1956….

December 9th, 1956 was one of the last chances to leave Hungary. Hungarian born Interior Designer Aniko Gaal Schott, who decorated the Hungarian Embassy in Washington, DC and assisted at the US Embassy in Hungary under Ambassador Nancy Brinker, recalls that day: “Dressed in three changes of clothing on our backs, we got ourselves to a town near the border of Austria. Led by a farmer from a tiny neighboring town, my parents and my eight year old brother and I joined a single file of 100 other refugees – walking, fumbling through the difficult paths in the snow, sleet and rain toward the border.  Only the thought of having freedom in our lives gave us the strength to manage the 4.5 walk to the Austrian Border where the flickering light of the Red Cross trucks waited for us.  Once successfully over the border, we were given a blanket and taken to a warehouse with straw on the floor.  We were happy and grateful to be in the West.  That was the night that changed my life!”

Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer (under U.S. President George W. Bush from January 2001 to July 2003) and Master of Ceremonies told us his paternal grandfather was Hungarian and his mother was an immigrant to the United States from Hungary, “so I was raised in a home where I always heard Hungarian and I love everything about Hungary. Just to hear the accent makes me feel at home.” As for whether or not he is freaking out about the election (yes, we had to ask) he claimed that he wasn’t, “though there’s nothing about this election to like; but our democracy is very resilient and we will get over this.  It’s just miserable for a while.” He is also really concerned that after the election Congress will continue to be a divided and nothing will happen for the people.”

Sec. of Homeland Security, Amb. of Hungary and Ari Fleischer     Photo credit: Tony Powell

Secretary Johnson does not comment on elections or politics in his current position so we moved right along.  He was attending the event at the invitation of Ambassador  Szemerkényi  and was quite happy to be there despite all the ribbing as to how much he and Ari looked alike (see photo above).  “A big part of my job is diplomacy, more than I thought would be the case,” he told Hollywood on the Potomac. “I spend a fair amount of time dealing with my Ministry of Interior counterparts: Hungary, Mexico last week; Italy this week; coming up Saudi Arabia, the Crown Prince and  Canada. I spend a lot of time with my foreign counterparts as well as certain heads of state, heads of government. Theresa May, the Prime Minister of Great Britain used to be my counterpart when she was Home Secretary. A lot of what I do in this job is diplomacy because in this current global environment, information sharing, bartering, homeland security, counter-terrorism, is critical on an international realm.”  He assured us he would give his take on the election after January 20th.

Johnson’s dinner remarks:  “I am so glad and deeply honored to share the program tonight with my twin brother Ari Fleischer. So many people, since I’ve been Secretary of Homeland Security, have approached me and said to me, ‘I didn’t know that you served in the Bush Administration. I used to see you on TV a lot in the White House press room.’ It is a relationship of convenience because so often people approach me and say, ‘Didn’t I see your video in the airport the other day? Aren’t you the guy who is responsible for TSA?’ I say, ‘No, that’s Ari Fleischer.’ In fact, I’m contemplating taking it a step further. When people want to complain to me about border security and cyber security, I say, No, that’s Ari Fleischer.”

Secretary Johnson  Photo credit: Tony Powell

Fleischer’s response to Sec. Johnson: “I’m going to respond to what Secretary Johnson said. I address my remarks to the Secretary of Secret Service Detail. If tonight you see a man who looks like me try to get into your vehicle, he’s an impostor. Don’t let him in. That’s my car. As the Secretary does point out, we do look similar. Where were you when I needed you when I was Press Secretary? Every given day I would have loved to have sent you into brief the White House Press Corp instead of me.”  On a serious note: “The extraordinary thirst for freedom is what gave strength to the upstart university students to take on the mighty Soviet Union in 1956. They knew they were up against insurmountable odds, but it did not matter. When you fight for freedom, the odds do not matter. While their efforts may have fallen short in 1956, they were not in vain. Their bravery inspired similar uprisings, and lead to the fall of the iron curtain and the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989. These brave souls gave their lives 60 years ago in the hope that Hungary would one day be free. We commemorate them because we can never forget.”

Jodi Westby, Aniko Gaal Schott, Ari Fleischer, Candice Greaux   Photo credit: Jay Snap

Dr. Szemerkényi:“We have two things that we would like to honor tonight. One is our heroes of 1956 whose bravery in standing up for freedom and their values inspired generations ever since 1956. Also, we would like to honor all those Americans, decision makers and everyday Americans who welcomed the Hungarians who had to flee their country, who had to leave their homeland, and offered them a new home and a new life. In this spirit, let us take a moment to honor those 56ers who have graciously joined us this evening from near and far and to recognize their dedication to freedom in Hungary and the contributions they’ve made here in the United States. I would like to thank also, very much, the members of the diplomatic community who have joined us this evening to pay tribute to the Hungarian revolution. We’re joined here by the ambassadors of Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Montenegro, Spain, and of course the bishop of our countries.”

Amb. Mary Ourisman, Amb. Ramon Gil-Casares with Aniko Gaal Schott   Photo credit: Tony Powell

Hungary’s Minister of National Development Miklós Seszták: “The year 2016 marks one of the most important anniversaries in Hungarian and European history – the anniversary of the 1956 revolution and the freedom fight against oppression by the Soviet Union. The Hungarian nation as a whole honor and celebrate our most treasured heroes including their rise to fight for freedom. At this time, we also will celebrate and honor the special monument that exists within our nations and the many American decision makers and ordinary people who opened their homes and hearts to Hungarians seeking refuge in the new world. I wish everyone present in name and thank you for your attention.”