Methods of cult-building and cult-dismantling in communist Hungary : the case of Mátyás Rákosi, 1945-1956

Abstract

The thesis seeks to explore the phenomenon of the communist leader cult in Hungary in the era of High Stalinism. Its main goal is to assess the construction of the myth o f the secretary of the Hungarian Communist Party, Matyas Rakosi. It aims to evaluate the emergence of the party leader's cult, and the major strategies of cult-building. The cult was constructed with the assistance of various strategies. Discursive strategies advanced the emergence of the party secretary's image as the leader, teacher and father, but they also portrayed Rakosi as the embodiment of communist ideals and the personification of the nation's history. Visual strategies, i.e. the spatial arrangement of cult objects and the spatial organisation of cult rituals, contributed to the emergence of the leader’s omnipresence. The adoption of the leader cult in a Hungarian context is seen as part of the Soviétisation process that took place in all the countries o f the Soviet Bloc after the takeover of communist parties. The emergence of the cults of mini-Stalins in the region was a consequence of the exportation of the Stalin-cult from die Soviet Union. Despite their uniformity, satellite leader cults made a strong appeal to national traditions, which added a unique element to the imagery of local party secretaries. The main focus of the thesis is on the problem of adoption and innovation. To what extent the cult of Rakosi was a pre-made, mass produced, Soviet-type cult? Did it display any specificity that provided it with a unique colouring? The thesis also tries to assess the reception of the Riikosi-cult by Hungarian society in order to enhance our understanding of the popular perception of the Soviétisation project in Eastern Europe. A substantial part of the thesis is dedicated to the problem of de-Stalinisation and the dismantling of the cult after the death of the Soviet dictator. The comparison of construction and “de-construction” strategies provides additional insight into the mechanism of Soviet cultural transfer, and the way it was perceived and advanced by local party leaderships.