was no terror of communism there! I grew up in that system and know of those"terrors" . Free healthcare, free education, free University diploma for me (Primary school teacher), young people after they marry get a loan with no interest to pay, workers get free apartments, new mothers financial package and time off paid..My father worked in a factory and we had apartment given to us by government with paying only small amount for utilities. Life was focused on physical development, sports, teaching life skills in schools, free lunches. It was all about children and their wellbeing and healthy development...We had all we needed. No, we did not have Western goods, but we also did not have Western crime, drugs, homelesness and people had guaranteed simple life without worries of what is going to be tommorow. Most of us lived similar life and that is what made us to be united and way much stronger than society now with tis crazy divisions and everything for PROFIT. Money, greed rules now!!!
So, most of it is right on target, but getting so many signatures for a passport is a lie. You did need a signature from the Union and the Communist Party office, but that was it. It took me 3 try before I was able to leave and consequently escape from the (tour) group before they returned to Hungary. I spent 9 months in a refugee camp in Capua, Italy, before getting a visa to come to the USA (legally).
I left Hungary in 1982, as a 17 year old young man with my brother, he was 23.
We had a decent life in Hungary under that regime, but it was light years behind Austria and Germany and the US. To get Levi's jeans we had to go to a black market to buy some. Most people could only buy 1 per year.
I visited most parts of Hungary as a young guy with my friends, we hitchhiked everywhere, we had sleeping bags and our change of clothing was rolled inside it. Had very little money, but we could recycle other people's empty beer bottles and that was enough money for food. We slept outskirts of town in parks, on rainy days we slept in bus stops. We went to Lake Balaton, Debrecen, Holloko, Eger, Tokaly, Pecs, Niregyhaza, etc. Those were so much fun times as a young man. We never knew that there was such thing as 6 puttonyos Tokaly Aszu, because in the stores you could only buy 3 puttonyos.
Now I sleep in nice hotels, but still have lots of fun with my four children and great wife, we visit as many countries as we can in Europe and still spend some time in Hungary with them every few years.
The cars were horrendous, the two stroke engines spewed toxic fumes everywhere. I didn't realize while living there why all the buildings in Budapest were grey and the air bad smelling. Anything you touched left a thin layer of dirty film on your hand. After the regime change in the '90s when I visited again and walked the streets of Budapest I realized that those houses were not grey anymore, people pressure washed them, and you could see yellow, blue, green, red, white etc buildings. It blew my mind how pretty the city looked with all that awesome architecture. The air was cleaner as well, because most of the East German and Russian and Romanian cars were replaced by West German and Italian cars with much cleaner burning engines.
By the way, the education system was quite decent, but to get a college degree you either had to be a genius or needed political connection, otherwise you wouldn't get in. I had neither, my b+ average wasn't good enough to get in a university. Luckily, it was good enough for the US and I got a college degree, the first in my family.
What's a puttonyo?
@@ChrisJones-ij3xp Hi Chris! How are you doing? We got to get together sometime! Tokaj is a special wine producing area in Hungary. where they grow grapes on a mountain that has volcanic ash and lots of stones. Because of the stones reflecting heat, the grapes can be left on the vine longer. They become really sweet and are harvested when they are raisin looking. The people harvesting the grapes carry a backpack called "puttony". (That's where they place the grape during picking). To make this special wine named Aszu you start with 100 liters of local white wine, and you add the raisin grapes to it. Backpack=puttony. The least you do is 3 per 100 liters, the most I heard of was 7, but that is already very sweet, almost like honey. I have some at home, come over bring Steve aka Pisti along and we'll sample some!
how many of us has threaded this path
I wonder what Mr. Forgas thinks of Orbán (current "mini Putin" of Hungary). 🤔
I'm different here in view. Capitalism or socialism, always the same. Humans are constructed corrupt. I see horrors of both sides. Both system's weaknesses can be exploited because humans will try to move above the system. Caring for each other must be taught starting from birth. Minimize the competition, maximize the cooperation and empathy. Majority of Old people will be a part of the past they can't be taught new things unlike children.
Freedom of choice, opinion and movement are not permitted in communism but are in capitalist societies - that is the difference which matters.
People don't tend to immigrate to Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea, etc. Millions, some legally, some illegally, try to enter the USA every year.
A "capitalist" or private business can still be very moral, helpful, valuable. It provides a good or service that people need and are willing to pay for. A monopoly is another matter and yes, must be regulated.
@@ShunyamNiketana But they're not regulated in America. Republicans keep deregulating and let the corporations exploit the market.
@@ShunyamNiketana well said. Most Leftists don’t get that part.
Regarding "Capitalism or socialism, always the same." That is a false statement. Perhaps you mean human nature is the same. The United States, the most successful capitalist country in the history of the world has provided more security, freedom and prosperity for more millions of people than any other nation on this planet. That is one essential difference that disqualifies your notion that "capitalism or socialism, always the same." Another fundamental difference that sets America apart from other nations is our Constitution which states "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." Whether you live life as an atheist or a Christian or other religion this is an essential difference in the American system of governance as it informs the entire economic system of the country. Essentially it means that you, not the state, have ownership of your property and the innate right to pursue happiness. The state does NOT have the right to give or take away your freedom and rights without cause, nor does it have the right to force you to cooperate and be "empathetic" (as you mentioned) to anyone by force of law, but rather by what your individual conscience dictates for you alone.
When he mentioned the desire for Hungary to have social democracy, that's exactly what the US needs right now
Are you kidding me?
@@cherylbowne838 do you even know what social democracy is?
@@Thatguyjack758 your a dumass
@@Thatguyjack758 Braindead libtard.
@@Thatguyjack758
Do you?
''Museum of Communist Terror'' Really unbiased source I bet
Are you Pro-Communism or something?
@@monkeydui7241 yeah
@@themeerofkats8908 I asked someone whose mom experienced life in the USSR what life was like and she said it was ok. Probably an actor or something lol.
The Terror Muzeum has both the Nazis and the Commies under one roof. Try visiting it, comrade
@எவனோ ஓருவன் You should , comrade! You seem to have all the facts
Based on what I think of my personality I may have lived a content life in a Socialist country. In a way I think it would have been okay but of course such a life is easy to romanticise such a life when living a comparatively easy life with material wealth.
Too many people think Socialism will help us. It may in the short term. However in the long term the lack of freedom Socialism requires will lead to poverty and unhappiness.
There has never been any communist state in history of mankind.
It was socialisem,variety of different kind,like in kapitalisem.
What life looks in capitalist countries, of many different kinds?
Is it nice to live in bangladesh,ukraine, niger,libiya,albania,romania........
Ups,the list is simply too long.
Homeless in the richest of all, Usa?
I beleive some Jose,mahmud,nbwana and jusuf can provide you with juicy stories of their miserable life.
Bad grammar. I can tell you that I’m from Bangladesh, and it’s shit here. Like literal 10 year olds drive motorcycles, and the police don’t do anything about it.
iT wASn'T rEaL CoMmUNiSm
15:54 perfectly sums up why fascism is classicalist in nature and is anti-socialist or “white” (as in “anti-red”), despite the “National Socialist” name in Germany, which came about at a time when the Nazis included both left and right wing extremists, in power the Nazis were not social revolutionaries, in fact their rise to power was based off the growing danger of communist social revolution, unfortunately when a country is on the edge of sliding to communism you don’t really get to choose your leaders, it’s basically whoever is left that will protect business and save classical society, sometimes you get a benign bureaucrat like Salazar, sometimes you get a genocidal maniac like Hitler, whoever will save the country from collapse to communism. It’s an incentive to not come too close to Communism. The system he speaks of is currently still wreaking havoc on the world as the CCP attempts to censor the entire world and take over global trade, economy and thought
In former Yu, have All for time of Socialisam, today have Casting Society like in India before 2000 year
Fascinating story - those who grew up in a liberal democracy probably can't even imagine what it is like to live in a totalitarian communist state where as a person you have absolutely no rights, and a single monolithic state bureaucracy controls everything around you - the media, churches, corporations, housing, sports clubs, social services, unions and every other social institution is run by the same party apparatus. The state has absolute control over where you can live, where you can work, if and where you can study, if you are allowed to travel, what you can buy, who you are allowed to meet, what you can read and listen to.... This nightmare society is the direct implementation of marxist doctrine, perhaps the most noxious and murderous ideology in all of human history, directly responsible for a hundred million deaths and untold human misery. All the claims and predictions of Marx have been conclusively falsified long ago, as Karl Popper convincingly showed - yet many left-wing Western intellectual still adhere to this inhumane belief system, posing as well-intentioned proponents of progress and equality. It is high time to wake up and realize that marxism represents a deadly threat to human liberty and well-being, and its more recent tribal incarnations - woke-ism, cancel culture, political correctness, identity politics and 'critical theory' should be emphatically rejected by everyone who cares about human liberty and flourishing. This video is a historical reminder of what is at risk - we must learn from history so we don't have to repeat it!
Ok Joe. My family left Hungary in 1957,after we were arrested twice in late 56 trying to cross the border .We ended up in Sydney,my brother was 10 years old, 5 months older than you and I'm nearly 6 years older than you. So we grew up in similar circumstances. I would like to know what your childhood was like in your formative years. The education system under communism was superior to that of Australia,particularly up to 18 years of age .
Medical cover was free and universal albeit at a somewhat primitive level .
It seems you were able to attend uni in Hungary. More than likely your family had the right credentials.
It's important to know what influences you were under in your formative years.That could have added to your success in Australia. As you're aware many Hungarians who migrated to Australia became leading lights in that society. Why do you think that happened? Was there something which made us so successful while growing up in Communist Hungary? Did you ever wonder about that?
So called communism (rather, the social revolution) in USSR improved living conditions and education for the vast majority of people. There was terrible poverty and illiteracy throughout Russia in 1917 and the revolution transformed life expectancy, health, education and dignity for most people profoundly by the 1960s. The story is similar in China, with average life expectancy 40 years old in 1950 and 75 years old when Mao returned, with similar improvements in literacy from 10% to 75% over the same period. The advances in China today are almost small compared to the major advances early on when imperialist capitalism was overcome, no small feat.
Do not assume different culture works the same way.
And what about the GULAG? And the Dalstroy? Have these happy masses been to Kolima? Are their dead bodies built into the foundation of Road of the Bones?
And those surviving, was it better to them than to the Americans of same age? I doubt.
This video was meant to scare Western audiences, the intention is that when things go bad in their country they can blame the "communist"
@@barsanyibela4027devil’s island was worse than any gulag in existence. The US’s prison population is 2 million. Whereas the height of the USSR’s prison population was 1.2 million. And gulag is an acronym you know that right? Who am I kidding of course you don’t.
That may be half true but why the overbearing Authoritarianism?
This is truly fascinating. So glad to live in the US with the freedom we have.
I'm glad I live in Cuba were under socialism I have free healthcare and having a home is a human right so I don't have to give money to a parasitic landlord! 🇨🇺☭
@@spaghettimon3851 for all I know Cuba is a nicer place to live than here. I've never been there. Tell me about it. It would be nice to hear an unbiased opinion instead of media propaganda.
@@openscholar9908 lol of course he doesnt respond, all commies like to do is flaunt around about how bad american and capatilism is horrible
@@spaghettimon3851 healthcare is never free. It’s free at the point of service, but it’s funded by the citizens, nor is quality of service great. Stopping kidding yourself.
@@toffeenut1336 Capitalism spreads poverty, famine and war.
Lol "the soviet army liberated Hungary"... Yeah just like Bela Kohn did in 1919?! I think if I lived I would take my chances with the Naizs!!
Yugoslavia was not a litlle bit liberal than hungary but was instead 100% free and with our red passport we travelled all around the world.
From eastern block to all westeren world!!!
There was no teror in our comunist homeland
It was Socialism, not comunism as well as in other East block countries. Perfect education - for free, high level of health care system - for free, no beggars, no homeless, most of families had a home and additional weekend home, no problem with drag addiction, childhood full of joy
The Soviet Union was socialist also... they like all countries which have tried can never get to communism! FYI NOTHING IS FREE!!
🤦🏼♀️
And many murdered.
th-cam.com/video/8E3R6tlIYbg/w-d-xo.html footage of Hungary in 1969.
Ask the hungarians today and a majority of them will say that they had a better life then than now! In reality oppression in a socialist country was never a propblem for a communist only for right wingers!
One should also ask them which side Hungary was in WW2, whose shoes are on the river bank in the center of their capital, and who exactly "rose up" in 1956.
Meanwhile in capitalist world oppression is for everyone, except the rich.
OF COURSE everyone wants to escape to the USA!!! But why dont they escape to Congo? To Haiti? To Central America and the Banana Republics? Those are also capitalist countries.
Probably thousands of soviets fell for the illusion and died trying to escape to Western Europe and USA, where all the riches of the world are accumulated.
But what's not talked about is that almost every capitalist nation (outside of the G7) we are speaking about dozens and dozens of countries. All of these nations had huge inner power struggles because millions of people wanted communism.
The soviets censored right wingers and shut them off... But the USA waged full WAR on everyone unhappy under capitalism: Severe repression, terrorism, massive torture, drug cartels, paramilitary groups, contras, dictatorships, muhajideen.
Almost every Latin American nation developed guerrillas and civil wars. These guerrillas were not created by the USSR, they first arose organically and later on in the conflict USSR provided weapons. But these were entirely organical movements of the people from the start.
if Latin America had become communist, I'm 100% sure all the food problems in USSR would have been completely solved.
We have abundance of fruits and vegetables of all kinds. Bananas, mangoes, pineapples, oranges, strawberries, coffee, corn, potatoes, etc.
Potatoes are actually a biotechnological invention by early native americans. The descendants of these native americans were markedly communist in the XX century.
We also have vast extensions of land to grow up animals and cattle.
Also availability of natural resources. Oil, gold, emeralds, lithium, copper.
These resources would have been fraternally and selflessly shared among all soviet nations, in exchange of infrastructure and technology which we lacked.
Liberated
Oman victory haha I picked that one too.
Congratulations Hungary. You are a right wing autocracy now
@@themeerofkats8908 I live in Hungary. From England originally. I would class Hungary as a socialist country controlled by Jewish capitalism. They have the highest vat tax in Europe, a huge welfare and health program. Mandatory vaccinations at gun point. Orban is like a self hating communist.
@@omanvictory4011I'm not surprised that you are an anti-semite. That just destroys what little credibility you have
Also, lol at Orban being communist.
I guess big guberment is communist
@@themeerofkats8908 yes big government is the definition of communism/ socialism. Also I'm part Jewish and very proud of my Jewish race having so much power. Stalin was a huge anti semite by the way
4:27
4:55
5:28
8:38
14:59
13:45
Clock went backwards.
Sounds like what Zelensky is doing in Ukraine 0:48
Ask my father, you'll get diffrent response
@எவனோ ஓருவன் Good, no breadlines he had everything he needed.
There are always 2 sides to a story, though communism failed , it did have its own glory days . The regimes had secure jobs but unfortunately no one was rich , only if Communism provided more freedom to the people , would have been a different story.
Well, it’s not meant to provide freedom. That’s why it’s usually one party state or evolves into authoritarian or dictatorship, with censorship, concentration camps and no ownership of property or land
@@GodmadeTrends but then what has the globalisation lead to . Hungary now has highest rate of suicides and unemployment and it's still a third world economy. Many of the Hungarian s and the people from the former iron countries now feel they were better off in the times of communism instead of the current times
@@Ghazal7i7 that’s not true. And even if it were, it doesn’t take away from the fact there lives were still miserable under communism
@@GodmadeTrends miserable yes but suicide rate was quite low.. that's a thing which a person commits when he or she is stressed to the maximum
@@Ghazal7i7 BS, you have it back wards and quite misinformed! Hungary and Sweden vied for first place in the 60s, 70s and 80s . Hungary today has the same rate as the USA. Get some facts down , mate!
Szégyelld magad!!! Én is kiszöktem de az anyanyelvet soha nem feledtem !!! Az ilyen típusú magyarok jöttek haza 1960-as években és ezt mondták “nem beszélni magyar” én meg köptem egyet.. 43 éve hagytam el hazámat akarsz magyarul beszélni velem..
Egy angol nyelvű interjúban milyen nyelven beszéljen te nagyon okos?