Brothers

“Please! Just not this “Polish-Hungarian, two good friends”! It is a quite old and boring saying, and, excuse me, only a sentimental crap nowadays. Of course, in Poland everyone knows this, just as the alphabet or the national anthem. But when you ask them why we are friends, the answer is: because… um, because… I don’t know.”

Krzysztof Varga

It is impossible to watch without emotion and sinking heart the Polish newsreels of October 1956, in the weeks during and after the Hungarian revolution. We have read enough about the fraternal assistance provided to us at that time, but the images of the Polish newsreel complement our readings with an astonishing power.

For the better understanding of the captions we need to correct a deeply rooted translation error. The popular saying in Hungarian goes like “Hungarian-Polish, two good friends…”, but its equally popular Polish equivalent says: “Polak-Węgier dwa bratanki...”. However, this means cousin and not friend in Polish.
In the news about Hungary, the announcers of the Polish newsreels, B. Niewinowski and A. Racławicki used sometimes this term, but mainly the expression brać. Since other terms were also used to express friendship, even in the same newsreel (worker-peasant friendship – robotniczo-chlopski przyjaciół), therefore we feel it more appropriate to translate the terms brać, brat as “brother”.

From the World

Here the new are mentioned first in the newsreel.

Blood for Hungary	The call of the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers’ Party to the brotherly Hungary
The Polish society running to help the people of Hungary	“At the call of the Hungarian Red Cross, thousands and thousands go to give blood in Warsaw and in other cities”
“A beautiful example of emotions, solidarity and friendship”	“There, in Hungary, blood is flowing. The blood of our brothers!”
	“Our blood can save the life of more than one people!”
	“The action of blood donation and plasma preparation is led by the Polish Red Cross and the Ministry of Welfare.”
	“Special aircraft delivering the preparations from Warsaw to Budapest”
	“Our nation is sending her own blood to our Hungarian brothers.”

In the Zerań car factory of Warsow the trade union and party organizations also address the Hungarian situation. The workers, similarly to the Hungarian revolutionary workers’ councils, speak freely, make cartoons on Stalinism, go to negotiate with the factory leaders and party organizations. The addressed bureaucrats make phone calls, and if necessary, sit on a plane to arrange the matters as quickly as possible.

One week later the Hungarian news are only at the second place.

From the Near East…	At our Hungarian brothers
“Our film crew accompanied twice the planes carrying blood and food to Budapest.”
Lenin at the airport of Ferihegy
“The Polish planes are the first ones since a long time.”	“They are received with great love and friendship at the airport”
	“Hungarian soldiers reading the call of our party to our Hungarian brothers.”
	“This is how Budapest looks like after the first tragic days between 22 and 30 October.”
	“The Hungarian flag often appears also on the streets of Warsaw.”
“Financial help, food and blood”	Hungary is calling for help!
	“The wounded need blood!”
	“Help Hungary! Buy the graphics of the A.S.P.! We send all our income to the Hungarians!”
	Admission to medical work, right wing
	“The Polish society has found the most various ways of giving help.”
“The tragedy of the brotherly Hungarian people has deeply touched every Pole.”

Gomulka, coming back to power on 24 October, in the special annex of the newsreel tries to convince his audience by urging the avoidance of the situations similar to the Hungarian tragedy.

Now the Hungarian news only at the third place.

From the Near East…	Eisenhower is the president
Further help	Shipyard workers! In the name of solidarity and friendship with the brotherly Hungarian nation, let us join the assistance action!
“We are in Gdańsk, where the workers are donating”
	“In a few days several thousand zlotys have been collected.”
“Katowice, blood donation station.”	“Every day thousands stand in line to give blood for Hungary.”
	“Every day a great amount of donations arrive to the Red Cross in Krakow.”
"Pénz, élelmiszer az adomány."
	“The Polish nation in these days does not forget her friendship towards the brotherly Hungarian nation.”

In the December newsreel we only see Hungarian images towards the end.

For the Hungarian children
“An autobus is just arriving, directly from Budapest”	“The Polish postman are hosting Hungarian children”
“They receive the guests with love, then the presentation follows”
	“They will forget at us the past tragic period, and will laugh again”
“A beautiful offer from the activists of the Women’s Council of Warsaw working on the metro line”
“They prepare gifts for the Hungarian children”
“The worker’s children  of the metro project of Warsaw also prepare their gifts for their little Hungarian friends”