The Municipality of Debrecen and the Hajdú-Bihar County branch of the Imre Nagy Society held a commemoration and wreath-laying ceremony this morning to mark the 67th anniversary of the execution and the 36th anniversary of the reburial of Imre Nagy and his fellow martyrs. The events took place at several locations across Debrecen, honoring the memory of the heroes who sacrificed their lives for Hungary’s freedom and sovereignty.
Deputy Mayor István Puskás recalled the “terrible endgame” of the 1956 revolution, when on June 16, 1958, the Kádár regime executed Imre Nagy and his companions, “placing a bloody full stop on the suppression of the revolution,” as he put it. He also remembered the reburial that took place on June 16, 1989, describing it as an uplifting chapter in Hungarian history. Puskás emphasized:
“Even during these 36 years of peace and security, we must not forget those heroes to whom we owe the fact that we can stand here today. That we can live our lives in this beautiful and peacefully developing city, and work to ensure that this city—and this peaceful Hungary—remains the homeland of our children and grandchildren.”
Mihály Csiszár, vice president of the county branch of the Imre Nagy Society, highlighted that the Hungarian nation experienced several traumatic events during the 20th century. While the process of coming to terms with these events is still ongoing, he stressed that understanding them is essential for national healing. Speaking about the importance of rehabilitating the martyrs, he stated that the reburial of Imre Nagy and his companions was a cathartic moment during the regime change, marking the beginning of a new chapter in Hungarian political life and symbolically closing the era of communist dictatorship. He added that Imre Nagy’s courage to stand for the interests of the nation remains exemplary to this day.
Following the speeches, participants laid commemorative wreaths on Kossuth Street, then continued to Péterfi Street at the memorial plaque of József Szilágyi, and finally to Imre Nagy Street at the plaque honoring the martyred Prime Minister.
Photo: debrecen.hu
