The Hungarian revolution | 1980s Hungary | Communism | This Week | 1989

On the eve of President Mikhail Gorbachev’s visit to Britain, Robert Harris reports from, where Gorbachev’s policies of ‘glasnost’ and perestroika are bringing about a revolution which could spell the end of communist rule.
Next year, Hungarians will be able to vote for the party of their choice in free elections. This Week has commissioned the first-ever independent opinion poll behind the Iron Curtain; the results will give the first authoritative indication of who the future rulers of Hungary are likely to be.
First shown: 30/03/1989
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Quote: VT45540

These archival materials are wonderful.

[@GoldberryIsland]

Bravo to all the people who fight socialism!

[@LuisGonzalez-pw7rl]

Thanks for the news! Thames TV!!..

[@MagicNash89]

Watching this in 2024 - remember that very same demands were presented in 1956 and how those ended specifically in Hungary. It may seem today it was a done deal by 1989, but NO ONE knew this for sure in 1989, this is even more true for other countries like the Baltic states, who, especially like Lithuania, were heavily pressured by Moscow.

[@katalinehling4240]

My husband, two teens and I were in Hungary for three weeks in 1985. All my relatives lived, and most still live, in Budapest. It was a marvelous reunion. My parents, two siblings and I had fled Hungary in 1944. First to Bavaria, then in 1950 to the US. 1987 was still a bit spooky for us. We did have to caution our 13 year old sin to watch what he says. On our way to my parents' old property in Zamáfdi, legally turned over to our Budapest cousins, there still were many tanks on the road. From then on, each time I went to Europe, I took a side trip to Budapest to be with my wonderful cousins. At our age, we can't take long journeys anymore. But we do relish the visits from our 2nd and 3rd generation cousins.

[@marycain7424]

My parents also escaped to Bavaria just before the Russians entered Budapest with my oldest brother who was a baby at the time. They arrived in the U.S. in August 1949. How happy they would have been to see the Soviets leave and the start of democracy in their homeland.

[@Yuhon100]

Thank you for sharing us your story.

[@Nn.65juk]

@@marycain7424 i was born in 2005 and already studying medicine. I am from Brazil.

[@MsTeploset]

2:48 We want a neutral and independent Hungary ! ))) Neutral and independent ...)))

[@danielthompson7575]

I was born in 1989 , it is amazing to think this momentum thing happened , my grandfather was both amazed and proud of these brave people .

[@hueyfreeman1983]

These "brave" people turned Hungary into the third world fascist dump it is today

[@danielthompson7575]

@@hueyfreeman1983 You are the first person I've seen or heard criticise your great country .

[@Nn.65juk]

@@danielthompson7575 1989??? And i was bon in august 2005. You could be my papa.

[@C.A._Old]

Reborn of Revolution.

[@C.A._Old]

@@danielthompson7575 Reborn of Revolution.

[@nicolebrown2727]

I remember this.. I was 8 years old.

[@LEK-we2hh]

I came to US 👍👍

[@nicolebrown2727]

@@LEK-we2hh I did too, in 1996. 😊

[@CM_Burns]

Make Democracy Great Again.

[@dsm2240]

I recommend "The Picnic" by Matthew Longo.

[@normiedeathsquad40]

This dude sounds genuinely sad that communist Hungary was going down the pan. The gall.

[@sherkhan2416]

Who's the guy giving speech at 2:30

[@zoltanbalogh9019]

György Cserhalmi - Hungarian actor. Following the example of the Hungarian revolution of 1848, on its anniversary he read the demands of 1989 in 12 points.

[@C.A._Old]

Reborn of Revolution.

[@barbadoskado2769]

powerful moments here, I was born 1990 in Romania

[@milekrizman]

Were there many victims in Romania in 1989 revolution and after?

[@marindanilieradulescu4775]

Dați materialul in limba Romană va rog

[@user-rf4rv1th6w]

Stop blurring the newsreels from 1956. That ruins this interesting documentary from 1989.

[@maryearll3359]

Please pronounce Budaphest Budaphest! 😘

[@user-gs1by5vf9h]

Working cleaning a hospital and No rubber gloves to protect from chemical, filth and bacteria. WTF ?

[@nicolebrown2727]

She literally just told you they could barely afford shoes.. you think state hospitals had the money and/or luxury or PPE? 🤣🤣 I grew up in this, trust me.. we survived. 👍

[@Nn.65juk]

@@nicolebrown2727 you should have scaped to a capitalist country. Omg greece....

[@nicolebrown2727]

@@Nn.65juk I've lived in America since 1996. Thnx. :)

[@conspiraticias]

3:06 He prefers NATO troops...

[@dang4160]

Everything that man with glass on is saying is what’s going on know all round the world .

[@TSEliot1978]

And now we have Orbán...

[@hs7ehfheuezdhji]

I was 17. 😊

[@JesusGonzalez-qb6vs]

I can't wait to see my country, Cuba, free of communism too.

[@JesusGonzalez-qb6vs]

@Xuân Phúc No, Fidel was a killer. You are a troll.

[@JesusGonzalez-qb6vs]

@Xuân Phúc kzbin.info/www/bejne/npy8hGyQacaGatk Libertad! That what we want. Freedom and Democracy.

[@JesusGonzalez-qb6vs]

@Xuân Phúc Im more Cuban than you and im more Cuban than those animals that rule the island. You don’t know shit about my people. You are a victims of communist propaganda. Cuba is nothing but a brutal dictatorship. You talk like that because you haven’t live there, you don’t know our struggle. I lived under that tyrannical government for more than 20 years, all you know is a myth, I know the reality. If you like it so much go live there, you’ll change your mind in less that a week.

[@JesusGonzalez-qb6vs]

@Xuân Phúc My friend, again. You are completely wrong about Cuba. I’m not here to defend the US. I’m here to denounce the repression against my people. This is not about left vs right or communism vs capitalism, this is about democracy vs oppression. In fact I don’t care if there’s a left or a right leaning government in Cuba as long as is elected democratically by the people. Right now that’s not the case. We don’t want a capitalist dictatorship, but we don’t want a communist dictatorship either. We want democracy. When you blame the US you are playing into the oppressors hands. The reality is that people are not chanting down with the embargo, or we want food or vaccines, they are chanting “Libertad” (freedom), “no más represión” (no more repression). And they are getting killed for it. The government is literally breaking into people’s homes and taking everyone that participated in the protest by force. If you defend yourself they kill you, plain and simple. Today there are more than 700 people missing, their family members don’t even know where they are. They are taking 18 and older kids away from their family and arming them to attack peaceful protestors. Please, please, please stop blaming the US for what my people is going through. In the name of all the mothers that are crying right now in Cuba. Is Irresponsible and disrespectful.

[@hueyfreeman1983]

Never going to happen Viva la revolucion🇨🇺🇨🇺🇨🇺

[@larryprimeau5885]

Hungary needs another revolution

[@hafiful]

We are constantly revolting. How about yourself? Wouldnt you need something?

[@roguewave1060]

"....in Byuuudapest..." It's pronounced "Boodapesht," just like "Pyuutin" should be pronounced as "Pooteen."

[@elhatarolodohod2040]

Well, we had high hopes. But in 1994 the commies came back.

[@MrGuyJacks]

People ought to rise like this against the tyrannical lockdowns

[@justiniansnow8919]

Oh shut up. The lockdowns are nothing like the USSR. Not going to parties and wearing a damn mask are not Stalinist, its common sense in the middle of a worldwide pandemic.

[@markofsaltburn]

And prove one and for all that this was a virus designed to kill off the stupid? Fine by me.

[@MrGuyJacks]

@@justiniansnow8919 More like People's lives being destroyed, economically, mentally, socially etc

[@justiniansnow8919]

@@MrGuyJacks Let me repeat. A worldwide PANDEMIC. Don't get me wrong, the lockdown is shit, yes. But the alternative is worse.

[@MrGuyJacks]

@@justiniansnow8919 Mate, it's not worse than the seasonal flu, it does not justify all these draconian measures. The reaction to this virus is arguably killing more people than the virus, and that's without counting the non lethal damage that it's causing to people. Even the WHO came out against the lockdowns, guess they're just gonna ignore them though

[@pan7289]

Revolutions? 🤔😆🤡

[@egverlander]

A remarkable similarity to Woke USA in 2021, except we are at the beginning of the torment here. God help us.

[@mou6854]

oh brother will you shutup 😑 you live in a first world country

[@egverlander]

@@mou6854 Never shut up to the Wokerati. It is a subtle, hideous form of Communism. Control the language to control people's behavior. "First World" has nothing to do with it. Learn or be lost.

[@spaghettimon3851]

This has to be satire right?

[@spaghettimon3851]

Their is no differences between the two US political parties, Democrats are crypto fascists and the GOP are openly fascist.

[@TS-1267]

... HOW'D IT TURN OUT IN YOUR U.S of A... OH MY ...

[@DanCarlN1]

It used to be a great country

[@stefanf5186]

Why isnt hungary a great country anymore?

[@Nn.65juk]

@@stefanf5186 coke in the 90's ruined europe

[@707......]

A csürhe.

[@merseydave1]

I am a Democratic Socialist ... I have No Time for Autocratic socialists

[@needley]

This will be America under Biden

[@volvos60bloke]

What absolute nonsense

[@debrawhite751]

Absolutely. The Democrat party in America has turned far left. We all know that Joe Biden has advanced dementia and the plan has been all along to, at some point, declare him incapable of holding office so Kamala can take over, and she is a Marxist.

[@baysavicious]

@@debrawhite751 you are delusional 🙄

[@lucboy13]

@@baysavicious Right. Just like any of the past 2 years "conspiracy theories" that turn out right. Well just be delusional and then it happens, and you will rue your naivety.

[@royale7620]

@@volvos60bloke I bet you regret this comment 1 year later you monk.

[@evolvedmindset4163]

They were hungry for change 💯

[@nicolebrown2727]

Stooooopid.. 🤣🤣🤣 that jokes gets so old though. That was a good one, nonetheless. Lol

[@rootin222]

Now most Hungarians regret this

[@MrNinjaFish]

The 1956 Uprising should have succeeded

[@rootin222]

@@MrNinjaFish wrong

[@MrAkurvaeletbe]

NOT TRUE.

[@1secondsense]

No they don't.

[@gaborkovari5093]

Many older Hungarians do. Day by day i'm listening to all the cries that post-1956 Kádár-era soft communism was so good. They want those times of controlled security of relative prosperity and social existence to return. But to be honest, all this 1989 b..s... was a blinding circus. The country was in the hands of IMF from the early 80's. We had and still have to pay a serious price for that 'prosperity". And this democracy isn't even worth. You have your voice, your vote but what for if it doesn't count?

[@runoflife87]

Well now they are free. Free to live in the country with the biggest depopulation in the EU, no own industry and low salaries. But you can't blame Russia on this, blame those who "hoped to be free".

[@MrGuyJacks]

Better to depopulate than to import your replacement, but yea the EU is clearly evil at this point

[@runoflife87]

@@MrGuyJacks are you nuts?

[@markofsaltburn]

@@MrGuyJacks The high net worth irreplaceables have already left. You’re not one of them.

[@theunusualdispenser9474]

@@runoflife87 It's not like Russia developed into anything better

[@runoflife87]

@@theunusualdispenser9474 at least we saved our industry from being completely demolished after WTO joining.