In 1956, Hungarian revolutionaries cut the Soviet-influenced coat of arms from their national flag as a symbol of the anti-communist revolution. At the end of World War II, the Soviet Army was occupying much of eastern Europe, and began working immediately to cement its hold over the neighboring countries as a hedge against its former allies in the fight against the Axis powers. In 1947 the previously exiled leader of the Hungarian Communist Party, Mátyás Rákos was the de facto ruler of Hungary after a two-year campaign of subterfuge, influence, and conspiracies backed by Moscow. By October 1956 the Hungarian people had had enough, and Rákos’ own position was severely weakened in the aftermath of Stalin’s death. Student-led demonstrations against the government turned violent when police opened fire on them outside of the Hungarian Radio headquarters. Militias of armed citizens quickly formed and battled police and military forces; many of whom quickly joined the revolutionaries as their own loyalties were with the people, not the state. Simultaneously, hundreds of workers’ councils all over the country were reorganized, dismissing the communist administrators, burning paper records, destroying insignia, and tearing down statues of Josef Stalin. The new coat of arms created to mimic Soviet imagery depicting a red star, a worker’s hammer, and a sheaf of wheat was cut from the flag wherever they were found. But the new government’s victory over Soviet rule was short-lived. On November 4th, 1956, seventeen divisions of Soviet troops encircled and then entered Budapest with vicious street fighting occurring throughout the city. More than 2,500 Hungarians were killed, along with more than 700 Soviet troops in just seven days. In the aftermath, thousands of Hungarians were imprisoned, and hundreds executed. Soviet troops remained in the country and Hungarians were not freed from communist rule again until January 1989, more than three decades later. This sticker is now available as a remembrance of the struggle against foriegn communist influence in Eastern Europe during the Cold War. These stickers are 4" wide and 3" tall. The coat of arms in the center may be removed separately from the backing, just as the revolutionaries cut the coat of arms from their own national flag. As with all of my stickers, it is manufactured by Overwatch Designs, a veteran-owned small business.
