Beyond efforts to socialize the economy, a People’s Commissariat for Education and Culture sought to open up the arts to the masses. As Bob Dent explains in his recent book, Painting the Town Red: Politics and the Arts During the 1919 Hungarian Soviet Republic, workers’ concerts, May Day parades, and new thinking on film and literature all sought to raise the cultural level of the population while breaking the hegemony of traditional elites and the Church. Jacobin’s David Broder spoke to Bob about the significance of the experiment in Hungary, the revolution in the art world, and its legacy for post-World War II socialism.
Living in Hungary for over thirty years, I have often encountered mentions in books that this or that individual in the arts world of the time sided with the Council Republic, including some who would later become known as rather conservative types, such as the writer Sándor Márai. But that was all - just a mention, no explanation or further details. When I started to look into the matter, I discovered that many prominent figures across the board in the arts world - writers, painters, filmmakers, musicians, and theater workers - supported the new regime, at least in the initial stages. My book is the result of that research, and essentially an introduction to this issue.Īfter an overview of the historical context following World War I, I focus on the May Day celebrations of May 1, 1919.
PAINT THE TOWN RED PRISON RIOT FREE
The Revolutionary Governing Council, which had only been in power a little over a month, commissioned artists to literally paint the town red for the celebrations on what was billed as the country’s “first free May Day.” There were red flags, red draperies, red posters, and red slogans everywhere.
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