La Légion étrangère et les adolescents réfugiés hongrois de 1956 (the Foreign Legion and Hungarian teenage refugees in 1956)

[Rapace]

Found this on YouTube, while looking for something else. I thinks it's called serendipity in English... A documentary on teenagers who left Hungary after the 1956 Soviet invasion and joined la Légion étrangère.

 

[Perun]

Found this on YouTube, while looking for something else. I thinks it's called serendipity in English... A documentary on teenagers who left Hungary after the 1956 Soviet invasion and joined la Légion étrangère.

The documentary being in French (I'm on phrases level, if even that) ; I suppose the minimum age limit was the same as today 17,6 years old? Considering their situation a parental consent wasn't obligatory? I was just wondering...

 

[Chas]

I recall my last term at college going to the docks at Dover and offering Hungarian refugees hot tea and biscuits. All young about my age relieved yet fearful.

 

[Peter Lyderik]

Posted the version with English subtitles back in 2018

PATRIA NOSTRA: Hungarian Minor Refugees of 1956 in the French Foreign Legion

With English subtitles. Looks really interesting.

cervens.net

 

[voltigeur]

The documentary being in French (I'm on phrases level, if even that) ; I suppose the minimum age limit was the same as today 17,6 years old? Considering their situation a parental consent wasn't obligatory? I was just wondering...

Yes, even in my time the age limit was 17 to 40 years of age.
However, exceptions were made.
I remember one recruit in Sidi Bel Abbes who was 17 and got accepted, but before we were shipped to the training center He was send back home after his parents had inquired about him.
He could have stayed if he had wanted to, by having his name and age changed.
I was 18, but the age of majority in Holland was 22 years of age at that time.
I was also asked if I wanted to go home.
The rest is history

 

[mark wake]

Yes, even in my time the age limit was 17 to 40 years of age.
However, exceptions were made.
I remember one recruit in Sidi Bel Abbes who was 17 and got accepted, but before we were shipped to the training center He was send back home after his parents had inquired about him.
He could have stayed if he had wanted to, by having his name and age changed.
I was 18, but the age of majority in Holland was 22 years of age at that time.
I was also asked if I wanted to go home.
The rest is history

Ah! But dreams of the cavalry!

 

[Rapace]

Posted the version with English subtitles back in 2018

Oops... Sorry. I didn’t recall... and didn’t check before posting.

 

[jonny]

There were lots of Hungarians joining the Legion at the same time I did, in 1957. Some of them became good friends, others I couldn’t get along with at all. However, I spent a fair bit of time patrolling around Mascara, Algeria with one that was my friend and patrol partner. When just sitting down somewhere in the bush, just killing time while protecting Legion recruits in training, I started learning some Magyar. Only some of it left by now, though, but “nagyon szep” and “el szeretllek” springs to mind, and “beszelsz magyarul?” You got to have something to say if you should happen to run into a pretty Hungarian girl, no?

 

[enjolras]

(...) I started learning some Magyar. Only some of it left by now, though, but “nagyon szep” and “el szeretllek” springs to mind, and “beszelsz magyarul?” You got to have something to say if you should happen to run into a pretty Hungarian girl, no?

But why would you ask a Hungarian girl if she speaks Hungarian... haha