REMEMBRANCE IN TIME - Index of

Szilvia SASS: Stakhanovite Movement in Hungary and in Hódmezıvásárhely 317
Ede Horváth 7
Although the main goal of the majority of the Hungarian workers was to become a
Stakhanovist, the price of being a “top-worker” celebrity was high: the Stakhanovists had
to identify themselves with the unpopular decrees of the power (for example they had to
advertise the peace loans). Furthermore, they had to set an example to the simple workers
and had to support the higher and higher norms. As a result they had many enemies
among the people (for example András Bordás – a turner – was killed in the revolution of
1956).
Stakhanovite movement in Hódmezıvásárhely
However, the majority of the Hungarian Stakhanovists were from Budapest, there were
many top-workers in the countryside, too.
In Hódmezıvásárhely – similar to the other territories of Hungary – the labour
competitions were connected to special occasions, for example, the 3 rd Congress of the
Hungarian Communist Party in 1954, Stalin’s of Rákosi’s birthday, the International
Women’s Day…etc. To get a view about the movement in Hódmezıvásárhely, it is worth
to read the related articles in the local newspaper – the Viharsarok. I looked through the
articles of the newspapers of 1953 and 1954; in the future I plan to do a complete research
about the movement.
The factories of Vásárhely mostly published in the newspaper in connection with the
Stakhanovite movement: the Scale factory, the Knitwear Factory and the Machine
Station.
Results of the Scale Factory
The Scale Factory moved from Budapest to Hódmezıvásárhely in 1951.
In January, 1954, Mihály Zsigrai and Károly Miadovics – scale mounters – decided to
achieve the Stakhanovist medal by the 4 th of April (Liberation – by the Soviet troops –
day in Hungary). Zsigrai achieved 250%, while Miadovics 170% 8 .
7 http://www.kisalfold.hu/szieszta/tiz_eve_halt_meg_horvath_ede/2071954/ (dd. 10th of
November, 2012).