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Russian Embassy on textbook scandal: 1956 is a complex issue
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In Russia, Vladimir Putin has written a new history book on 1956, when rebellious radicals, former soldiers of fascist Hungary, took up arms and committed mass murder. The textbook concludes that the Russian withdrawal from Hungary was a mistake.
Russian embassy says no problem
“Modern Russia has an unchanging respect for the historical memory of the Hungarian people and recognises that there are complex issues in our common history, including the events of 1956. Therefore, we have always approached the issue with great caution and care, not allowing it to be used for political purposes and to examine the events of the past from today’s perspective, out of historical context,” the Russian Embassy in Budapest commented on the textbook scandal.
Eleventh-graders in Russia can learn history from a new textbook produced under the supervision of Vladimir Putin’s adviser Vladimir Medinsky. The book has several problems for Hungarians. Stalin is being rehabilitated and Putin is being portrayed as the saviour of the country, writes 444.hu.
In a Facebook post, the Russian embassy labels Meduza, who first wrote about the content of the textbook, a liar. According to them, the newspaper “specialises in the production and dissemination of anti-Russian fake news, for which it is rightly considered a foreign agent in Russia“.
Hungarians are outraged
The book has caused outrage in Hungary. Opposition parties reacted to the case and even the Foreign Ministry expressed its views.
Who removed the black 1956 memorial with burning flame from the front of Parliament? Who removed Nagy Imre’s statue on the corner of the square in front of Parliament and banished it to Jaszai Mari ter? Viktor Orban and his Fidesz government did these things because those memorials are an embarrassing reminder to everyone about Hungary’s history with brutal Russian repression while Fidesz sells out Hungarians today to the new Russian masters.
Well at least according to Putin, he’s made it perfectly clear. It wasn’t the mean Ol’ Soviets (A governing party system), but the “Russians”, that fought us and oppressed us and the Poles in 56….So the Soviet Party is alive and well with no chance of Democracy and freedom. Thanks Putin, for making that clear. But I think we’ll stick to our own cultures and freedoms, not at all interested in yours…
“wasn’t the mean Ol’ Soviets (A governing party system), but the “Russians”, that fought us”
Despite occasional lip service to the contrary it’s very obvious that russians regarded all of the USSR as russia…. in their view their country was unlawfully partitioned and they’re just trying to get it back…. insane, I know, but that seems to be the (often unconscious) reasoning.
Why exactly Hungary wants to ally itself with russia remains a mystery…. none of the reasonably hypotheses make Orban look good…..