Debrecen4U October 26, 2026

Commemorating the 1956 Revolution on 23 October 2026

The Municipality of Debrecen held a commemorative ceremony and wreath-laying events on 23 October 2026 to mark the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Revolution and War of Independence and the 37th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Hungary. The series of events began in Kossuth Square with the ceremonial raising of the national flag with military honours and continued at the 1956 memorial in University Square with a speech by Mayor László Papp.

“’Where heroes are not forgotten, there will always be new ones’ was the motto of the 2016 commemorations marking the 60th anniversary of the 1956 Revolution and War of Independence. We can proudly say that we Hungarians have not forgotten our heroes, who have repeatedly inspired us to ensure that the sacred cause of Hungarian freedom is never forgotten and never becomes a matter for compromise. For some special reason, the cause of Hungarian freedom has found protection and support in this corner of our country for centuries. Our heroes, including Bocskai’s Hajdú soldiers, Rákóczi’s Kuruc fighters, the citizens of Debrecen who renounced the Habsburg throne in 1849, and the first revolutionaries and victims of 1956, all send the same message: the flame of the struggle for freedom burns here in Debrecen and will never be extinguished, nor will it ever fade into the mists of the past,” the mayor began his commemorative address.

The mayor emphasised that certain days in history never disappear into the mists of the past. Decades or even centuries may pass; generations may come and go; streets and squares may be renamed; forms of government may change and political systems may collapse, yet these glorious days live on in the nation’s memory from generation to generation. They prove that even in the most difficult moments of history, there are people willing to give everything for freedom, dignity and national unity.

As he noted, for Hungarians, 23 October 1956 is precisely such a day. “In 2026, seventy years after the Revolution and War of Independence, we still face the question of whether we shape the destiny of our own national community, or whether we once again surrender our country and Hungarians living both within and beyond our borders to foreign interests. At the same time, we must confront an internal challenge: through another historic division, we, the ‘quarrelsome Hungarians,’ risk once again setting a cautionary example of how a nation can be lost even in a period of relative peace. Or perhaps we will finally be able to put aside ill will, the desire for revenge, and attempts to undermine and humiliate one another, choosing instead to serve our beloved nation together, united by mutual forgiveness and cooperation. It would be wonderful if those entrusted with shaping our nation’s future could sit down together, look one another in the eye and acknowledge that there are issues of such importance to our nation that we are capable of reaching agreement. May that agreement endure once and for all, beyond the power of anyone or anything to change it,” he said. He added that, 36 years after the change of political system, Hungary now needed to establish fundamental principles guaranteeing national solidarity, principles capable of safeguarding national unity and the country’s intellectual and spiritual development over the long term.

Papp László went on to say that, amid today’s divisions and hostility, the ideals of 1956 should serve as an example as society navigates the difficult path towards consensus. Only then, he said, could Hungarians prove worthy of the legacy of the Revolution and War of Independence of seventy years ago. Accepting that legacy, making it their own and passing it on to future generations was now their responsibility and mission, which included establishing fundamental principles that would not be repudiated every twenty years, and national foundations as essential as clean air for people to live and develop.

“The courage and yearning for freedom shown by the revolutionaries of 1956 serve as an example to later generations. The memory of the heroes belongs to the past, but the impact of their deeds always points towards the future. Remembrance is not merely an act of paying tribute; it is also an opportunity for courage to be born again and again. Where heroes are not forgotten, there will always be new ones. The people of Debrecen will never forget their heroes. We look back with pride on the brave revolutionaries, townspeople and workers of Debrecen who were prepared to risk everything to stand up to those in power and resist dictatorship,” he declared.

He stressed that, seventy years on, the city was paying tribute to the heroes of the Revolution and to the victims of the volley fired on Kossuth Street, Ács Zoltán and Gorzsás András. “Let us remember how, during the days of the 1956 Revolution and War of Independence, the Hungarian people rose to become a united nation, shedding blood here in the streets of our civic city as well. Let us preserve this flame in a manner worthy of those heroes, with faith in our future and unwavering determination. It is no accident that our city bears the title of ‘guardian city of freedom’, nor is that title undeserved. It is not merely an anecdote associated with Kossuth, an empty and grand-sounding label, a dusty museum inscription or a hazy memory of the distant past. It is part of the deepest, indelible identity of the people of Debrecen.

We are a guardian city because, at the most important and decisive turning points in Hungarian history, our community has been able to offer refuge, faith and renewed strength to the entire nation. The legacy of 1956 in Debrecen therefore obliges us always to speak out in defence of freedom and sovereignty, while also building a more humane, more compassionate and more united community.

I want every young person in Debrecen to know that this city was not merely a victim of history; it helped shape it. Seventy years ago, young people just like them stood up for their beliefs and convictions here. Ideas expressing the yearning for freedom that remain relevant to this day took shape in this city.

Debrecen has a responsibility to pass on the values of 1956. We remember those who gave their lives for freedom; those whose courage gave an entire nation strength; those who preserved the truth of what had happened within themselves even during the years of reprisals; and those who, for decades, could speak of their experiences only in silence, at home, among their families.

Let us preserve the names, the stories, the truth and our respect for human dignity. And let us hold on to the belief that the strength of a community ultimately lies in its solidarity, and that no fear can ever overcome it. This is Debrecen’s message on the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Revolution and War of Independence. Glory to the heroes of the 1956 Revolution and War of Independence! May the memory of the victims of Debrecen be honoured,” he concluded.

The commemorative events continued in the early evening with a wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial plaque to the victims of the ÁVH security service’s volley at 8 Kossuth Street, followed by the ceremonial lowering of the national flag. The programme concluded with the lighting of memorial candles at the 1956 memorial on Kossuth Street.

Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu