"It is the women and mothers of Nyírcsaholy who, in times of dire trouble, or if great bravery is needed, give us courage and provide an example in the fight for Hungarian land", Deputy Prime Minister Semjén said on Friday at the unveiling of the memorial commemorating the 1960 women’s revolt against forced cooperativisation.

In his speech, he said that the women’s revolt symbolises the Hungarian people’s attachment to the land. According to the Deputy Prime Minister, commemorations like this have two goals, on the one hand to gain strength and faith from our ancestors’ example and on the other hand to learn the lessons from our history.

Survival for a small nation is only possible if Hungarian history and culture lives on in every member of the nation, he added.

The story of the women’s revolt is testimony to the horrors of communism, police terror, the regime’s tyranny, the fight for land and the wisdom and courage of women.

Following the speeches, Deputy Prime Minister Semjén, together with Chief Counsellor György Lehr, Mayor of Nyírcsaholy Péter Hanusi and one of the members of the revolt Mrs Korbács, unveiled the memorial depicting the women ringing the church bell.

The 1960 women’s revolt happened on 26 February, when according to documents 300-400 women went out on to the streets to protest against forced cooperativisation and the violence of agitators who appeared on people's doorsteps. The demonstration was broken up violently by police and several people, including many women, were sentenced to prison.

(Prime Minister’s Office)