11-11 in Bavaria

As it is known, the armistice took effect on the Western Front of the First World War at 11:11 on 11 November 1918, putting an end to all hostilities on this main front of the war. After the war, both Germany (back then as heroes’ day) and Great Britain declared this day a memorial day, which, in keeping with the tendencies there, later came to be marked as the victims’ day in Germany, and its date was moved to the second Sunday before Advent. The commemoration was held at two places because 369 soldiers of the Central Powers – including 29 Hungarian ones – sleep their eternal sleep in the military cemetery of Gmund am Tegernsee, whereas 4690 British servicemen are buried in the other military cemetery located between Dürnbach and Moosrain.

At both places, the participants included officials of the Bavarian government and the diplomatic missions, local notables, representatives of the Bundeswehr and the Swiss armed forces, as well as Bavarian and foreign re-enactors. Among those laying the wreaths of remembrance were the representatives of the Hungarian consulate in Munich and the Centenary Military Re-enactment Honvéd Infantry Brigade. After the commemorations, the event continued with award presentations, so besides the Swiss participants, three Hungarian re-enactors (re-enactor Lt. Károly István Bányay, re-enactor Cpl. Tibor Nyári and re-enactor Pfc. József Likár) also received titles of merit from the Volksbund. Furthermore, the Bavarian military association Bayerischer Soldatenbund (BSB, founded in 1874), presented the Honor Cross II Class (silver) to re-enactor Lt. Bányai in recognition of his efforts in building relations. The Hungarian re-enactors’ equipment was highly acclaimed, and the organizers are expecting even more commemorators to come to attend the event next year.

Photo: re-enactor Lt. István Bányay