Festive Swearing in Ceremony 2011

On August 20 early in the morning the Heroes’ Square becomes filled with people. Prior to the ceremony the interested audience can have a look at the military engineer equipment and tools displayed by the Hungarian Defence Forces. A special part of the celebration is the pageant of the army bands, the majorette groups, the re-enactors and the members of the National Horse Guard between the Octogon and the Heroes’s Square. The armed demonstration of the 32nd Budapest Honour Guards is a much-loved military spectacle.

At the official ceremony beginning at 10 o’clock sharp, this year 61 officer-candidates take the oath, and get the rank of lieutenant. The officer pre-reading the text of the oath, – as a prominent element of the commissioning ceremony – presents the roll of the oath signed by the fellow officers to the President of the Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the Hungarian Defence Forces, then – reviving the old Ludovika traditions – and faithful to the ancient Hungarian customs – they draw swords, that is the officer’s sabres donated by the Minister of Defence and solemnly pledge: ‘For the Homeland until Death Do Us Part!’

The officers after swearing in, lay wreaths on the Memorial Stone of the Heroes, and march past the superiors and the spectators. The contributors of the festive swearing in ceremony include among others the officer-candidates of the HDF Ludovika Battalion, the parading soldiers of the HDF Support Brigade, the NCOs and the enlisted personnel of the HDF Central Training Base, the officers, pilots of the Hungarian Defence Forces Joint Forces Command, and the Male Choir of the Honvéd Art Ensemble.

The Program of the Festive Swearing in Ceremony

08.25 Procession of the army bands and the National Horse Guards from Kossuth Square to the Heroes’ Square
09.10 The display of army bands, majorettes and parading soldiers on Heroes’ Square
09.45 The National Guard of Honour marching in Heroes’s Square

09.50 The invited guests occupy their seats
10.00 Reception of the President of the Republic of Hungary

• Himnusz (Hymn – National Antherm);
• Festive greeting of the Minister of Defence Dr. Hende Csaba;
• Officers take oath and draw sabres;
• Liszt Ferenc XVth Hungarian Rhapsody performed by Liszt Ferenc Prize winner pianist Hegedűs Endre;
• President of the Republic Dr. Schmitt Pál’s festive speech;
• Wreath-laying ceremony at the Memorial Stone of Heroes;
• Szózat (Appeal of Summons, our second National Anthem);
• Air show;
• Parade march;

11.00 Emptying the square, the historical flags and the band march off
11.05 Square concert in the performance of army bands
12.00 Festive changing of the guards