User:Kapeter77/Democratic

Democratic opposition of Hungary was an informal political community during the 1970s- 1980s opposing the bolshevik-type dictatourship of the era. They played an important role in the regime change of 1989.

History of the group
A group was mainly active during the years from 1973-1988. The 1968 Soviet-lead invasion against Czechoslovakia and the finishing of the economic reforms gave way to a stronger resistance. Some intellectuals an activists started to express their opoinions more and more openly. Also the so-called Budapest School became quite active. Their main tool was the so called samizdat-litarature. Some of the members of this 'opposition' were later became well-known politicians. The two most important figures among them were János Kis, later liberal politician and Gábor Demszky, later mayor of Budapest. Also belonged to them László Rajk Jr, Ferenc Kőszeg, Gáspár Miklós Tamás, János Kenedi, Ottília Solt and many others.

They were heavily observed by the secret police, they did not have real work so their financial and personal situation was quite uncertain. At some occasions they were even arrested and investigated.

In 1988 most of the members formed a political party called Szabad Demokraták Szövetsége (Alliance of Free Democrats). This can be regarded as the end of the illegal opposition.