Tribute to the Soldiers
Szöveg: hm.gov.hu | 2010. szeptember 29. 9:51On September 26 commemorations were held the in the Military Memorial Park of Pákozd to mark the 162nd anniversary of the Battle of Pákozd-Sukoró. The participants first laid a wreath at Gen. (Ret.) Dr. Béla Gyuricza’s memorial plaque, and Defence Minister Dr. Csaba Hende delivered a ceremonial address by the renovated monument.
The participants of the commemoration which marked the 162nd anniversary of the Battle of Pákozd-Sukoró first memoralized Gen. (Ret.) Dr. Béla Gyuricza, the permanent president of the HDF and Society Friendship Association. Speaking at the memorial plaque unveiled ten years ago, LTG Tibor Benkõ, Chief, MoD Defence Staff stressed that the Military Memorial Park, “the venue of the first victorious battle fought by the independent Hungarian Defence Forces" is a worthy place for Dr. Béla Gyuricza’s plaque. The Chief of Defence pointed out that the General devoted his whole life to the armed service of his country, so his memory gives today’s servicemembers a sense of vocation.
MP Tamás Varga delivered a ceremonial address in which he briefly related the events of the 1848 Battle of Pákozd. He said by that time the Hungarian nation had an enormous drive to secure its freedom, which has been the case up to the present day.
In his ceremonial speech Defence Minister Dr. Csaba Hende said that enthusiasm in itself had not been sufficient for building up an army in 1848. The military career path is a vocation and a profession at once, which must be mastered. The Minister noted that the battle fought on September 29, 1848 was decisive not only as to whether Jelacic’s army could reach the capital of Hungary, but also as to whether the quickly mobilized Hungarian army can defend the nation. He stressed that the ideal of the Hungarian Defence Forces was born in those days, and nobody has been capable of destroying it ever since, neither with weapons nor with ideologies.
Drawing a parallel between the past and the present, Dr. Csaba Hende said once again we need to rebuild the Hungarian Defence Forces to ensure that they are able to defend the homeland under arms if necessary.
“Sooner or later, those nations that cannot afford to maintain their own troops will be destined to maintain the troops of other nations, and it will cost them dear", the Defence Minister said, adding that the Military Memorial Site in Pákozd is a committed centre for preserving the traditions, “and we are going to make it even more so."
Following the speeches the participants laid wreaths at the memorial of the battle and proceeded to watch the “Battle of Pákozd" which was acted out by re-enactors.
Text: Gábor Kálmánfi
Photo: Gábor Galovtsik
