Memorial of Dezső Szentgyörgyi Re-inaugurated

As is well-known 47 years ago to the day, on August 28, 1971, at Copenhagen – shortly before landing – the Malév Il-18 type airplane coming from Oslo crashed into the sea. From the people on board only three survived the catastrophe, the others – among them the captain of the plane, the most successful fighter pilot of World War II, Dezső Szentgyörgyi – lost their lives.

During the Tuesday commemoration held in the Farkasréti Cemetery combined with military honours, Brigadier General Csaba Ugrik, the Commander of the Air Base in Kecskemét – named after the former pilot – highlighted that the greatness of Dezső Szentgyörgyi culminated in a controversial, chaotic era, at the time of the Second World War. This human greatness manifested itself in such characteristics, as the perseverance in the achievement the desired objective, the longing for a noble fight, the relentless pursuit of perfection, and the respect and honour for others.

“Vitéz Dezső Szentgyörgyi is a special character, a unique figure of the Hungarian aviation history. He was a real flying knight, who had all the traits, which characterize the knights, moreover he is the child of an era, where he could show his patriotism, bravery and pilot’s knowledge" – Brigadier General Csaba Ugrik stated, adding that Dezső Szentgyörgyi’s career gives the strength to the soldiers of the Air Base named after him, to serve the Motherland with the same vocation, as he did.

The commemoration continued with a wreath-laying ceremony, and then the Reformed Pastor Major Gergely Hankóczi pronounced blessings for the salvation of the eternal soul of the deceased.

Photo by Veronika Dévényi