The Hungarian State “cannot ever let a single one of its citizens down again”; it is the duty of the State to protect every one of its citizens from murderous intent, external enemy and internal treason, Minister of Interior Sándor Pintér said in Budapest before the Medals of Honour for Bravery and the Righteous Among the Nations medals were handed over in recognition of assistance rendered at the time of the Holocaust.
The Minister of Interior reiterated: it has been a tradition in Hungary since 1995 that Hungarians recognised as Righteous Among the Nations are also awarded the Medal of Honour for Bravery.
Today, more than seventy years on, we remember the brave ones who rescued Jewish people and everyone who needed help by risking, and often sacrificing their lives, he said. He added: we remember the people who “did not turn their heads away, and courageously stood up for the persecuted”.
Mr. Pintér took the view that these people did not allow themselves to be intimidated, and did not want “to become accessory to a horrible era” through inaction. They demonstrated what simple people can do for their fellow-human beings, and set an example which is still valid today when they helped their fellow-human beings who were certain to die to hide from the authorities and set an example for present and future generations alike, he said.
The Minister highlighted: it is our duty to take firm action against all attempts which may jeopardise our democratic society. “We cannot and we will not tolerate that anyone should be branded, humiliated or hurt due to their ethnic or religious affiliation”, he stressed.
Mr. Pintér reiterated: it was the clear position of the Government already upon its entry into office in 2010 that we must fight against all extremist manifestations, and therefore launched a policy of zero tolerance. It is our duty and mission to prevent a repeat of what happened at the time of the Holocaust, he pointed out.
Mr. Pintér said: “the passivity manifested by Hungary under German Nazi occupation, and the ensuing actions manifested under the Arrow Cross government are unacceptable”. The Hungarian State “cannot ever let a single one of its citizens down again”; it is the duty of the State to protect every one of its citizens from murderous intent, external enemy and internal treason, he emphasised.
He took the view that the vast majority of the citizens of Hungary turn away from those who follow or support anti-Semitic and racist ideals which incite hatred and exclude others. By uniting our efforts to the furthest possible extent, “by acting along the lines of humanity and morality, we may guarantee that our lives and our country should be peaceful and successful in the future”, he said.
Ilan Mor, Ambassador of Israel to Budapest pointed out: they now remember those who “did not remain passive at the moment of truth during the Holocaust, the period of persecution and tragedies”. These brave Hungarians defied the Nazis and their Hungarian collaborators by risking their own lives, freedom and physical well-being, and “stood up for their Jewish neighbours by honouring the sanctity of life”, he said. He added: the survivors in Israel do not forget about the rescuers.
The diplomat highlighted: Europe has come a long way since the horrors of the Shoah, but “freedom is again in danger”. He stressed: the toleration or rationalisation of anti-Semitism is unacceptable. The fact that hatred towards the Jewish people and Israel has been reignited is not only a threat to Jewish communities but is a threat world-wide to the principles of democracy, freedom, equality and pluralism.
Ilan Mor said: “we may look upon the deeds of the Righteous Among the Nations as a moral compass”, and those who forget their history or are unable to learn from it are doomed to repeat it. We are now celebrating the victory of the human spirit over evil; the fact that it is possible to remain human and to stand up for the values of humaneness even during the hardest times, he said.
The Ambassador told his audience that this occasion reminds us: if we come across any slight or grave manifestation of anti-Semitism, racism or injustice, we must not give up the fight and must not stay silent. We must raise our voice, we must face up to hatred, and as a result, “we shall eventually prevail if we sympathise with the suffering of others”, Ilan Mor said.
At the event, posthumous awards were given to Ödön Mózsa, András and Julianna Ács and their daughter, Margit, Katalin Csáki, Alajos Balla, Rozália Bozsik, István Gedei, Mrs Ervin Gosztonyi, Mr Tibor Nemes, Margit Vági, and József Víg and his wife, Mária.
The Yad Vashem Institute in Jerusalem grants the title Righteous Among the Nations to those who saved the lives of Jews during the Holocaust on the basis of a law passed by the Israeli Parliament, Knesset in 1953. A judge of the Supreme Court of Israel heads the commission comprised of prominent public figures which factually verifies that the rescuers acted out of their own free will, in territories under the control of the Germans or their allies, by risking their freedom, safety or lives, without any consideration in return.
The uncut version of the video recordings made at the event can be downloaded in the Press Room.