Debrecen4U November 4, 2026

Commemorations in Debrecen on 4 November 2026

On 4 November, Hungary’s National Day of Mourning, the Municipality of the City of Debrecen held a commemorative event and wreath-laying ceremonies to honour the memory of the suppression of the 1956 Revolution and War of Independence.

The series of commemorations began with the raising and lowering to half-mast of the Hungarian flag in Kossuth Square, attended by Deputy Mayor Ákos Balázs, and continued with a wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial plaque dedicated to László Iván Kovács at the Bethlen Gábor Secondary School of Economics, part of the Debrecen Vocational Training Centre.

The next venue for the National Day of Mourning commemoration was Kossuth Barracks, where historian Sándor Csákvári delivered a speech. “Seventy years ago, our country experienced what was probably the most harrowing year of the 20th century, apart from the years of war. Three major natural disasters struck at the beginning and in the middle of the year, and in the autumn they were followed by an even more severe social catastrophe,” the historian began. He said that everyone had quite literally felt the consequences of the misguided economic and social policies of the Rákosi era and recalled that Soviet forces had remained in Debrecen after 23 October, with intensified military activity. “On 3 November, railway workers in Záhony reported a Soviet armoured train. After that, the railway station there became unreachable by telephone. When the train arrived in Debrecen, unarmed Soviet railway workers got off and took over duties at the Main Railway Station from their Hungarian colleagues. By the morning, it had become clear that Soviet armoured units had surrounded the town, taking control of the roads and rapidly tightening the encirclement. By late afternoon, tanks had appeared in the city centre and taken up firing positions near buildings they considered important. At 4:15 a.m. on 4 November, they launched a coordinated attack against designated targets, following a pre-arranged code word transmitted by radio. It is never too late to remember and pay our respects. Honour to the heroes,” he concluded.

Following the commemorative address, those attending laid wreaths at the memorial plaque dedicated to the military victims of 1956.

The programme will continue in the afternoon with a torchlight procession from the junction of Ady Endre Road and Nagyerdei Boulevard to the Debrecen Public Cemetery. The commemorations will conclude with a wreath-laying ceremony at the 1956 wooden memorial post.

Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu