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1980s · Hungary · documentary

Recsk 1950-1953: The Story Of A Secret Concentration Camp In Communist Hungary (1989)

Directed by Géza Böszörményi with Lívia Gyarmathy · 3 h 50 min

Year
1989
Running time
3 h 50 min
Countries
Hungary
Languages
Hungarian
Produced by
István Dárday
Recsk Concentration Camp, the film's subject
Recsk Concentration Camp, the film’s subject — not a still from the film. Photo: Both Előd at Hungarian Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.

About the film

Recsk 1950–1953: The Story Of A Secret Concentration Camp In Communist Hungary is a Hungarian documentary about the Recsk forced-labor camp, which operated from 1950 to 1953. Directed by Lívia Gyarmathy and Géza Böszörményi, the film tells the story of Hungary’s notorious political prison camp and the secrecy surrounding it under the communist regime. During the early 1950s, the camp’s existence was hidden from the public.

The entry lists a 230-minute runtime, Hungarian language, and Géza Böszörményi as maker, with István Dárday as producer. Its subject is the Recsk Concentration Camp. The film was released in 1989 and is listed with the European Film Award for Best Documentary.

This historical documentary therefore combines testimony about a forced-labor site with the political context that kept it concealed.

Who it is for

It suits viewers studying Hungarian communist history, political imprisonment and forced-labor camps. Its long runtime is appropriate for audiences seeking an extended historical documentary.

Worth knowing

  • Documents the Recsk forced-labor camp
  • Explores political prisoners under communist Hungary
  • Explains the camp’s secrecy
  • Received European Film Award for Best Documentary

Before you press play

  • Runs 230 minutes
  • Presented in Hungarian
  • Deals with political imprisonment and forced labor

The short of it

Recsk 1950–1953 offers an extensive account of a secret Hungarian political prison camp and its historical setting. Viewers interested in documented communist-era repression should note its substantial length and Hungarian language.

What it is about

Recsk Concentration Camp

Awards on record

  • European Film Award for Best Documentary

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