Tibor Glant. Remember 1956: Essays on the Hungarian Revolution and Wars of Independence in American Memory. Boulder: Eastern European Monographs, 2007. 250 pp. $50.00, cloth, ISBN 978-0-88033-616-1.

Reviewed by Katalin Kádár Lynn

Published on HABSBURG (December, 2010)

Commissioned by John C. Swanson (University of Tennessee at Chattanooga)

Tibor Glant, professor of history at the Uni‐ from a historical perspective in his essay entitled versity of Debrecen in Hungary, is the author of “Revolutionary Traditions in Hungary,” a lively this historical examination of the reaction within and thought-provoking piece in which he de‐ the United States to the Hungarian Revolution of scribes the revolutions of Hungary as being 1956--a topic extremely ambitious in scope, to sparked “by the real or perceived grievances of which in great part he does justice. Glant intro‐ the social elite” (p. xvii). In his conclusions, Deák duces his topic in the preface by saying that the makes the accurate observation that in 1956, as in 1956 Hungarian Revolution is the single best- the early 1700s through 1919, “armed interven‐ known Hungarian historical event in the United tion from abroad dissipated the dreams of the States. He is absolutely correct as the American elite reformers while simultaneously securing the public has had limited knowledge or interest in future of the elite to which the reformers be‐ the history of Central and East Europe. In this re‐ longed” (p. xxiii). gard Hungary has always been in the same situa‐ The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 sparked tion as the surrounding countries. Because of the the interest of the American public as no other capitals of , Hungary, and event during the period of the Cold War. It creat‐ (, , and Bucharest), it has often ed an indelible impression on Western minds as been hard for the average person on the street in they saw the revolution unfold in the new elec‐ America to sort out in their minds the small na‐ tronic media of their day. Many Americans re‐ tions of this region. member the print and media images of the revo‐ As an introduction to revolutionary move‐ lution; indeed, for Americans who saw the events ments in Hungary, István Deák, Seth Low Profes‐ unfold in 1956, it is still the most signifcant mem‐ sor Emeritus at Columbia University, sets up the ory they have of Hungary. Therefore, it is not sur‐ examination of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution prising that the fftieth anniversary of the Hun‐ H-Net Reviews garian Revolution spawned an unprecedented could perhaps quibble about two of his choices. amount of literature in memory of the event in The inclusion of the views of the revolution the West. In fact, it seems as if everyone who had through fne art is really the history of Nixon’s even a peripheral connection with the revolution fact-fnding trip to the Austrian border after the had been waiting to air their views--spawning a revolution and the forty personal and journalistic mini-industry of production with over forty books recollections of the event are not entirely from an commemorating the event in English alone. A American point of view. Rather than providing an quick survey of booksellers lists over 140 books in American perspective, as Glant intended, his print on the topic, although some date from im‐ choices under the topic of literature include most‐ mediately after the revolution, some from the pe‐ ly works by émigré Hungarian writers living not riod of regime change of 1989-91, and fnally just in America but in Canada, New Zealand, and some from the fftieth anniversary. This particular Britain. The theme of the book itself is rather work by Glant is a result of a research project for large and unwieldy, and when he reaches beyond the fftieth anniversary of the revolution commis‐ his stated research parameters, the essays lose sioned by the Los Angeles based “Remember Hun‐ their focus. However, the essays on media cover‐ gary 1956” Committee of the California Hungari‐ age, diplomatic memoirs, and academic memory ans, the University of Debrecen, and its later part‐ are comprehensive overviews and show Glant’s ner, Montclair State University. thoughtful and thorough approach to both his re‐ Within the existing body of literature on the search and the general topic at hand. Hungarian Revolution, however, Glant’s work is The frst chapter deals with media reaction to unique, as he has chosen to analyze how the revo‐ the Hungarian Revolution and reviews the cover‐ lution was viewed through American eyes. He age that the New York Times gave Hungary from tells us that he “chose to focus on what seems to the outbreak of the revolution until the regime be a neglected aspect of the revolution: the Ameri‐ changes of 1989. While acknowledging that the can (non-Hungarian) memories of the events” (p. Times took a more liberal slant toward the Cold xii). To accomplish his survey he selected fve ar‐ War and Communism than perhaps other news‐ eas of analysis through which he examines the re‐ papers with national circulation, such as the Wall action and memory of the events of 1956 within Street Journal and , Glant the United States: frst, media, using the preemi‐ chose the Times for his research as it published nent daily newspaper in the United States, the more articles on the topic than the other major New York Times; second, political memory, using papers combined. Glant reviewed 1,944 hits in the the autobiographies of four American ambas‐ Times database related to Hungary and 1956 and sadors to Hungary; third, academic memory, us‐ ultimately narrowed it down to 500 that were rel‐ ing thirty American history textbooks and their evant to his topic. However, he wisely notes, and representation of 1956; fourth, literature, review‐ this is a key point in evaluating all of the material ing forty personal and journalistic recollections provided in this book, “that we are not dealing and works of fction; and ffth, fne art, recounting with simply memory, but with strategies of re‐ the story of Vice President ’s trip to membering,” stating that the Times had devoted the Austrian-Hungarian border in 1956 and the more than 1,500 articles to the revolution and re‐ painting in the Nixon Presidential Library by Fer‐ lated subjects for the frst thirty-two years after enc Daday that resulted from his trip. the revolution and then only 300 in the next six‐ Glant provides a valuable addition to the teen years (p. 2). The Times shifted its emphasis scholarship on the Hungarian Revolution, yet one frst from an anti-Communist stance during the height of the Cold War and the period of the Hun‐

2 H-Net Reviews garian Revolution, to that of tolerance and then closest in service to 1956, had a strong emotional support for the János Kádár regime, and lastly to attachment to the revolution and its legacy. Kaiser support of the thaw in relations between the Sovi‐ was pro-Kádár and a supporter of the postrevolu‐ et satellites and the United States. By 1977 Hun‐ tionary Kádár regime, and Palmer, whose book gary had become such a Western favorite among while not a memoir in the true sense as it deals the Soviet satellites that the Times published a with and ousting dictators, ties into his one-page tourist guide to the country. Glant dis‐ experiences in Hungary. The greatest contrast in cusses the terms used to describe the revolution the ambassadors and their views appears to be (“revolt,” “uprising,” “counterrevolution,” and between the pro-Communist Kaiser and Palmer, “armed insurrection”), and why to some it was who marched with the opposition on March 15, not a revolution at all--a theme that he carries 1989, the national holiday that honors the Hun‐ through to the essay on academic memory as garian uprising against the Austrians in 1848. well. Glant presents each ambassador’s view of his ten‐ Glant categorizes ten types of articles in the ure and his reminiscences of the Hungarian Revo‐ Times relating to the revolution and to its many lution concisely and with insightful analysis. memories, and takes a close look at the diferent The essay on academic memory, the third types of articles in each category: memory, coun‐ chapter, evaluating American college history text‐ try profles of Hungary, political coverage, editori‐ books on the Hungarian Revolution is an extreme‐ al comments, letters to the editor, Mindszenty ar‐ ly valuable contribution not just to the history of ticles, human interest stories, obituaries, book re‐ the revolution but also to the analysis of history views, plays, movies, TV programs, and political textbooks of our day. Glant provides us with a leit‐ advertisements. His thorough and insightful eval‐ motif (the revolution) with which to examine the uation of the news articles within these categories objectivity and accuracy of current history text‐ is exceedingly valuable and provides vivid evi‐ books. Sadly, according to Glant’s analysis, most dence of the dual approach that was being taken fall short. In his research, Glant attempts to repre‐ in regard to Hungary by the West--on the one sent as many major textbook publishers as possi‐ hand, seeking rapprochement, on the other hand, ble, not only to analyze texts that are used continuing to rattle the sabers of the Cold War. throughout the United States but also to evaluate The second chapter deals with views of Hun‐ diferent editions of some of these texts, particu‐ gary and the revolution through the memoirs of larly if they displayed an attitude shift in evaluat‐ four American ambassadors to Hungary: Martin J. ing the Hungarian Revolution. He notes that clear‐ Hillebrand, who served from 1967 to 1969; Alfred ly the revolution is the focal point in all histories Puhan who took over from Hillebrand in 1969 of Hungary. Furthermore, he found that if Hun‐ and served until 1973; Philip M. Kaiser, who gary is mentioned in history books at all it is “al‐ served from 1977 until 1980; and Robie Marcus ways in connection with the 1956 Revolution” and Hooker (Mark) Palmer, who served from 1986 to that the revolution is considered a formative 1990. All four memoirs were published after 1989, event of the twentieth century (p. 88). Glant’s sur‐ although Puhan’s book was already in print and vey included Western civilization textbooks, text‐ he was able to only insert comments on the books on twentieth-century world history, text‐ change of regime. Each ambassador had a distinct books on European history in the twentieth centu‐ view and thus a diferent account of their tenure. ry, Russian and Soviet history textbooks, text‐ For each, the 1956 revolution had a diferent books on American foreign policy in the Cold War, meaning, although Hillebrand and Puhan, being and Eastern European history textbooks.

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The essay on academic memory is fascinating thousand refugees who were admitted to the Unit‐ as it provides insight into a key event and allows ed States, Glant gives a history of the U.S. govern‐ us to see how educators and writers of textbooks ment’s response and humanitarian aid provided recount a single event in a variety of history text‐ to the refugees. One major omission is that while books, survey as well as more specialized books. he mentions First Aid for Hungary, he does not They illustrate how a powerful memory of an mention that it was an organization initiated by event can linger in public consciousness. Glant’s Dr. Tibor Eckhardt and American Hungarians or analysis is comprehensive and wide ranging, and that is was the frst private initiative started by he shows that the recounting of the event in histo‐ the American Hungarian émigré community to ry texts has been altered to suit the domestic po‐ help their fellow Hungarian refugees. First Aid for litical perspective within the United States. He Hungary was the frst responder to the revolution makes the valid observation that “unconditional setting up aid stations on the Austrian-Hungarian support for the Revolution rarely goes hand in border for the refugees before the major multina‐ hand with balanced historical accounts” (p. xiii). tional aid agencies arrived. Not only was First Aid In the fourth chapter, on how the revolution for Hungary initiated by Eckhardt, one of the co‐ is viewed in English prose, Glant deviates from founders of the Smallholders Party, the largest op‐ his stated goal of presenting views of the Hungari‐ position party in Hungarian parliament during an Revolution through American eyes by includ‐ the interwar and immediate postwar years, it was ing accounts by Hungarian freedom fghters and through C. D. Jackson at Dwight D. Eisenhower’s American journalists in Hungary, personal narra‐ request that former President Herbert Hoover tives, family histories, novels, crime fction, and was asked to serve as honorary chairman of the juvenile literature. All of these works are avail‐ organization. While Glant tells us that Hoover able in English and many are by writers of Hun‐ may have been mifed that he was not the hon‐ garian origin or background. It is understandable orary chair of the aid organization established by that he wanted to include many works of merit the U.S. government which was headed by Tracy that were written by Hungarians, but by doing so, Voorhees, the fact is that Hoover actually opted he does not adhere to the stated premise of the for the honorary chairmanship of First Aid for book, which makes the chapter, while interesting Hungary, a private not for proft, over a role in reading, of the point. the government aid organization. The last chapter deals with then Vice Presi‐ Completing the book, a comprehensive range dent Nixon’s fact-fnding trip to Germany and of commemorations related to the fftieth an‐ Austria between December 18 and 24, 1956, which niversary of the Hungarian Revolution are listed Glant uses to recount a history of American in‐ in the appendix including governmental procla‐ volvement in and its relationship to the revolu‐ mations from the U.S. Congress and the White tion as well as the American Refugee Relief. He re‐ House, academic activities, and activities spon‐ counts Nixon’s brief part in the cause and fnally sored by Hungarian American communities. All of the history of the Daday painting in the Nixon these will be valuable to researchers who want an Presidential Library. This chapter as well seems to in-depth examination of the Hungarian Revolu‐ veer from the original premise of the book. tion and its consequences. The sources cited in the Rather than researching the American programs book are extensive and well selected. This review‐ that were initiated through various religious and er bemoans a lack of a bibliography, but acknowl‐ philanthropic organizations that wanted to help edges the wide range of sources cited. with the resettlement of the some twenty-one

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Although his broad choice for areas of analy‐ sis clearly posed a challenge, we must be grateful to Glant as he has taken a complex subject and ft into these categories a great deal of relevant re‐ search, thereby providing perspective on the Hun‐ garian Revolution from the American point of view. In that he achieves his stated purpose and makes a real contribution to scholarship. This book is a valuable tool that can serve as a compre‐ hensive guide to scholars of the period.

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Citation: Katalin Kádár Lynn. Review of Glant, Tibor. Remember Hungary 1956: Essays on the Hungarian Revolution and Wars of Independence in American Memory. HABSBURG, H-Net Reviews. December, 2010.

URL: https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=29686

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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