Product Description
This real life story incorporates a unique testament of the Hungarian people's revolution against the Communist regime of their Soviet suppressors in 1956. This is a compelling story of how one man managed to survive the aftermath of the unsuccessful uprising due to an extraordinary chain of events which enabled him to evade the relentless pursuit of the Secret Police and the Russian army - leading to his eventual escape to the West and rebuilding his life in the United Kingdom. An emotional struggle ensued within the man as his family were left behind, and although his second marriage was of some political interest to the West, he never quite overcame the haunting images of the past. His experiences eventually led him to a denunciation of all religious beliefs, despite his devout Catholic upbringing, and rendered him a 'freethinker'.
About the Author
Sandor Parry started life as Sandor Parej in a small rural village town northeast of Budapest. During his teenage years due to the effect of the Russian 'sweep' across Europe towards Berlin, during which time his village changed hands twice. Under Soviet occupation he joined the Hungarian army and went to military academy, after which he served as a Captain. He had taken charge of a regiment when, in 1956, the Hungarian uprising began with a student demonstration. By consensus, his regiment threw in their lot with the revolutionaries and a course was set. With the failure of the uprising he was captured by the Soviets, who regained complete control over the government...he escaped miraculously by jumping from the second floor of a building and later escaped capture on many more occasions. He finally arrived in Austria - and freedom! Behind he left a young son and a wife. His wife was taken in for brutal questioning and died a few years later. From Austria he chose to migrate to the U.K. and, on arrival, discovered that hardly anybody could pronounce his name, usually settling for 'Mr. Porridge', or the like. The nearest equivalent was PARRAY but, unable to find it in a phone book, he opted for PARRY. He continued to use his first name of Sandor, an adaptation of Alexander. He moved south after he had completed his training as a psychiatric nurse, a profession he still practices. In 1967 he married Esther, whom he had known as a little girl years earlier in Hungary.
