Miracle in Four Years
Szöveg: Gábor Kálmánfi | 2014. március 12. 7:37The Military Memorial Park – Pákozd (MMPP) is starting its fifth season this year. This is something of a minor miracle indeed, especially if we recall the time when the news were about the inevitable renovation of a solitary memorial to the 1848/49 War of Independence. And back then, where were, for example, “The School of Patriotism”, the peacekeepers’ monument or the 1956 memorial site…?
Every year tens of thousands of – mostly young – people visit the memorial park
“You have performed a miracle" – Col. (Ret.) Dr. István Görög, the director of the memorial park quoted a tellingly succinct opinion in his welcome speech. He noted that this miracle is not magic, but rather a result of intensive cooperation. Looking back on the recent years, the visitors of the memorial park had opportunity to experience how the offer of the park has expanded with new memorial sites, memorial points and various programs as a result of this cooperation.
In addition to tangible novelties, a kind of imaginary bridge was being constructed all along, which enables us to reach, let’s say, the HDF Provincial Reconstruction Team, starting from the Battle of Pákozd. Every now and then, military history is re-enacted here, including events such as the episodes of 1848–49 or one of the two world wars. Moreover, there is ongoing development, since – as it was revealed at the ceremony – in January 2014, besides the local governments of Székesfehérvár and Pákozd, the Hungarian state and the Ministry of Defence also bought into the non-profit Ltd operating the memorial park, which is a token of undisturbed and sustainable day-to-day functioning.
László L. Simon: the military memorial park has been filled with life
As Government Commissioner László L. Simon said, all the above is quite remarkable progress, considering that five years ago everybody was not unduly concerned about the future of the memorial park. According to the Government Commissioner, the memorial site, now full of life, does its share of the patriotic education for the youth, and the example it gives to visitors shows that patriotism is not an empty slogan. At the same time, he also pointed out that the national memorial site is not a mere title, as it places great responsibility on those operating the MMPP.
Needless to say, there will be no shortage of novelties this year. Among other things, besides the recurring programs of recent years, a new permanent exhibition on the history of 1848–49 will be opened in March as well.
The Hungarian peacekeepers’ monument
At the opening ceremony, all active participants of the above-mentioned cooperation were presented with plaquettes. Maj.-Gen. Sándor Fucsku, the commander of the HDF Joint Force Command was among the recipients of these tokens of appreciation. Answering our question, he told us that the memorial park is an excellent venue for organizing a great many military events (e.g. infantrymen’s day, homecoming ceremonies) which are very important to the HDF JFC and its subordinate units.
Although no one knows exactly what the next five years will bring in the life of the memorial park, knowing the people running the facility, we can be sure that there will be no shortage of cooperation and new ideas.
Photos by the author
