Communist Hungary was full of symbols, statues and reminders of the shared goals of the regime.
Statues
Statues of communist heroes could be found all over Hungary. The most prevalent were those of Lenin - every town had one. Following the changes of 1989, all statues associated with communism were removed. Two exceptions are the Szabadság szobor, Freedom Statue, in Budapest which still dominates the Buda skyline from Gellért hill, and the Soviet war memorial which still stands in Szabadság Square.
Medals
The giving of medals and awards was an important aspect of communist life. This began with young children belonging first to the Little Drummers and then the Little Pioneers. Following this, there was a great variety of medals that could be awarded within the world of work.
Posters & Propaganda |
Though there were placards and posters pasted up, especially in the days before major days of communist celebrations, there was seldom a picture to be seen of the Hungarian communist leader, János Kádár. Such cult of the personality was certainly in evidence in other Soviet bloc countries, such as East Germany, but not in Hungary at this time.
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Documents |
The so-called Identity Card of the communist period was, in fact, a small hardback book. It contained all manner of personal information about each citizen including one's level of education, job and address. It was mandatory to carry this at all times and police had the right to stop anyone at any time and demand to see it.
Below are also Party membership books and communist passports - issued and validated for one journey only, and in two versions: one for visiting eastern bloc countries, the other for western countries. |
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