Controversies
The Memorial for Victims of the German Occupation at Freedom Square (Szabadság tér) had sparked significant social and political debates in Hungary even before it was erected. For many, the monument – which featured a German imperial eagle about to grab the national symbol of Hungary and Hungarian sovereignty from the hands of Archangel Gabriel – sought to deflect Hungarian responsibility and distort historical facts.
Given the controversy, the monument was erected under the cover of night and never formally inaugurated.
In protest, civil society and representatives of the Jewish community launched the Living Memorial (Eleven Emlékmű), an alternative form of remembrance. This initiative, which involved placing stones, candles, personal memories of the Holocaust, and conversations at Szabadság Square, aimed to express a commitment to social dialogue and a more realistic remembrance. It became a symbol of resistance against the government-backed memorial.
“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