H. Res. 479

In the House of Representatives, U.S., 

December 6, 2005

Whereas on October 23, 1956, university students marching 

through the streets of Budapest were joined by workers 

and others until their numbers reached some 100,000 

Hungarian citizens protesting against the communist 

government of Hungary and its domination by the Soviet 

Union, whereupon the Hungarian Security Police opened 

fire on the crowd and killed hundreds; 

Whereas the Hungarian government under Prime Minister 

Imre Nagy released political prisoners, including major 

church leaders, took steps to establish a multi-party democracy, called for the withdrawal of all Soviet troops 

from Hungary, announced Hungary’s withdrawal from 

the Warsaw Pact, and requested United Nations assistance in establishing Hungarian neutrality; 

Whereas the Soviet Union launched a massive military counteroffensive against the revolt on November 4, 1956, 

sending tens of thousands of additional troops from the 

Soviet Union and launched air strikes, artillery bombardments and coordinated tank-infantry actions involving 

some 6,000 tanks which, remarkably, the outnumbered 

and under-equipped Hungarian Army and Hungarian 

workers resisted for several days; 
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•HRES 479 EH 

Whereas Prime Minister Imre Nagy was seized by Soviet security forces despite assurances of safe passage for him 

to leave the Yugoslav Embassy in Budapest where he 

sought asylum, and he was taken to Romania and was 

subsequently tried and executed; 

Whereas an estimated one thousand two hundred Hungarians 

were tried and executed by the post-1956 Hungarian government; 

Whereas an estimated 200,000 Hungarians fled their country 

in the aftermath of the Soviet suppression of the Hungarian uprising, and over 47,000 of these people eventually were able to settle in the United States, where they 

have contributed to the cultural diversity and the economic strength of this country; 

Whereas the uprising of the Hungarian people in 1956 dramatically confirmed the widespread contempt in which 

the Hungarians held the Soviet Union and the underlying 

weakness of the communist system imposed by Soviet authorities in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as the 

strength of popular support for democratic principles and 

the right of the Hungarian people to determine their own 

national destiny; 

Whereas on October 23, 1989, the Republic of Hungary proclaimed its independence, and in 1990 the Hungarian 

Parliament officially designated October 23 as a Hungarian national holiday, indicating that the legacy of the 

1956 Revolution continues to inspire Hungarians to this 

day; 

Whereas the people of Hungary are beginning a year-long 

celebration to mark the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956; 
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Whereas on March 12, 1999, the Government of Hungary, 

reflecting the will of the Hungarian people, formally acceded to the North Atlantic Treaty and became a member of NATO and on May 1, 2004, Hungary became a 

full member of the European Union; and 

Whereas Hungary and the United States continue to expand 

their friendship and cooperation in all realms: Now, 

therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) commends the people of Hungary as they mark 

the 50th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution 

which set the stage for the ultimate collapse of communism in 1989 throughout Central and Eastern Europe, including Hungary, and two years later in the Soviet Union itself; 

(2) expresses condolences to the people of Hungary 

for those who lost their lives fighting for the cause of 

Hungarian freedom and independence in 1956, as well 

as for those individuals executed by the Soviet and Hungarian communist authorities in the five years following 

the Revolution, including Prime Minister Imre Nagy; 

(3) welcomes the changes that have taken place in 

Hungary since 1989, believing that Hungary’s integration into NATO and the European Union, together with 

similar developments in the neighboring countries, will 

ensure peace, stability, and understanding among the 

great peoples of the Carpathian Basin; and 
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•HRES 479 EH 

(4) reaffirms the friendship and cooperative relations between the governments of Hungary and the 

United States and between the Hungarian and American 

people.

Passed the House of Representatives December 6, 

2005. 

Attest:

Clerk.