Washington, DC – On October 23, 2005, the Hungarian American Coalition introduced www.FreedomFighter56.com, a website dedicated to collecting oral histories about the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. The goal of this project is to honor the 50th anniversary of the Revolution in 2006 and to ensure that not only the personal stories, but the very spirit of 1956 is passed on to future generations.
The bilingual website provides viewers access to all submitted oral histories as well as an interview guide that can be submitted online or easily downloaded so that their own story can be shared. The website not only targets ‘56ers themselves, but the families and friends of ‘56ers who may help in documenting the stories. In addition, www.FreedomFighter56.com is an educational resource with historical information on 1956, photographs and links to other projects and resources about the Revolution.
To reach the Hungarian American community, the Coalition supplied its membership with promotional packets about the project including: 3,000 bookmarks, 500 patriotic bracelets and 20 8×10 standalone posters. These items were displayed and passed out at commemorative events throughout the nation – from Sarasota to Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles – on the 49th anniversary of the Revolution.
In addition to other plans for the 50th anniversary, the Hungarian American Coalition will publish a selection of these testimonials next year. The Coalition has asked its members to share their stories of the Revolution and spread the word about this exciting and worthwhile project.
As an increasing number of personal accounts are collected through this nationwide campaign, the all important historical record of 1956 will grow and the legacy of the Revolution will be preserved for future generations.
This project was launched in partnership with Lauer Learning, an educational, multimedia company focusing on Hungarian and American educational issues. Lauer Learning is creating a historically-accurate, role-playing computer game about 1956 for the 50th anniversary. Information on this project is also included on the website.