Controversies
The Memorial for Victims of the German Occupation at Freedom Square (Szabadság tér) had sparked significant social and political debates in Hungary. At the center of the monument stands a bronze figure of the Archangel Gabriel, symbolizing Hungary, with outstretched arms, while the imperial eagle – symbolizing Nazi Germany – swoops down on him, with a ring inscribed “1944” on its right leg. As a result, for many, the monument sought to deflect Hungarian responsibility in the Holocaust.
The monument was installed under cover of night and was never officially unveiled. In protest, representatives of civil society and the Jewish community launched the Living Memorial initiative. As the name suggests, a multitude of events took place in the square next to the monument, seeking to counterbalance the message of the historically distorting monument and promote genuine reconciliation.
The initiative has become a symbol of resistance against the monument and the government’s memory policy.
“There is a huge lack of dialogue in Hungarian society. There is a strong demand for dialogue, but we don’t have the practice. The lack of solidarity makes it difficult for us to get to know each other.”
András Rényi, one of the initiators of the Living Memorial