Dániel should apologise to prostitutes as well

Péter Dániel, a left-wing activist has apologized for labelling Mária Wittner, a victim of the post-1956 purges, “a cheap prostitute”. A left-wing commentator suggests that the memories of actual hookers who became martyrs of the revolution should also be respected.

“Gyurcsány and his new party must apologize and distance themselves from Mr. Dániel, if they want to earn credibility, and claim the right to criticise Mária Wittner,” writes Sándor Révész in Népszabadság.

Péter Dániel, (a lawyer and supporter of former PM Ferenc Gyurcsány) alleged on Facebook that Mária Wittner had desecrated the corpse of a soldier lynched in October 1956, and also accused her of having been “a cheap prostitute” in that period (see BudaPost October 29). Fidesz MP Mária Wittner was condemned to death for taking part in the revolution. Her sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment, and she was finally amnestied in 1970.

On Wednesday, Csaba Molnár, floor leader of the Democratic Coalition said that Dániel cannot become a member of Gyurcsány’s new party. On the same day, Dániel apologised “for my rude comments” and also announced that he had cut ties with Gyurcsány and his party. He also added, however, that Molnár and his party should not make hasty judgments based on the reports of what he called the biased, pro-government media, which also label Gyurcsány himself a criminal.

According to Révész, Gyurcsány had no choice but to distance himself from Dániel’s ugly and unjust remarks, for otherwise his new grouping could hardly criticize Wittner for her current political role. Révész reminds readers that Wittner gave a speech at the inaugural meeting of the Hungarian Guard, a radical right wing paramilitary group (since banned), and also advocated a broad coalition of Fidesz and radical right-wing parties. Wittner’s membership in the governing party suggests that “Fidesz does not exclude the possibility of inviting neo-Nazis into the government, if need be,” Révész believes.

Népszabadság’s columnist adds that Dániel did not only insult Ms. Wittner, but also the memories of prostitutes who were sentenced to death for their participation in the 1956 revolution. These women who sold their bodies on the fringes of society, joined the revolution in the hope of a better life. Social Democrats “should express outrage on behalf of the prostitutes of 1956 too. Whoever dishonours them dishonours the revolution itself,” Révész concludes.

Tags: 1956, Democratic Coalition