Szeged honours 1956 revolution heroes with city-wide commemoration

The city of Szeged held its annual October 23 commemoration of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 on Thursday, with municipal leaders, cultural figures, and community groups paying tribute to the city’s historic role in the uprising.

The official ceremony, organised by the municipality, began with wreath-laying at multiple sites across the city — including the statues of István Bibó and József Kováts, as well as memorial plaques dedicated to the national guard and other 1956 victims.

The proceedings continued in the square outside City Hall, where the Fricsay Ferenc City Concert Wind Orchestra performed during a flag-raising ceremony, as dancers of the Pavane Dance Ensemble carried the Hungarian national flag to the highest flagpole. A remembrance walk followed, from Kiss Ernő Street via Mérey Street and Tábor Street to Rákóczi Square, culminating at the statue of Imre Nagy. There, the combined choir of the Szeged City Choir Association and the audience sang the national anthem.

After the musical segment, actors from the Szeged National Theater — Patrícia Fekete, Péter Turi, and Gergő Krausz — performed a literary program featuring works by Ágnes Nemes Nagy, György Petri, and Sándor Petőfi. The commemoration then continued with wreath-laying by city officials, representatives of the University of Szeged, the Hungarian Defence Forces, the police, and civil organisations. The event concluded with the singing of the national song Szózat.

In her address, honorary citizen and Liszt Award-winning opera singer Júlia Vajda reflected on the legacy of the 1956 revolution. She highlighted Szeged’s role as a “city of freedom” and quoted former president Árpád Göncz, saying that the heroes of ’56 showed that people always have a choice: to stand up rather than give in to fear or compromise.

Photos: Szilvia Molnar / Szegedify