A hunted former Red Army soldier confronts a moral choice when his refuge conceals a poisoning plot.
Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases
The Regime Collapses
The Hungarian Republic of Councils is dissolved by a nationalist counter-revolution. Horthy assumes power, and former Red Army soldiers become targets of pursuit and execution.
Key Events
Communist Rule Begins — The Hungarian Republic of Councils governs Hungary for several months. Characters: IstvánLocation: Hungary
Counter-Revolution Rises — A nationalist counter-revolution dissolves the communist government. Characters: IstvánLocation: Hungary
Horthy Takes Power — Admiral Horthy assumes power as Regent of Hungary. Characters: IstvánLocation: Hungary
Red Army Pursued — Hungarian Red Army soldiers are relentlessly pursued after the regime changes. Characters: IstvánLocation: Hungary
Secret Police Threat — The secret police hunt former Hungarian Red Army soldiers. Characters: IstvánLocation: Hungary
Flight Across The Plain
István flees to the Great Hungarian Plain after the political reversal. He takes refuge on a farm run by two women.
Key Events
Secret Police Threat — The secret police hunt former Hungarian Red Army soldiers. Characters: IstvánLocation: Hungary
Gendarmerie Hunts Soldiers — The Hungarian Royal Gendarmerie joins the pursuit of Red Army soldiers. Characters: IstvánLocation: Hungary
Summary Execution Threat — Captured Red Army soldiers face summary execution. Characters: IstvánLocation: Hungary
István Flees South — István flees to the Great Hungarian Plain to escape pursuit. Characters: IstvánLocation: Great Hungarian Plain
Farm Refuge Found — István takes refuge on a farm run by two women. Characters: IstvánLocation: Farm on the Great Hungarian Plain
Shelter With Conditions
The women help István stay hidden, while his childhood friend, the local Gendarmerie commandant, also contributes to his relative safety. István must avoid being seen.
Key Events
Farm Refuge Found — István takes refuge on a farm run by two women. Characters: IstvánLocation: Farm on the Great Hungarian Plain
Women Offer Shelter — The women help István remain hidden from the authorities. Characters: IstvánLocation: Farm
A Friend Holds Command — István's childhood friend is the commandant of the local Gendarmerie. Characters: IstvánLocation: Local gendarmerie district
Protection Through Friendship — The childhood friendship contributes to István's relative safety. Characters: IstvánLocation: Great Hungarian Plain
Visibility Becomes Dangerous — István remains relatively safe only if he keeps out of sight. Characters: IstvánLocation: Farm
Poison Beneath The Farm
István discovers that the women are slowly poisoning one woman's husband and his mother. The farm refuge becomes a source of moral danger.
Key Events
Visibility Becomes Dangerous — István remains relatively safe only if he keeps out of sight. Characters: IstvánLocation: Farm
Suspicion At The Farm — István discovers a hidden danger within the farm household. Characters: IstvánLocation: Farm
Poisoning Revealed — The women are slowly poisoning one woman's husband and his mother. Characters: IstvánLocation: Farm
Owners Become Victims — The poisoning targets the farm's owners: a husband and his mother. Characters: IstvánLocation: Farm
Silence Becomes A Choice — István must decide whether to remain silent about the poisoning. Characters: IstvánLocation: Farm
The Cost Of Speaking
István weighs denouncing the women against the danger of exposing himself to the authorities. His decision could save the victims or cost him his life.
Key Events
Silence Becomes A Choice — István must decide whether to remain silent about the poisoning. Characters: IstvánLocation: Farm
Denunciation Considered — István considers denouncing the women to the authorities. Characters: IstvánLocation: Farm
Life Put At Risk — Denouncing the women could expose István and likely cost him his life. Characters: IstvánLocation: Great Hungarian Plain
Moral Crisis Remains — István faces the unresolved conflict between self-preservation and denouncing the poisoning. Characters: IstvánLocation: Farm
Story Breakdown
Political Collapse — The communist government falls and nationalist authority takes control of Hungary.
Council Republic Dissolved — A nationalist counter-revolution dissolves the Hungarian Republic of Councils.
Horthy Assumes Power — Admiral Horthy becomes Regent of Hungary.
Persecution Begins — Former Red Army soldiers are hunted by state forces and face summary execution.
Secret Police Pursuit — The secret police relentlessly pursue Hungarian Red Army soldiers.
Gendarmerie Pursuit — The Hungarian Royal Gendarmerie also participates in the pursuit.
István Flees — István escapes the political crackdown by fleeing to the Great Hungarian Plain.
Escape To Plain — István takes refuge in the rural landscape of the Great Hungarian Plain.
Hidden Existence — His survival depends on remaining out of sight.
Farm Refuge — A farm run by two women provides István with shelter from the authorities.
Women Provide Shelter — The women help István hide on the farm.
Safety Remains Fragile — The refuge is only relatively safe while István avoids detection.
Friendship Protection — István's childhood friend holds authority as commandant of the local Gendarmerie.
Childhood Connection — István benefits from help connected to a childhood friendship.
Local Command Authority — The friend is the commandant of the local Gendarmerie.
Poisoning Discovery — István learns that the farm's owners are being slowly poisoned by the women sheltering him.
Husband Targeted — One woman's husband is slowly poisoned.
Mother Targeted — The husband's mother is also slowly poisoned.
Moral Choice — István must choose between denouncing the women and protecting his own life.
Denunciation Considered — He considers reporting the poisoning to the authorities.
Survival At Stake — Denunciation could expose him and likely cost him his life.
Set during a turbulent era of disquiet, fear, persecution and terror, which permeates every corner of post-WWI Hungarian society. In 1919, after just a few months of communist rule the Hungarian Republic of Councils falls victim to a nationalist counter-revolution. Admiral Horthy, leader of the nationalist far right movement, becomes the self-proclaimed regent of Hungary, and assumes power as the legal Head of State. Soldiers of the short-lived Hungarian Red Army are now on the run from relentless secret policemen and patrol units of the nationalist Royal Gendarme. If caught, ex-Red Army soldiers are executed without mercy or proper trial. István Cserzi, a former soldier of the Red Army has fled to the Great Hungarian Plains and has taken refuge on a farm, which is run by two sympathetic women.
