For many Hungarians who witnessed 1956, the Revolution had a significant and lasting influence on their lives. Second generation Hungarians, hearing their family’s stories of heroism, have also been deeply inspired.
The Hungarian American Coalition and Lauer Learning began to collect these inspiring stories from 1956 survivors through this oral history website for the special 50th anniversary year. The publication of our first two books for the 50th anniversary, was a gratifying experience for us all, but our work continues. Going forward, it is our intention to compile as many personal accounts as possible and to feature these stories on the website.
Our goal is to help complete the picture of this amazing modern-day David vs. Goliath struggle by passing on not only the stories but the very spirit of the Revolution of 1956 to future generations. This will ensure that the heroes of 1956 and the suffering of a nation will never be forgotten.
The Hungarian American Coalition was founded in 1991 as an educational and cultural non-profit 501 (c)3 organization.
Lauer Learning creates innovative, educational multimedia products to teach children about foreign languages, cultures and historic events.
Please join us as we ensure the spirit of 1956 is captured through your stories and passed on for future generations. We are looking for your most vivid memories of the 1956 Revolution. The suggested length for submissions is 1-3 pages, if possible.
There are several ways to submit your story. The interview guide (below) is designed for easy online submission and suggests questions for you to answer or to ask family members who participated in those heroic days. If you would like to send a separate document, click on the e-mail button to the left and send us a file directly. And finally, you may download the interview guide to fill in by hand and mail it to us.
Once your submission has been received, you will receive an e-mail confirmation. Thank you for your participation!