Anyone joining the upcoming Oct.23rd Memorial Activities?

Nope.

For one thing, I am not Hungarian. It has no historical or cultural significance for me. It is like asking an expat in the USA if they join in USA Memorial Day events.

But my (Hungarian) wife and I were discussing this yesterday. And she commented how she was bothered by the fact that so many non-religious Hungarian holidays commemorated a loss by Hungary (i.e. the 1956 rebellion, the 1848 revolution, etc). She said, why is not the Siege of Belgrade, AKA Siege of Nándorfehérvár a National holiday? After all the Hungarians won that, and Church bells still, till today, ring every day at noon to commemorate this event.

I think she has a point.

From another angle, calling all Commonwealth and Polish citizens.

It is likely that the Remembrance Sunday service will be held at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Solymar on Sunday 13th November. The cemetery is behind the Auchan Supermarket (parking possible there, then walk, police block the access road).

As usual, the British Embassy has not published any prior notice of this event so no-one knows for sure that is the day. Maybe there will be sometime soon a notice at the South African, Australian or Canadian Embassies or the Hungarian Ministry of Defence (they also honour their war dead at this event).

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Oct. 23rd being a huge Memorial day here in Hungary, was wondering if anyone partakes of any of the events happening around Hungary?...

From my employer's travel alert system:

Hungary: National holiday to be marked on 23 October; multiple demonstrations expected in Budapest
   
Hungary will celebrate Republic Day, a national holiday marking the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, on 23 October 2016; associated business closures and transportation disruptions should be expected. Furthermore, the government and various opposition parties have organized numerous demonstrations to be held in the capital Budapest throughout that same day. These events, the majority of which will be held in the central District 5, are expected to draw thousands of participants. While these events are expected to be peaceful, localized unrest or disruptions remain possible.

fluffy2560 wrote:

From another angle, calling all Commonwealth and Polish citizens.

It is likely that the Remembrance Sunday service will be held at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Solymar on Sunday 13th November. The cemetery is behind the Auchan Supermarket (parking possible there, then walk, police block the access road).

Don't forget to top post this as a new topic when the event comes nearer and more details are made clear.

I would have suggested to post it in the "Events" section, but I found that area to be a ghost town here. 

klsallee wrote:

.....I would have suggested to post it in the "Events" section, but I found that area to be a ghost town here. 

Yes, fair enough.

If anyone is interested, they can find the many details of the cemetery here:

Solymar/Budapest Commonwealth War Graves

Note also one French citizen is buried there.  The majority of people located here are Commonwealth air forces.

My husband said almost the same today, why do they always make a big deal out of Hungarian losses and not their victories.
I may be wrong but somewhere in the back of my mind I remember being just under 2 years old in the US and hearing my parents freaking out about events in 1956.
Always was a sensitive child who listened to what was going on near me when adults spoke.
I had a aunt from Hungary and my father's family was from another put upon nation, Poland.
One of my good friends in HS was one year older then I, she was born in Budapest and came over in 56 as a baby.
Don't want to get tto political but we feel sad that so many people gave their lives and things now are not what they would of died for.

Yes the French citizen was a reporter in 56. Got caught in the cross fire.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Yes the French citizen was a reporter in 56. Got caught in the cross fire.

He was a Navigator in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.  Died age 23 in 1944. 

Nothing to do with 1956.

Oh, I thought I heard about a reporter from France getting killed in 56. Maybe not, so many things happened here it is hard to keep all the facts straight in my head.
My husband's old friend lost his dad in 56, he was hung!
His mom tried to collect a wrongful death suit after the changes in 89 but had no luck.
Neither of her two twin boys ever got married, they devoted their lives to their windowed mother, sad stuff.
My UK girlfriend, my husband and I went to the museums near the city park yesterday the 23rd. They both were closed for the day, what a rip, they posted online that at least one of them was going to be open.
Went over to the House Of Terror but the lines were so long, it would of been "torture" on my knees to wait in line so we skipped it.

BTW, don't forget next week there's effectively a 4 day holiday.

Monday 31st October (All Saints)
Tuesday 1st November (in lieu of 15 October)

All the shops will be closed!

Thanks for the remind, don't want to get stuck without wine in the house!

fluffy2560 wrote:

Monday 31st October (All Saints)
Tuesday 1st November (in lieu of 15 October)

For what it is worth, the details are:

31st October is All Saints' Eve (aka All Hallows' Eve or Halloween)
1st November is All Saints' Day (aka All Hallows')
2nd November is All Souls' Day

Together they are known as Allhallowtide.

As a kid (American) Halloween was my favorite event of the year (even more than Christmas), and I became even more fascinated by it later in life. So I probably know more about this festival than I probably should.....