“While Children Are Taken To The Amusement Park, We Are Taken Here”

The three museum exhibitions (the Hospital in the Rock, the Museum of the Technological Directorate of the MoD Development and Logistics Agency, and the collection of the HDF Logistics Supply Centre), which can be visited only by a limited number of people is going to be visited by three groups (the HDF 64th ’József Boconádi Szabó’ Logistics Regiment, the HDF 25th ’György Klapka’ Infantry Brigade, and the personnel summoned from the Szolnok garrison) in turns – at 9 o’clock in the morning the group from Szolnok, consisting of 40 troops, arrives to the Hospital at the Rock. A few contracted and professional ladies, and a lot more male troops enter the museum, which can be found below the historic district in the Buda Castle, deep down in the Castle Hill. In the cave system that is more than 10 kilometres long the group follows the guide of the museum, who tells us exciting historical details during our almost one hour long visit: the facility operated by Saint John’s Hospital gives an overview of Hungarian history, broken down into periods in the rooms and halls – we can see the siege of 1945 while listening to the songs of Katalin Karády. In the room dedicated to 1956 there are wax figures showing us the ordeals of the wounded, then we arrive to the World War II German-Hungarian battle station, a novelty that was introduced by the museum in 2009.

“While children are taken to the amusement park, we are taken here" – laughs medical NCO Mónika Annus, who has been serving in the Hungarian Defence Forces for 7 years. “There are several equipments on display here which are also used by us today, but of course, I have also seen medical aids that are no longer in use" – she says, adding: “What I like the best in the history of the Hospital in the Rock is that there also were countesses who volunteered and provided medical care for the wounded. I think we could learn some humanity from them." Among the original objects, beds, and medical equipment, everyone admired Morpheus, the anaesthesia machine which was used only once, when the film titled Evita was shot.

The faces reveal that the exhibition is a memorable experience for everyone, with its stories that are sometimes terrifying or heart-breaking, its original objects and equipments; and many would stay a bit longer to look around but they have to hurry on, for there are two other museums waiting for them.

After a quite short and bumpy trip in the city, we arrive to Lehel Road, the Logistics Supply Centre of the Hungarian Defence Forces, where Colonel (ret.) János Zsiborás, the head of the museum is already waiting for us.

In his welcome speech he tells us that in the institute we will learn about everyting that is related to the supply of the troops – he also calls our attention to the history of the first field bakery, or the practicality of mobile kitchens. Mr Zsiborás also tells us that the facility we are at has several functions, for instance the museum has a research workshop where old documents and files are stored. There are some troops who look around in the museum alone, but some of us join Mr Zsiborás, who immediately calls our attention in the first room to a very peculiar device, about which we find out that it is an instrument used by dentists – for drilling teeth. The sight is not too reassuring, but the director’s anecdote is even more interesting: “In old times, they used a method for stomach ache or stomach cramp; according to the recipe one had to pour rain water onto cattle manure, then drink a glass of it every hour" – tells us the director of the museum, who does not run out of stories, and goes on: “They often put a wax ball into gunshot wounds or any other types of wound, murmured the Lord’s prayer a couple of times, and thought that once they pull the wax ball out, everything will be fine."

Following that we find ourselves in the memorial room of the Joint Forces Logistics and Support Command of the Hungarian Defence Forces, where there are many relics, photographs and cups reminding us to the facility that ceased to exist in 2007. In the corridor we can see a lot of variations of soldiers’ uniforms, we take a last look at the mobile stove that was already mentioned, and leave for our third venue, the Museum of the Technological Directorate of the MoD Development and Logistics Agency, which is in Buda. Here we are greeted by Lieutenant Colonel (eng.) Dr. Ferenc Hajdú, who goes back to the 1700s during the guided tour, then adds: there were several Hungarians participating in the development subjects of the air force or the navy. He mentions the PKZ, an artillery monitoring device that is similar to a helicopter but it is used on land, which was developed by Tódor Kámán, but he also calls our attention to the Zeppelin, the inventor of which was originally David Schwarz – one year after the death of Count Schwarz, Ferdinand von Zeppelin bought the invention from the widow of the inventor and built the first Zeppelin airship.

The team of forty examines the reduced-size tanks, the Tases and the Zrínyi assault guns, the machine guns, hand granades, and the ammunition. József Terjéki for instance is actively interested in one of the opened projectiles that is on display: “I have just seen an opened projectile in one of the glass cabinets, it has aroused my interest very much, I have never seen anything like that before" – says Terjéki, who has been a professional air force crew since 2000. He also adds that he hasn’t been here before but from the three museums, this would be the one where he would like to stay for much longer. Zoltán Kiss, an air force crew notes here, at the last exhibition: “Even though I am very much interested in technology, but it was still the Hospital in the Rock that was the most exciting for me. History, the Second World War has opened up before us in its entirety. Here, at the Logistics Agency, it is the technology that is the most exciting attraction, naturally; we can get some ideas from the exhibits and from the aspect of technology, this is also very-very interesting" – adds Zoltán Kiss.

We are running out of time so the museum visit has to come to an end: we are heading to Stefánia Palace, where after our arrival the wind quartette of the HDF Central Orchestra welcomes us with music, and in the exhibition room there is an exhibit titled “160 years of military history" awaiting the personnel who have assembled here – nearly 220 people.

At two o’ clock General (eng.) László Tömböl, the Chief of the MoD Defence Staff receives the soldiers with a toast, and says in his address that 2009 is the year of anniversaries. This year the defence forces have turned 160, the NATO is 60 years old, of which Hungary has been a member for 10 years, and the voluntary army is 5 years old. The general adds: the institution of conscription would be 140 years old this year. “Since November 3, 2004 – exactly six months after our accession to the European Union – there have been only volunteers, professional and contracted troops serving in the Hungarian Defence Forces. With this step as well, we have caught up with the majority of the member states of the allied system" – says the chief of the defence staff, adding: with the foundation of the voluntary military force an opportunity has opened up for the establishment of a number of special capabilities which cannot be obtained by an armed forces consisting of conscripted soldiers. “The respect shown by the Hungarian society towards the army, the obvious international success of the activities in peace operations, and the recognition of the professional dedication and performance of the soldiers are facts" – stated László Tömböl.

The chief of defence staff wished the present members of the voluntary military force success, and asked Sergeant Erika Brandt, who is serving as a contracted soldier at the HDF 64th ’József Boconádi Szabó’ Logistics Regiment, to continue with her reply. Sgt. Brandt said that she has taken part in many sports events, where it always feels good to see that no matter which parts of the country the soldiers are coming from, they always stick together and help each other.