The Soldiers of the Don Bend Performed Their Duty Bravely and Heroically

The memorial column – a marker of the memorial site, designed by Attila Zsigmond – was
unveiled and a national flag was inaugurated in the Pákozd military memorial park on the
70th anniversary of the Don catastrophe of the 2nd Hungarian army. In his speech, Gen.
Tibor Benkő, the Chief of the Defence Staff said that the stele is a true symbol of the role
of this military memorial park and national memorial site in the destiny of the nation. “The
national memorial site gives us guidance. It symbolizes the road the Hungarian nation and the
Hungarian Defence Forces went down in the last nearly 165 years. Through its first victorious
battle fought here in Pákozd, the military announced “I am here, I have been born, I am for
you, Hungary" – said Tibor Benkő.

Speaking about the Don catastrophe, the general stressed that “today we have to remember the
Mohács of the Hungarian army", the catastrophe of the Don bend. He reminded everybody
that the soldiers had performed their duties bravely, heroically and professionally. He added
that we should not conflate the political intention of the age with the will of the soldiers sent
to the front.

László L. Simon, the Minister of State for Culture at the Ministry of Human Resources
said that the military memorial park had been declared a national memorial site because
the concepts of nation and national defence are inextricably linked. “Besides the concept of
national defence, patriotism is another important word of calling of this memorial site" – the
Minister of State said.

Military historian Sándor Szakály delivered a welcome speech. In this, he said the nation
which has been living in the Carpathian Basin for 1100 years has the obligation to remember
its national past, and to commemorate all those who worked to ensure that our nation can live
on this soil in the next 1,100 years as well. “Many could be jealous of this national past. Let
this national memorial site symbolize the belonging of the nation" – he added.

The stele was unveiled by Tamás Vargha, the Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of
Defence, Gen. Tibor Benkő, László L. Simon and Sándor Szakály.

Photos by the author