Heroes’ Lot Will Be Renovated

Tuesday morning the National Memorial and Funerary Committee and the Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities (hereinafter: MAZSIHISZ) held a press conference in the Jewish Cemetery with the attendance of former Prime Minister Dr. Péter Boross, Chairman, National Memorial and Funerary Committee, Minister of Defence Dr. Csaba Hende and Gusztáv Zoltai, Managing Director, MAZSIHISZ.

About 300 war heroes rest in Lot 12 of the largest Jewish Cemetery of the country, but the graves by now are in a very bad state of neglect, overgrown. As the first step these resting places will be made accessible, in the second phase they will be restored, too – Gusztáv Zoltai informed the attendees. The managing director of the MAZSIHISZ pointed out that the existence of the lot is a proof that Hungarian Jewry constitutes an integral and inseparable part of the host country, which was demonstrated with their supreme sacrifice. He thanked those who irrespective of the condition of the national economy had found it important to contribute financial aid and other efforts to the maintenance of the resting place of the casualties. “This also goes to prove that there is no difference between victims. Their decision must be blessed!" – Gusztáv Zoltai closed his speech.

Dr. Péter Boross reminded the attendees that after 1945, most of the war cemeteries disappeared in Hungary, and for decades, the resting places and the memory of our compatriots who fell in the wars of the 20th century were not respected in any form. “Therefore it is absolutely a must that we should join forces to reveal this part of the cemetery dating back to World War I, with the financial assistance from the Ministry of Defence, and transform it into a memorial park," – said the Chairman of the National Memorial and Funerary Committee.

As the former Head of Government pointed out those resting at this site had done their duty, and given up their lives for the homeland. “It is a message that everyone must understand, especially in this cemetery: what happened around the middle of the last century was nothing but villainy" – declared Dr. Péter Boross.

“The gravestones hidden in the weeds stand as silent witnesses to a world vanishing into the mist of the past", said Dr. Csaba Hende. The Defence Minister recalled the long way the Hungarian Jewry has had to take in the history of armies, starting with the times when they were not allowed to take part in the defence of the country, up to the turn of the 19th-20th century when the Army of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy already reflected the religious proportions in the dual state. “Those who rest here are all heroes, unfairly forgotten by posterity, even though they shed their blood for the common homeland, and several of them were awarded with prestigious medals by the emperor for their bravery and heroism shown on the battlefield," – said the Minister.

Dr. Csaba Hende stressed: the Jewish community has always respected their ancestors, with special regard to the memory of heroes fallen in the fights. He added: at the moment the lot is in a disgraceful condition, therefore a decision had to be made – the proposal had been put forward by Dr. Péter Boross and others – that for approx. HUF 4 million, a financial assistance provided by the MoD, and with the manual work of young officer cadets from the HDF Ludovika Battalion, this part of the cemetery will be put in order.

“Ten men have already taken up work this morning, at 8 o’clock: two officers, one NCO, and seven cadets are working here, on a strictly voluntary basis," – announced the Minister. So many officer cadets have signed up for the work that the teams have to operate on a rotating basis, in spite of the fact that they receive no remuneration whatsoever for this activity.

Dr. Csaba Hende underlined: in the near future, they will start with the renovation of other military graveyards as well, with the participation of the battalion personnel; the compilation of the list of cemeteries is in progress. “I hope we can draw an ever wider circle of Hungarian youth into keeping alive the memory of the heroes, “ – the Minister closed his speech.

 
 Photo: Mária Krasznai-Nehrebeczky