Fourteen Memorial Columns To Honour The Martyrs

Count Lajos Batthyány and the thirteen martyrs – fourteen memorial columns. As of today, the memory of each military officer executed in Arad and that of the martyr prime minister will be cherished by wooden headboards at the military memorial in Pákozd. The Martyrs’ Memorial has been erected on Mészeg Hill by the Pákozd Military Memorial Committee near the obelisk commemorating the battle of Pákozd-Sukoró that had taken place on 29 September, 1848. The memorial columns are the work of wood-carving master László Csibi, and the memorial plaques on the wooden headboards have been cast by sculptor Árpád Világhi.

According to the mayor Pákozd is the centre of the Hungarians’ love of freedom, for after the development has been completed on Mészeg Hill the area will be the sacred place of Hungarian national defence, where we can pay tribute to the memory of every heroic soldier from 1848 until the present.

– The memorial where we are standing now is the symbol of the tragedy of our fate. The thirteen generals and the martyr prime minister symbolise the Hungarian nation’s love of freedom – said János Takács, who also told the audience about the message the memorial columns are sending to the present. They tell about the executed generals, their credo, and their last words before the death sentence had been carried out.

Following the mayor’s speech, actor György Bánffy read out certain parts of the farewell letters of the martyrs, then historian Tamás Katona recalled the events that took place 160 years ago. He said he had endeavoured to do the impossible when he had undertaken to talk briefly about the martyrs executed on 6 October 1849, for one could talk for hours about each military officer.

– I wonder if our children can list the names of the thirteen martyrs of Arad? – asked Tamás Katona, underlining that today we commemorate not only those who had been executed but also a beautiful revolution, a great change, for the emancipation of the serfs had been the greatest change in the life of Hungary since the conversion to Christianity.

– A national unity had stood by the struggle for freedom that had not been ordered but it had evolved by itself. In order that Vienna could bring it under its control, it had to look for allies. It was the numerical superiority of the Russian military that had strangled the Hungarian struggle for freedom. It was not Franz Joseph before whom we had laid down the arms but the Russians. Therefore it is not verified to say that the Hungarian fight for freedom had been suppressed. It had failed. We had fought as long as we could! – said the historian.

After the performance of folk singer Márton Balogh, Defence Minister Imre Szekeres underlined in his inauguration address: a nation that can remember is worthy of respect. And the country that cherishes the memory of those who had sacrificed their lives for it is also worthy of respect.

– Hungarian history and the Hungarian Defence Forces concluded an alliance with each other on 6 October, 1849. 1848 and 1849 established that special relation among the country, the nation, and the defence forces, that will last in Hungary for ever – said the minister. Speaking about Lajos Batthyány he added: it was Batthyány who had brought the Hungarian Defence Forces into existence in the spring of 1848. One of the first things he had done as a prime minister was the establishment the Hungarian Defence Forces.

– Who were the thirteen generals? Soldiers? Patriots? Heroes? All three of those! People blessed with a special talent, just like those who had stayed alive back then and went abroad, and after long years in immigration, returned. There are only a few nations in Europe that can list 25-30 famous soldiers from a historic period the names of whom are still remembered. The Hungarian nation is one of them. These men are officers, generals the names of whom are borne by schools, literary works, and musical compositions – Imre Szekeres pointed out.

The defence minister added: he is proud that here in Pákozd one can remember the historic past as a result of so many people joining their forces. According to Imre Szekeres, today’s Hungarian Defence Forces, serving the country, are the worthy heir of the 1848-49 revolution and fight for freedom. They commemorate the thirteen generals by doing their duty. Not only at home, but in many places all over the world they show the military creed professed by the Hungarian Defence Forces.

Following the inauguration speech, artist Miklós Vesztergán played the tárogató (a single-reed wind instrument), then Antal Spányi, the Roman Catholic bishop of the county, Brigadier-General Dr. Pál Lakner, the Lutheran field bishop of the Hungarian Defence Forces, and Péter Kardos, the Lutheran minister of Pákozd inaugurated and consecrated the memorial columns.

The event ended with the participants laying wreaths on the Martyrs’ Memorial: in addition to the politicians, the military leaders, and civil organizations, the fifth and sixth formers of the Nemes Kócsag (Great Egret) School of Pákozd, and the heritage servicemen have also laid their floral tributes.