30 Years of Freedom Regime Changers

The Hungarian government has announced a memorial year to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the 1989-90 change of regime entitled 30 Years of Freedom and, in honour of this, Magyar Posta is issuing a special miniature sheet of 8 stamps. Twenty thousand copies of theminiature sheet designed by the graphic artist Attila André Elekes wereproduced by ANY Security Printing Company.

The Hungarian government announced a memorial year for the period between 15 March 2019 and 19 June 2021 entitled 30 Years of Freedom, whose aim is “to direct the attention of Hungarians and the peoples of Central Europe to the importance of the events at that time in world politics and to make it apparent that Western Europe abandoned Central Europe after World War II, yet the national communities of this region took advantage of the historic opportunity to liberate themselves and gainindependence”. The government decision emphasises that programmes need to be devised for the memorial year which raise awareness of the events of 1989 and 1990 especially with regard to the age groups who were active during the period of the change of regime for those who are too young to have experienced Hungary gaining its freedom.

Eight distinguished individuals connected with the change of regime who have passed away since then were chosen for and are presented on the stamps of the miniature sheet: Dénes Csengey (1953–1991) writer, Sándor Csoóri (1930–2016) poet, István Csurka (1934–2012) writer, Gábor Karátson (1935–2015) painter and writer, Dr György Krassó (1932–1991) economist and journalist, András Sütô (1927–2006) writer, Dr GyörgySzabad (1924–2015) historian and Kata Beke (1936–2009) writer.