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December 15, 1979

Violence Among Iraqi Students Studying in Hungary and Poland

This document was made possible with support from Leon Levy Foundation

Ministry for State Security

Main Department XX/ Working Group Foreigners

 

[Berlin] 15 December 1979

 

 

It became known that a brawl occurred between Iraqi students on 23 November 1979 in the Collegiate of the International Preparatory Institute in Budapest/ People's Republic of Hungary. During the course of this probably politically motivated fight two students were injured and brought to a hospital.

 

After an investigation of the incident, four Iraqi students (supporters of the Baath Party) got their permission revoked to study and stay in the Hungarian People's Republic. Simultaneously, the Hungarian Ministry of Education instructed all universities and colleges in Budapest to not provide any rooms for events and assemblies to foreign students.

 

As has become known only now through GDR students, during the second half of November fierce politically motivated clashes between Iraqi students occurred in Lodz/ People's Republic of Poland. Three people got injured.

 

According to information received, conflicts between the Iraqis increased so badly that on 8 December 1979 progressive Iraqi forces left Lodz and sought refuge in other locations in the People's Republic of Poland in anticipation of further repressive measures by anti-communist oriented Iraqi students.

 

In November of 1979, the Collegiate of the International Preparatory Institute in Budapest in the People's Republic of Hungary reports fighting between to Iraqi students. This trend of violence with Ba'athist Iraqi students spread to the GDR and Poland as well, forcing the nations to take drastic measures. In Hungary, the Ministry of Education even instructs all universities and colleges in Budapest to not provide any rooms for events and assemblies to foreign students.

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Document Information

Source

BStU, ZA, HA II, 22602. Obtained and translated for CWIHP by Bernd Schaefer.

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Original Uploaded Date

2012-06-11

Type

Memorandum

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Record ID

114446

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Leon Levy Foundation