[The Aftermath of the Hungarian Revolution] Guest Book from the Fort Kilmer Refugee Reception Center - 1956-1957 [Original Autograph Album with 603 signatures]

Richard Nixon;  Tracy S. Voorhees; Thomas W. Herren; J. Lawton Collins; Henry Cabot Lodge; Willard G. Wyman

US Army: Manuscript, 1956

[Hungarian Refugees at Camp Kilmer, 1956-1957: Unique, Original Autograph Book] Guest book for VIPs visiting the camp's headquarters.  In the wake of the violent collapse of the Hungarian Revolution more than 35,000 Hungarian refugees were housed at Camp Kilmer in Piscataway, NJ.  These refugees fled the failed Revolution of 1956 and the subsequent brutal Communist crack down.  The book includes a typed, signed letter from Brig. Gen. Sidney C. Wooten describing this autograph book.  In the included letter, Gen. Wooten states, "This guest book contains the names of 603 distinguished visitors who visited the Kilmer Reception Center from 15 November 1956 through 9 May 1957.  It is presented to Lieutenant General Thomas W. Herren... autographed by such individuals as Vice-President Nixon [future President], Tracy S. Voorhees [former Under Secretary of the United States Army, Rutgers Board, chairman, President's Committee for Hungarian Refugee Relief], Gen. J. Lawton Collins [former Chief of Staff of the United States Army], Governor Meyner [of NJ], ... Henry Cabot Lodge [Senator], Cardinal Spellman, General Willard G. Wyman, Assistant Secretary Milton... The last ten refugees to leave the Center on 9 May were the last to sign."  Autographed by the heads of the American Red Cross, organized labor representatives, Hungarian Federation Representatives, Members of Congress, newspaper men, State Dept. officials, foreign dignitaries, religious leaders, Radio Free Europe, Catholic Relief Services, Jewish groups, etc. The camp was subsequently sold to local governments and to Rutgers University (much of its grounds became Livingstone College).  Many of the Hungarian refugees housed at the Camp later settled in New Brunswick, NJ.  

Pages are clean.  The leatherette spine has chipping, with some loss.