NEW PEOPLE'S FRONT CREATED IN HUNGARY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000700200166-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 31, 2011
• Sequence Number: 166
• Publication Date: October 13, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

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CLASSIFICATION C-G-N-FE-T-I-A-L
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS CD NO,
LANGUAGE
HOW
PUBLISHED Daily weekly newspapers
WHERE
PUBLISHED Budapest, Munich
DATE
PUBLISHED 30 Jul-29 Aug 1954
Hungary
Political - Party, Patriot People's Front INI=ORMATION 1954
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DATE DIST. /3 Oct 1954
NO. OF PAGES 5
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
NEW PEOPLE'S FRONT CREATED IN HUNGARY
[Comment: Creation of a new political organization under the
name of Patriotic People's Front (Hazafias Nepfront) was announced
in the Budapest press on 13 August 1954? It is interesting to note
that the emigre publication UJ Hungaria, reported the rumor of
political reorganization in Budapest in its 30 July issue.]
POLITICAL REORGANIZATION RUMORED -- Munich, UJ Hungaria (emigre),
30 Jul 54
It is rumored in Budapest that the removal of Erno Gero from the cabinet
signifies the beginning of a more thorough political shake-up, and that
bourgeois personages are to be invited to take an active part in public life.
Minister President Imre Nagy recently conferred with Gyula Ortutay, Imre
Oltvanyi, and Jeno Katona, fellow-traveler members of the Smallholders Party;
Father Balog (fnu); and several "peace priests."
CONFERENCE CREATES NEW PEOPLE'S FRONT -- Budapest, Szabad Nep, 13 Aug 54
Political, cultural, scientific, and church leaders held a conference,
in which they arrived at the conclusion that realization of the aims of the
People's Democracy requires the creation of a new people's front with a much
wider base than exists at present.
CLASSIFICATION
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COUNTRY
SUBJECT
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C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N T-I-A-L
The following attended the conference or participated in its preparation:
Erzsebet Andics, member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, First
Deputy Minister of Education;
Sandor Bares, member of the Presidential Council director-general of
the Hungarian Telegraph Bureau (Magyar Tavirati Irodaj;
Albert Bereczky, Protestant bishop;
Dr Miklos Beresztoczy, Vicar-General of Esztergom;
Jozsef Bognar, Minister of the Interior;
Lajos Borbas, president of the Trade Union of Agricultural and Forestry
Workers;
Dr Gyula Czapik, Archbishop of Eger;
Ivan Darabos, secretary of the Presidential Council;
Jozsef Darvas, Minister of Culture;
Laos Dinnyes, member of Parliament;
Istvan Dobi, president of the Presidential Council;
Imre Dogei, president of SZOVOSZ (Szovetkezetek Orszagos Szovetsege,
National Association of Cooperatives);
Dr Ferenc Erdei, Minister of Justice;
Erno Gallo, president of the Trade Union of Workers of the Printing and
Paper Industry;
Dr Endre Hamvas, bishop of Csanad;
Dr Ferenc Harrer, university professor;
Gyula Illyes, writer, member of the Hungarian Writers Association;
Mrs Imre Juhasz, president of the executive committee of the county
council of Szolnok Megye;
Zsigmond Kisfaludi Strobl, sculptor;
Zoltan Kodaly, composer;
Jozsef Mekis, president of SZOT (Szakszevezetek Orszagos Tanacsa,
National Council of Trade Unions);
Daniel Nagy, deputy president of the Presidential Council;
Imre Nagy, Minister President;
Laszlo Nanasi, member of Parliament;
Gyorgy Parragi, journalist, member of the Presidential Council;
Dr Janos Peter, Protestant bishop;
C-0-N-F-I-D-E-N T-I-A-L
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C-C-N-F-I-D-E-N T-I-A-L
Kalman Pongracz, president of the executive committee of the Budapest
City Council;
Matyas Rakosi, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Hungarian
Workers Party;
Sandor Ronai, president of the Parliament;
Istvan Rusznyak, president of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences;
Pal Szabo, writer, member of the Presidential Council;
Jozsef Szakali, first secretary of the Central Committee of DISZ
(Dolgozo Ifjusag Szovetsege) Federation of Working Youth);
Mihaly Szalvai, major general;
Elemer Szadeczky-Kardoss, member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences;
Gyula Szekfu, member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, member of
the Presidential Council;
Erno Urban, writer, secretary of the Hungarian Writers Association;
Endre Valko, secretary-general of the Association of Technical and
Scientific Societies;
Mrs Istvan Vass, president of MNDSZ (Magyar Nok Demokratikus Szovetsege,
Democratic Association of Hungarian Women);
Peter Veres, writer, president of the Hungarian Writers Association;
Lajos Veto, Evangelical minister.
The conference agreed that the new people's front should begin its
activities under the designation "Patriotic People's Front."
The conference elected a preparatory committee with the following
members: Ivan Darabos, Istvan Dobi, Imre Dogei, Ferenc Erdei, Ferenc Harrer,
Jozsef Mekis, Gyorgy Parragi, Matyas Rakosi, and Elemer Szadeczky-Kardoss.
The preparatory committee will draw up the program and bylaws of the
Patriotic People's Front and prepare the national congress of the organiza-
tion to be held next October.
DRAFT LAW ON LOCAL COUNCILS PUBLISHED -- Budapest, Szabad Nep, 19 Aug 54
The Preparatory Committee of the Patriotic People's Front has issued
the following communique:
The committee herewith publishes and submits for wide discussion a
draft law on the structure, operations, and mission of local councils, prior
to submitting it to the National Assembly next September.
The committee appeals to the working population of Hungary to discuss
the draft law and to submit comments, thereby actively participating in the
formulation of a new law on local councils.
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C -0 -N-F-I -D E -N -T -I A -L
The newspapers are requested to give wide publici and
suggestions of the working population. ty to the comments
words(~rticle includes the full text of the draft law approximately 6,000
IMPORTANCE OF PATRIOTIC PE
29 Aug 54 OEM IS FRONT EXPLAINED -- Budapest, Nepszava,
In the course of the third party congress, it was revealed that a much
wider national unity is needed at the current stage of socialist building.
Such wide popular support will be provided by the Patriotic People's Front,
an organization which will be based on the worker-peasant alliance and will
embrace the large majority of the Population.
Many People have asked why a people's front is necessary in to all the other mass organizations. Marxism-Leninism teaches that socialism
cannot be built without the active cooperation Y addition
Petty bourgeois, and other nonproletarianclasses.th ThenPatrioticlPeople's
Front will embrace all working elements of the country.
As stated by Minister President Imre Nagy, "The Patriotic People's
Front . . . will be a militant movement, designed
freedom, democratic achievements, and national soverei dandnto safeguard
reaction and of gntY, and to safeguard
Our country against the undermining activities of both interior and foreign
imperialistic enemies."
The Hungarian people have bVn joined in closer unity since past
mistakes were openly stated and a program for the raising of the
people's
welfare was formulated in June 1953. -- Editorial S Hun garia (emigre), 20 Aug 5 TO COMBAT RESISTANCE -- Munich, Uj
The Patriotic People's Front has been created for the purpose of in-
spiring confidence in the regime among the population and misleading public
opinion in the West.
9s) wMinister
conceIn 3
tersPresident Imre Nagy instituted a policy of economic
offered to the year concessions of a political nature are being
people of Hungary in an effort to relieve the tension.
To achieve its purpose, the regime is inviting personages of integrity
and well-established reputation to participate in public life. They are
either fellow-travelers or men whose names y
sumably contrary to their wishes. The PatrioticiPeople' iP rty asst
new party and its leaders P s Patty it Hotta
able to compel the regime some of whom enjoy Popular respect, will not be
to make important concessions to the people.
In Budapest it is believed that the creation of the Patriotic People's
Front is only a new Communist trick. In recent years, resistance by the
general population has increased enormously. Passive resistance methods
have been perfected to such a degree that the resulting large-scale sabotage
crisis agriculture
To winanover the d industry is to precipitate a serious economic
Population, the Comm
concealing the ruthless tactics of the t
front with Party behind the screenofaaeunitedfore
patriotic slogans,
-4 -
0
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Reports from Hungary indicate that the Hungarian people are seriously
afraid that the new move may mislead the West. As explained by Andor Berei
in a lecture at a recent meeting of the Central Committee of the Hungarian
Workers Party, Soviet statesmen feel confident that the USSR will succeed
in driving a wedge into western unity and that Communism will be extended
to additional countries without war.
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