Jokes From Communist Hungary
Humour has always been a part of everyday life in Hungary, especially during the darker periods of our history.
It helped as a coping mechanism to relieve stress and frustration caused by the anomalies of the political system or traumatic historical events.
State and cultural censorship also recognised this during the more relaxed period of communist rule in Hungary (the mid-1960s till 1989), when open political humour was tolerated.
Although he was not called as such, there was a prominent stand-up comedian during communism who did not shy away from turning critique of the regime into humour.
His stage, radio, and television performances served as a “valve”. As long as he stayed away from the USSR and did not question Hungary’s membership in the Warsaw Pact, he could joke about the regime and the communist system.
Party leaders were also frequent members of his audience and rumour has it that once the Party Secretary told him “to be braver”.
Budapest cabaret also has long traditions dating back to the first decade of the 20th century and has been reflecting on public and political life ever since.
Radiocabaret was introduced in 1925, and its golden age was the 1960s-1980s.
Below are some jokes from the communist period in Hungary that show an insight into everyday life in Hungary and how the society perceived the regime.
Political Oppression
The years of 1949-1956 were characterized by a totalitarian Stalinist dictatorship.
ÁVH (State Protecting Authority, quasi the Hungarian Stasi) was the major force behind political oppression. This period was also called the era of “bell scare”.
ÁVH officers would pay a visit to the victim’s apartment during the night to be taken away for questioning that more often than included torture.
The jokes below reflect on this period.
Hungarian Communist Joke 1:
Mrs. Kiss is on her deathbed when the doorbell suddenly rings.
Mr. Kiss opens the door and Mrs. Kiss asks her husband, “Who is it, my dear”?
Death.
Thanks God. I thought it was the ÁVH
Hungarian Communist Joke 2:
A lecture at a political seminar is followed by a Q&A session where Comrade Rahács raises his hands:
Comrade Teacher, I have only three questions; where does our wheat disappear? Where do our herds’ meat disappear? And finally, where do our forests’ wood disappear?
These are very good questions, Comrade Rahács, let me check and get back to you during the next seminar — answers the teacher.
During the next seminar, Comrade Horváth raises his hands:
Comrade Teacher, I have only one question; where did Comrade Rahács disappear?
Hungarian Communist Joke 3:
Why are there three police officers on patrol?
One can read, one can write, and the third is watching the intelligentsia.
Travelling Abroad and Defection
Till 1988, Hungarians had two types of passports, the “red passport” which was valid for travel to communist countries, and the “blue passport” was valid for travel to capitalist countries.
Even the very few who could afford and were eligible for a blue passport were only allowed to visit capitalist countries every three years.
During the revolution of 1956, ca. 200,000 Hungarians fled the country and there were a few more who defected during other periods. Most went for a visit abroad and chose not to return.
Some left legally with an emigration visa.
Hungarian Communist Joke 4:
Where are you going on holiday this summer?
We will visit Vienna, Munich, Paris, and London.
By car?
Nah. On radio.
Hungarian Communist Joke 5:
Comrade Nagy wants to emigrate from the People’s Republic of Hungary; however, the Ministry of Interior declined his request for an emigration visa saying that his emigration would violate state secrets given his position at his present company.
How can I violate state secrets, we are at least 20 years behind the capitalist countries — ask Comrade Nagy.
That is the state secret, Comrade Nagy.
Hungarian Communist Joke 6:
A new patient arrives at the psychiatric hospital where his fellow patients ask him about the reason for being hospitalized there.
Why are you here?
I wanted to defect and I was caught on the border.
Nah. For that, you would receive a maximum of a year in prison.
Yeah, but I was caught on the Eastern border.
General perception of the system
The regime constantly referred to the West and capitalism as a declining, dying system and portrayed communism/socialism as a superior ideology.
However, the shortcomings of the system were obvious.
The 1950s were characterised by a ‘shortage economy’ on top of Stalinist oppression.
The post-1956 years brought liberalization and relative well-being but more and more people travelled to the West or had access to Western popular culture products.
Hungarian Communist Joke 7:
During a political seminar in the 1950s, the students are asked to define luck and unluck. The teacher asks Kovács to define luck:
The definition of luck is that we can be citizens of our socialist homeland, the People’s Republic of Hungary.
Very good Comrade Kovács, and what is the definition of unluck?
The definition of unluck is that we had luck.
Hungarian Communist Joke 8:
The train of socialism is speedily heading towards communism.
However, the train is out of coal.
This should not be a problem, we can sacrifice everything combustible, says Lenin.
So they burn everything on the train including the wooden parts of the train in place of coal.
Communism is very close but the train is not quite there yet.
Lenin suggests using the wooden tracks.
They use all the wooden tracks so the train driver asks:
“Comrade Lenin, we are out of all combustibles now, how will we reach communism this way?”
Lenin replies: “Comrades! We have reached communism”.
Hungarian Communist Joke 9:
What’s absolute good?
Communism.
And what’s absolute evil?
The way to communism.
KORYO TOURS
HUNGARY TOURS
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