Debrecen4U March 16, 2026

Torchlight Procession in Commemoration of 1848

The heroes of the 1848–49 Revolution and War of Independence were commemorated in Debrecen with a torchlight procession on the eve of 15 March. Participants marched from the Old City Hall, through Kossuth Square, to the Memorial Garden, where a ceremonial programme awaited those attending. At the Memorial Garden, Deputy Mayor Lajos Barcsa delivered a commemorative speech in which he emphasised that freedom is not merely a historical memory but a daily responsibility, and that the future of Hungary must always be decided by the Hungarian people.

In his speech at the Memorial Garden, Deputy Mayor Lajos Barcsa said that when participants walked through the streets of Debrecen by the light of torches, they were not only remembering a historical event but also recalling the feeling that made Hungarian hearts beat as one in March 1848: the feeling of freedom.

He highlighted that the March Youth did not ask for permission to love their homeland, nor did they wait for guidance on how to think as Hungarians. They simply stood up and declared that they wanted to be a free nation. He stressed that this courage was not born only in Pest, but was also present here in Debrecen.

The Deputy Mayor recalled that the students and teachers of the Reformed College stood alongside the cause of freedom in the spirit of the motto Orando et laborando – “by praying and working”. Some took up arms, others served their country with their knowledge, but they all wanted the same thing: that Hungarians should be able to decide their own destiny.

Lajos Barcsa emphasised that this idea remains relevant today. As he put it, freedom is not only a historical memory but also a daily responsibility. He said that even today there are forces in Europe that believe that instead of nations, distant centres should decide how people should live and what kind of future they should build. In contrast, as heirs to the March Youth, we believe that the fate of Hungary must always be decided by the Hungarian people.

The Deputy Mayor also expressed particular pleasure that many young people took part in the event. As he said, it was also young people who stood up for the cause of freedom in 1848, and the presence of today’s young generation sends the message that the flame of Hungarian freedom has not gone out.

He stated that the torch held in the participants’ hands was more than a symbolic flame. It is a symbol of the belief that the Hungarian nation is capable of preserving what its forebears fought to achieve. Throughout history, Hungarians have often had to choose between submission, silence and standing upright. He added that the heroes of 1848 knew the answer, and we must also know that the cause of Hungarian freedom can never be a matter for compromise.

In his speech, recalling Lajos Kossuth, Lajos Barcsa referred to Debrecen as the “guardian city of freedom”, emphasising that this is not merely a historical memory but also a responsibility to pass on the flame of Hungarian freedom to the next generations.

The ceremonial programme featured performances by the Bíró Band, the Debrecen Folk Ensemble, the Hortobágy Folk Dance Ensemble, and István Papp, an actor of the Csokonai Theatre.

Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu