Torture was commonplace, cruelty was expected, and thousands entered the camps and never left.  Those who lost their lives in the camps were buried in mass graves, none of which have yet been found.

In winter, no matter the conditions, the prisoners of Recsk were forced to work in a mine close to the Lake Csákány.  When it worked at capacity, over 1500 people were imprisoned at one time.  Those in the camp were arrested, sentenced and then carted to the camps, all without seeing a judge or going through a trial.

After the camp was closed, those who had been inside were fobidden to speak of what happened to them there.  In most cases, those in the camps were not allowed to return to their original trade but instead had to be satisfied with working as an assistant or helper.  The camp operated during the darkest days of Stalinist Communism and fear permeated the nation.

Families of those taken to Recsk only knew the fate of their relatives if they were lucky enough to be released.  For many, it was as if their friend, lover, or relative just vanished into the night and then returned, weeks, months, or years later.  Usually, however, they never returned.

Anger over the camp still runs deep.  Some who survived feel that the events at the camps have been papered over and ignored.  Others, including some members of the Hungarian government, feel that the time is right for the nation to face up to the cruel events during the 1950s.

Péter Boross, President of the Association of Freedom Fighters, spoke at a ceremony to remember those that lost their lives in the camp.  He said "we need to ensure that everyone knows that what happened here was nothing less than genocide."

To take a 360 degree tour of the Recsk concentration camp, click here.

Read this article in Hungarian