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Primary sourcePhotograph1 May 1919

Béla Kun and Tibor Szamuely at May Day Celebrations, 1919

Cecile Tormay · 1 May 1919

A photograph of Béla Kun walking alongside Tibor Szamuely, leader of the Red Terror units, during May Day celebrations in 1919.

Shows Kun as president of the Hungarian Soviet Republic alongside Szamuely, head of the Red Terror units.

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Black-and-white photograph of a group of men in hats and long overcoats walking along a cobblestone street in a city. A man in a leather jacket and breeches walks second from left. Central figure in a dark hat and coat holds papers. Buildings and a crowd are blurred in the background.
Béla Kun and Tibor Szamuely at May Day celebrations, 1 May 1919.

About this source

What it is

This black-and-white photograph shows a group of men walking along a cobblestone street. The central figure, in a dark hat and coat carrying papers, is identified as Béla Kun, president of the Hungarian Soviet Republic. Walking with him is Tibor Szamuely, the Commissar for Military Affairs, in a leather jacket. The photograph dates from the May Day celebrations of 1919.

Why it matters

Szamuely led the Red Terror units during the Hungarian Soviet Republic, and his close association with Kun in public events shows how the regime combined political leadership with armed repression. The image documents the public image the new Communist government projected during its brief rule.

Look closer

  • What does the clothing of each man suggest about his role in the government?
  • Why might the two men have chosen to appear together in public on May Day?
  • What does this image not tell you about the violence associated with Szamuely's units?

This photograph is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Béla Kun on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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