Military Cemetery Restored in Böhönye

In parallel with the restoration of the German–Hungarian military cemetery in Budaörs, the graveyard is being restored by Bavarian and Hungarian soldiers. True, there is more work to do in Somogy County, but the enthusiasm is the same as in the Budaörs memorial park. 1st Lt. Balázs Kiss, the leader of the Hungarian team told us that the works had started on June 8. “During the works, we are restoring the buildings of the cemetery, repainting names on every gravestone and dealing with vegetation too, which involves felling trees and trimming hedges in the cemetery and its immediate surroundings", the first lieutenant said, adding that there is more work to do in Böhönye, therefore more soldiers are present here.

“Seven Hungarians are working to restore the place, four of them are officers of the HDF Augmentation and Central Registry Command in charge of war grave care and national defence education, and the work they are doing here is part of a special training program organized by the Ministry of Defence. We also have here Capt. Zsolt Horváth, war grave care expert from Somogy County. Furthermore, a soldier from the HDF 64th “József Boconádi Szabó" Logistic Regiment is also here to help us with the work. Fourteen Bavarian reservists and active-duty soldiers have joined us from Ingolstadt, Germany to restore the cemetery together", Balázs Kiss told us while introducing the group.

Besides working here, the soldiers also had time to keep contact with local residents, gave an exceptional history class in the “Pál Festetics" Primary School and received a group of pupils in the cemetery, who also joined them in the repainting of the gravestones.

The program of the visiting German delegation closed with commemoration and wreath-laying in the German–Hungarian military cemetery of Böhönye at 14:00 on June 18. The event was attended by Brig.-Gen. Dr. Gábor Böröndi, Land Force Chief, HDF Joint Force Command.

Photo: Stabsunteroffizier Karl Wasem