Flag-raising at the Rákóczi College

Thanks to the NGO Pro Cultura Subcarpathica, the Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College was able to relive the historical events of Rákóczi’s War of Independence. On 20 May, the PCS commemorated the events of 1703 with a flag-raising ceremony.

At the beginning of the event, Rákóczi melodies were played from the tárogató, performed by Ferenc Csetneki, a teacher at the Tulipán Tanoda, and his son, Ferenc Csetneki Jr.

Afterwards, the Brezan Proclamation was recited in Hungarian and Ukrainian.

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Following that, a brief presentation brought the past events to life. In the spring of 1703, a rebellion against the oppressive Habsburgs was ripening in the villages of Ugocsa and Bereg in northeastern Hungary, on the Tiszahát. On 21 May, under the leadership of Tamás Esze, the flags of Prince Ferenc Rákóczi II were unfurled for the first time in Vári and Tarpa, and a day later in Beregszász, marking the beginning of the Rákóczi’s War of Independence.

The flag-raising ended with a silent wreath-laying ceremony on 21 May.

A. K.