Erich Lessing Budapest, Hungary. October-November, 1956.
“The turning point of my career as a photographer came when I was reporting on the Hungarian Revolution in late October, 1956. The wildest rumors began
(...) to circulate in the aftermath of street fighting and its ensuing chaos: the Russians are leaving; the Russians are going to leave. Imre Nagy had formed a new government; there was shooting, looting, and silence. But the world didn’t act. A week later, the Russians returned to Budapest and crushed the revolt. I became disillusioned with the true impact of reportage photography and turned my professional focus to other subjects.
But this moment stands out for me still. When the party paper Szabad Nép (Free People) disappeared, new newspapers - Népszabadság (Freedom of the People), Függetlenség (Independence) - were born in its wake. And I discovered what it means when people finally demand ‘real’ facts instead of propaganda: out of the windows of the press building, printers tossed the first issues of Függetlenség. The crowd stood below, catching the pages as they fell; such was their thirst for the truth.”
— Erich Lessing © Erich Lessing | Magnum Photos
