Erbse auf Erde: House of Terror

Day 2 in Budapest brought us to a museum called The House of Terror. I had no idea what this museum was about before going in. Some thought it was a haunted house.

I didn't see the shadow until after I took this picture and someone pointed it out to me.

It turns out that this museum was about the Soviet Union occupying Hungary near the end of WWII. A piece of history that I was unaware of. It was even more surprising that I had not come across this history before in learning about the severity of the vicious acts. I mean, I guess I have heard of the iron curtain, but it is not given the time in education it deserves.

Before the Soviets took over Hungary in October 15, 1944 the Nazis had control of Hungary, but not for long. From March 19, 1944 up until the Soviets entered Hungary in August the Nazis had Hungary to themselves. Although the Nazis did not solely occupy Hungary for long, only 6 months, it was long enough to deport approximately 437, 402 Jews to concentration camps. (I'm getting all the facts I use from informative papers that were in every room of the museum) To me, this points to the efficiency and discipline the Nazis had reached. To be able to come into a foreign country for 6 months and do such damage is terrifying.

Since the Soviets had entered Hungary in August 27, 1944 the two European super powers fought for control of Hungary. On October 15, 1944 Hungary fell into the hands of the Arrow Cross party of the Soviet Union. (image from the internet.) Even though the Soviet Union had gained control, the Soviets were still fighting the Nazis off. During this time the Nazis blew up bridges, public buildings a residence buildings. Hungary was a war zone until the last of the Nazis left in March 1945.

Although there was relief of the Nazi's dismissal from Hungary, the Soviet's rule was no better. All but one Jewish ghetto prevailed. And the Soviet Union started abducting Hungarians to work at Soviet concentration and labor camps. The original target people were Germans. But because of the quota set up by the government, the soldiers were forced to start taking Hungarians with German sounding names. Minors and elders were not excluded. It is estimated that 600-700,000 Hungarian citizens ended up in Soviet captivity.

The Soviet camp system was organized in 1919 and was entitled "GULAG." There were times where there were quotas for executions and 10-12 hour work days and starvation. The work ranged from building roads, dams and railways with inadequate tools, clothes and food.

There were parliament elections in 1945. Although the Hungarian communist party only received 17% favor, by 1947 the communist party introduced and enforced total dictatorship in Hungary. "Torture and intimidation became part of everyday life." The Hungarian communist party had a hard time reaching their objectives fast enough, so the Soviets intervened to take full control as a dictatorship.

Many of those who were victimized were also those affiliated with the church. The Soviets saw the church as a threat because of its financial power and international organization. On top of victimizing religious people, the Soviets closed down church affiliated institutions and decreased priests, pastors and rabbis salaries below the poverty line.

This room very much displays religion as a threatening institution.

This room was a labyrinth made of pork fat brick walls. It was supposed to represent the hard times for Hungarians in the 1950s. How a regular dinner then would be bread and lard.

Shareen was snapping pics left and right :)

This room's walls was covered in Soviet propaganda and ads from the mid to late 20th Century. The Soviets did not leave Hungary until 1991!

After this part of the museum we took an elevator down to the basement. We were suddenly in jail like setting. We were told that this was a site of torture and execution. This reality behind the terror became real. A 2 square foot closet where that had glass on all three walls and high beam light bulbs at eye level was used to punish people. The 'wash room' had one toilet. The majority of the rooms were half the size of my bedroom here in Berlin that I share with one other person. A room half the size of mine held up to 20 people all who could only go to the bathroom once a day. The next open space was a torture room. We moved on to see rooms were people were hanged. And after all of that, a hallway filled with faces of victimizers, people who tortured countless others.

To not know what a museum is about, to entering a normal museum setting, into a pig fat labyrinth and ending up in a site of torture, you could say that I was incredibly disturbed and in shock.

It is over a week later and I still haven't put all the pieces together.
I can say I gained an understanding for the trauma of Hungary and that the most astounding fact that I cannot get over is that the last Hungarian prisoner of war did not return home until 2000.

After the museum a group of us walked around in search for a place for lunch. Can you believe this could even be an option? I was.

We did not go to Hooters. But we did check out the Liszt (A very famous Hungarian composer) Music School.

It was gorgeous.

We ended up eating at a local pub. I ate beef with this cheese sauce and these dumpling type things. It was a very different taste but it was really good.

After lunch Shareen and I went to this photography museum that was exhibiting Sylvia Plachy's work. Her photography was gorgeous, you should look it up. The building was also really cool.

This is upstairs in the museum.