Gergely Pongrátz ( Gherla, 18 February 1932 – Kiskunmajsa, 18 May 2005) was a Hungarian

revolutionary A revolutionary is a person who either participates in, or advocates for, a revolution. The term ''revolutionary'' can also be used as an adjective to describe something producing a major and sudden impact on society. Definition The term—bot ...

and prominent veteran of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. He was the commander of arguably the largest and perhaps the best-known group of fighters , at the revolution's strongest and most lengthy point of resistance, Budapest's Corvin Passage (''Corvin Köz''); between 1 and 9 November 1956. Under his command, the Corvin Passage fighters destroyed Soviet armored vehicles, and resisted several waves of assault. Following the conflict, Pongrátz escaped capture and by 1957 had moved to the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

where he spent the majority of his

exile Exile or banishment is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons ...

until returning to Hungary in 1991. During his exile he was elected both Vice-Chairman and then Chairman of the Hungarian Freedom Fighters' Association (''Magyar Szabadságharcos Szövetség'').

The Battle of the Corvin Passage

Armed civilians in the Corvin Cinema (the cylindrical building in the foreground of the picture) and surrounding buildings began to fight with the Soviet armoured forces as early as the night of 23–4 October. Taking advantage of the area’s excellent strategic conditions, the rebels of the Corvin Passage (''Corvin Köz'') soon became the Uprising's biggest and most important armed revolutionary group. Their valour was a decisive factor behind the favourable turn of events on 28 October. The Corvin fighters were initially led by László Iván Kovács, with the young and charismatic Pongrátz taking command on 1 November. (24 at the time of the conflict he was nicknamed ''Bajusz,'' meaning "moustache.") Representatives of the Corvin Passage group negotiated several times with national political and military leaders during the ceasefire, and their influence on armed groups in their neighbourhood steadily increased. The Red Army began to attack the group in considerable strength on the evening of November 4. However, the defenders managed to hold their positions until the following afternoon, when the Soviets followed up an artillery bombardment with a further strong attack. The surrounding buildings were seriously damaged and the cinema itself caught fire. Though they had destroyed at least a dozen Soviet Tanks, with little more than Molotov cocktails, the overwhelming force of the assault caused the group to abandon its base. Nevertheless, members of Pongrátz's Corvin Passage fighters continued their resistance as

guerrilla Guerrilla warfare is a form of unconventional warfare in which small groups of irregular military, such as rebels, Partisan (military), partisans, paramilitary personnel or armed civilians, which may include Children in the military, recruite ...

s in other parts of the city for several days. While others retreated into the cellars of the buildings until they were crushed by their enemy's superior numbers; the Communist forces having poured 31,550 troops and 1,130 tanks into Budapest.

Politics

Following his return from exile in 1991, and in addition to his becoming president of the World Federation of Hungarians (''Magyarok Világszövetsége''), Pongrátz was a frequent and vocal critic of the successive Hungarian Socialist governments that came to power after the fall of the

Iron Curtain The Iron Curtain was the political and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1991. On the east side of the Iron Curtain were countries connected to the So ...

. Despite the events of 1989, Pongrátz witnessed the democratic successor organization to the communist party of his youth continuing to be the dominant political force in Hungary. Depressed by what he saw as the continued presence and pervasive influence of former Hungarian communists in the senior posts of government, commerce and public life; he became a leading figure in a new Hungarian

nationalist Nationalism is an idea or movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the State (polity), state. As a movement, it presupposes the existence and tends to promote the interests of a particular nation,Anthony D. Smith, Smith, A ...

movement, eventually participating in the foundation of a right-wing political party, the Movement for a Better Hungary (''Jobbik Magyarországért Mozgalom'').

Museum

Pongrátz first founded a museum of the 1956 revolution in 1991. It was closed in 1995 after the local authorities wished to use the building for a different purpose. Pongrátz then purchased and renovated an old school building in Kiskunmajsa and turned it into the only museum of the 1956 Revolution that exists in Hungary.

Death

Gergely Pongrátz died on the grounds of his museum, after suffering a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...

. Several high-ranking state officials, including the President of the Republic of Hungary, were present at his funeral. He died a year short of the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution.

Personal life

In his book Corvin Köz 1956, Pongrátz wrote that his family was not only of Transylvanian background, but also Armenian. His ancestors had lived in Szamosújvár (today Gherla, Romania) since the 14th century. In so many words, he said that although he had Armenian blood flowing through his veins, in his heart he was a Hungarian patriot.He was married and had three children - one daughter and two sons.Erika Ozsda - Elfelejtett zászló - 11 July 2017
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References

External links

Obituary by The Times of London
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pongratz, Gergely 1932 births 2005 deaths People from Gherla People of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 Jobbik politicians Hungarian political party founders Hungarian anti-communists Hungarian nationalists Hungarian revolutionaries Hungarian exiles Hungarian people of Armenian descent Hungarian expatriates in the United States 20th-century Hungarian people 21st-century Hungarian politicians