Jakub Basista, PhD
Political and Social History of CEE in 20th Century
Topic 15.
The “Thaw” of 1956. XX Congress of the CPSU.
Polish October, Hungarian October.
1953
4 January- raise of prices of food and other products (on average 25%, while bread and sausage go up by over 100%)
21-27 January- court case against employees and priests of the Kraków metropolitan see
9 February- state decree concerning church offices being manned only with approval of state officials
24 February- execution of general August Fieldorf “Nil”
5 March- defection of military plane MIG-15 to Bornholm
5 March– Stalin dies. Georgij Malenkov becomes p.m. In September Nikita Khrushchev becomes first secretary of the Communist party of the Soviet Union
7 March- Katowice renamed to Stalingrad
8 March- independent Catholic weekly “Tygodnik Powszechny” closed as a result of not placing appropriate article after Stalin’s death
8 May- Church “non possumus” act
1 June- 129 factories announce strikes in response to currency regulations (over 330 people arrested and jailed).
17 June – treaty of friendship and cooperation between W.Germany and the USA signed
June – construction workers in East Berlin (Magdeburg, Erfurt, Lipzig) protest against the increase of work quotas; demonstration is crushed by Soviet tanks – at least 21 people are killed and 187 injured; another 1200 or more end up in jails and concentration camps. In all about 270 killed + 100 executed + 50 executed soldiers.
June – Rakosi must share power with Imre Nagy (till April 1955)
10 July – Beria arrested; on 22 December he is executed with associates; the CPSU is run by Malenkov, Molotov, Khrushchev
14-21 September- court case against bishop Czesław Kaczmarek and other Kielce priests
25/26 September– Stefan Cardinal Wyszyński, Primate of Poland arrested on charge of supposed conspiracy against the state
5 December- Józef Światło, director of Department X of the Ministry of Public Security defects to the west (Radio Free Europe broadcasts in 1954 reports about situation in the Polish Security Forces)
1954
20 January- the newly constructed steel plant in Nowa Huta receives the name of “Lenin Steel Plant”
21 July- First steel blast furnace opened in Nowa Huta
28 September- first Radio Free Europe broadcast of Światło’s reports “On backstage of Security forces and the Party” (Za kulisami bezpieki i partii)
13 December – Władysław Gomułka released from prison
1955
21-24 January- III Plenary Meeting of the Central Committee of PZPR criticizes “wrongdoings in the party and state administration”
5 May– France, Great Britain and USA declare the end of occupation of Germany; FRG joins NATO
14 May – Warsaw Pact called to life
15 May – four occupying powers sign the Austrian State Treaty (end of occupation of Austria)
21 July- Warsaw Palace of Culture completed as a gift of Soviet people to the Polish nation
4 September- a new, changed version of “Po Prostu” is published in Wasraw (this former student weekly soon becomes the symbol of change during the Thaw)
1956
5 January- first meeting of the :Krzywe Koło” club (Crooked Wheel), where vivid political and social discussions are carried out
14-25 February– the Twentieth Congress of the Soviet Communist party; famous Khrushchev’s speech against Stalin’s crimes (On personality cult and its consequences); SU accepts peaceful coexistence and “different roads to socialism”
6 March- Marian Spychalski released from prison
12 March– Boleslaw Bierut dies in Moscow; he is succeeded by Edward Ochab on February 20th
21 March- PZPR authorities decide on distribution of Khrushchev’s secret speech
19 April- Jakub Berman dismissed from deputy premiership
23 April- Roman Romkowski, deputy minister of Public Security is arrested on charges of abuse of power, tortures etc. (he will be sentenced to 15 years)
27 April- amnesty, which includes political prosoners
28/29 June– riots break out in Poznań as a result of consumer price increase; workers demonstrate and army is used against them; over 50 people die, about 300 are wounded
18-28 July- plenary meeting of the Central Committee of PZPR points to the need of dialogue with the nation (a clear split into ”Polish” and “Russian” groups)
18 July– Hungarian party removes first secretary Matyas Rakosi from office; he is succeeded by Erno Gero; Janos Kadar becomes member of political committee
2 AugustWładysław Gomułka, Marian Spychalski, Zenon Kliszko are readmitted into the party
6 October– Laszlo Rajk, executed in 1949 is rehabilitated
18 October– Soviet tanks march on Warsaw / Khrushchev arrives in Warsaw
19 October– Władysław Gomułka is elected the first secretary in Poland despite Soviet reservations, but following talks with Soviet officials; Hilary Minc, Konstanty Rokossowski are removed
20 October- Khrushchev decides to accept Polish proposals and allow Gomułka to lead the nation
20 October– first demonstrations in Hungary
23 October– revolution breaks out in Hungary – clash with AVH; Soviet tanks are defeated; Imre Nagy, who broke with Matyas Rakosi in early 1950s is brought to power
24 October- Gomułka addresses over 400000 in a meeting in Warsaw
30 October– Soviet government declares willingness to review its relations with socialist states
1 November– Hungary declares neutrality and withdrawal from Warsaw Pact; Janos Kadar appears in Szolnok and forms a government under Soviet tanks
4 November– Soviet military intervention of 2000 tanks and 60,000 soldiers; the revolution is crushed; about 200,000 emigrate through Austria; Janos Kadar becomes new p.m.; Imre Nagy with accomplices flee to Yugoslav embassy, which they leave later to be arrested; they are held prisoner till 1958, when they are executed by Janos Kadar.
4 November- a joint committee of the government and the church is formed in Poland to settle differences
16-18 November- Gomułka in Moscow signs agreement concerning limiting of Polish debt, financial help, repatriation of Poles and regulations concerning Soviet army in Poland
24 November- a chain of Catholic Intelligentsia Clubs is called to life
26 November- Wyszyński released from internment
17 December- Polish-Soviet agreement concerning the status of Soviet troops in Poland
28 December- Supreme Military Court declares verdict on bishop Kaczmarek void
1956 – Revolution in Hungary
Synopsis
Following the news from Moscow, Hungarians took the message too literally. Communists themselves decided to form a Hungarian government, which decided to declare neutrality and leave the Warsaw Pact. This happened along with street demonstrations and fighting. In effect Moscow brought in heavy tanks, addition military units and crushed the revolution. Janos Kadar became the strong communist leader to lead Hungary. Imre Nagy, leader of the revolutionary ideas, even though a communist, was arrested and executed. Thousands were killed, executed and even more left the country.
1945 killed in action in Budapest
554 killed in action outside Budapest
5000-7000 civilians killed
230 executed after the revolution
22000 sentenced to long term in prison
13000 interned in camps
185000 fled to Austria
19200 fled to Yugoslavia