The martyrs of Arad remembered in Transcarpathia
The Department of History and Social Sciences, the Department of Philology of the Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education and the Fodó Sándor Cultural Centre jointly commemorated the memorial day of the Martyrs of Arad on 6 October. They remembered the heroes who were executed for their role in the 1848-49 War of Independence.
The commemoration began at the Rákóczi College. At the beginning of the event, Szilveszter Ferku, a laboratory assistant of the Department of Philology, performed a poem by László Vári Fábián entitled “Útban Törökország felé” set to music.
The guests were welcomed by Miklós Panyi, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office.
“6 October is a day of mourning for the Hungarian nation. Today, all around the world where Hungarians live, we remember the military officers who died heroically in Arad and Count Lajos Batthyány, the leader of Hungary’s first independent responsible government, who was executed in Pest. They gave their most precious asset, their lives, for their homeland and freedom,”
he said, and then remembered the thirteen Hungarian officers executed in Arad, “whose fate was inevitable because the imperial court sought revenge and imposed the harshest punishment on them, but they did not break, pleading for mercy, but stood proudly at the gallows, or waited for the bullets that would extinguish their lives with straight backs.”
“And even though October 6, 1849 is a day of mourning in the history of Hungary, our hearts should be filled not only with sorrow but also with pride, faith, determination, hope, and strength because we have reasons to be proud”
– he emphasized and mentioned Katalin Karikó and Ferenc Krausz, whose work has recently been recognised with the Nobel Prize.
“Dear remembering attendees! No Hungarian is alone. We have the same respect for all Hungarians, wherever history has taken them. We are here with you in Transcarpathia. We stand with the Hungarians of Transcarpathia in the midst of the war in Ukraine. We support their organisations, educational institutions, communities and churches to preserve and pass on their Hungarian identity”, concluded Miklós Panyi.
Afterwards, the students of the Department of History and Social Sciences presented a programme, followed by Viktória Orbán, a student majoring in Hungarian, reciting Ervin Aranyosi’s poem “Az aradi vértanúk emlékére”.
The commemoration continued at the Perényi Cultural Mansion in Beregardo, where Miklós Panyi recalled the great figures of Hungarian history, highlighting Sándor Petőfi, Imre Madách and Gyula Andrássy, who were born 200 years ago, as well as our national anthem, which was also written 200 years ago.
Next we had the chance to see the choir of the Vocational Training Centre of the Rakoczi College performing a festive programme. Afterwards, those present were able to lay wreaths of remembrance at the memorial plaque of Baron Zsigmond Perényi.
Later, the participants paid their respects at the statue of Baron Zsigmond Perényi in Nagyszőlős. Miklós Panyi, State Secretary, here also paid tribute to the great figures of our history. We also watched a performance by the students of the Transcarpathian Hungarian Lyceum in Nagyszőlős and the students of the Zsigmond Perényi High School No.3 in Nagyszőlős. Then we heard a performance by the teachers’ orchestra of the Bartók Béla Art School in Nagyszőlős.
As the day came to a close, attendees placed wreaths of remembrance at the statue of Baron Zsigmond Perényi.
Anita Kurmay
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