Remains of Kónya forced labour camp

 concentration camp, GULAG

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Forced labour camp between 1952-53

After World War II, Hungary, occu­pied by Soviet forces, shared the fate of the other Central and Eastern European satellite countries. The last years of Stalin's rule until 1953 brought the period of severest terror in Hungary: while Western Europe had already forgotten the war and was pursuing peaceful rebuilding, in Hungary con­centration camps were set up for thousands of political prisoners deported from across the USSR.

Called 'labour camps' in the documents of the Ministry of Interior, in reality they were forced labour camps where entire families lived in captivity.

The twelve forced labour camps were situated in different geographical regions. Lenintanya and Tedej in the north are on the border of Hortobágy, while Kácspuszta, Arkus, Borsós, Kónya and Elep were situated in today's Hortobágy National Park. They used buildings, most often sheepfolds to accommodate the depor­tees far away from highways, deep in the puszta.

The camps were established at different times and the number of deportees in the camps also differed. But the fate and circumstances of the people were very similar according to the orders given by the Ministry of Interior and the memories of former deportees. Contemporary documents show that important decisions were made by the central departments of State Security Authority (AVH) but the county police did the operative work and sent their reports to the Police Department of the Ministry of Interior.


Source: www.magtudin.org/Hortobagy.htm