Controversies
The reburial aimed to honor Hungary’s former Regent Miklós Horthy, fulfilling his final wish to be laid to rest in birthplace of Kenderes once Soviet occupation ended. For some, it symbolized a resurgence of nationalist sentiment; for others, it was seen as an effort to reconcile with the past. Concerns were also raised that the reburial could be interpreted as an attempt to rehabilitate Horthy’s image and downplay the severity of the antisemitic policies of his regime.
The act was met with condemnation both internationally and within Hungary, especially among Hungarian Jews. The Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities (Mazsihisz) organised a silent commemoration on the night before the reburial, attended by hundreds, including many Holocaust survivors.
“History cannot be changed, but the silencing of reality and the glorification of mass murderers is unacceptable.”
Excerpt from a statement by the Jewish Community of Hungary on the 30th anniversary of the reburial
Further Reading / Sources
Horthy Miklós – A kormányzó és felelőssége 1920-1945
Ungváry Krisztián (2020). Budapest: Jaffa Kiadó
The Holocaust in Hungary. Seventy Years Later
Randolph L. Braham, Kovács András (eds.) (2016). Budapest: Central European University Press
A rendszerváltás nyomtatott sajtója és Horthy Miklós újratemetése (1989–1994)
Szőts, Zoltán Oszkár (2011). Múltunk – Politikatörténeti Folyóirat 56(2): 206-238