Inside the Nazi/Communist 'House of Terror' in Budapest
Ezra Levant visits a museum honouring the victims of both Hitler's Nazis and Stalin's Communists, sharing his thoughts on the uniqueness of this Hungarian cultural site.
From the outside, it looks like every other building in Budapest, in the hip “Oktogon” neighbourhood full of restaurants and shops. But inside 60 Andrassy Street is one of the most horrible things I’ve ever seen with my own eyes.
That was the building that the Hungarian Nazi Party, the Arrow Cross, used as its headquarters.
But then Stalin’s Red Army smashed its way into Hungary. And they didn’t leave. Stalin hated Hungary. He said it needed to be punished.
So Hungary went from “national socialism” to “international socialism”. And that same house of horrors — 60 Andrassy Street — was taken over by the Communist Party’s secret police.
For decades it was where Hungary’s version of the KGB operated, pumping out propaganda, spying on citizens and imposing a military dictatorship. And in the basement were the most atrocious torture chambers your imagination can fathom.
When the Soviet Army finally left Hungary half a century after occupying it, the truth about 60 Andrassy Street became known. The Communists tried to hide what they did there — they poured cement into the lower levels, to fill up the torture chambers, to hide their crimes against humanity.
Today, 60 Andrassy Street is a museum and a memorial to the thousands of Hungarians who were murdered by the Nazis and Communists. And the museum is rightly called the House of Terror.
I had never heard of the House of Terror until I came to Hungary a few days ago. But it’s one of the most important museums I’ve ever visited. If you can make the journey, it’s worth the trip in itself.
I have been to many museums and memorials in my life. This is one of the most powerful, most shocking, and most heart-breaking in the world.
And the fact that it documents Communist atrocities in as much detail as Nazi atrocities is something that left-wing politicians just hate. Socialists in the Hungarian cabinet actually tried to have the museum shut down.
It is a reminder to never forget the price that has been paid to fight for human freedom.
The CBC would never do a report on the House of Terror. They are too sympathetic to Communists. They’d probably say that criticizing Stalin is only something the “far right” would do.
That’s why our citizen journalism is important. If we didn’t tell this story, who would?
I’m here with our Rebel videographer Lincoln Jay to find out the truth about Hungary, a country that is routinely demonized in the mainstream media. To see all of our reports, visit www.TheTruthAboutHungary.com. And if you can help us crowdfund the cost of our citizen journalism, please consider chipping in a few dollars, at the same website, too.
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