Tuesday’s meeting in front of the ‘Hazateres Templom’, or Welcome Home Church, included unveiling statues of what organizers described as "Hungarian Heroes", including regent Miklos Horthy, under whose leadership Hungary introduced Europe’s first anti-Jewish laws. Standing on the steps of the church building at Budapest’s Szabadsag (Freedom) square, dozens of Magyar Gardists were guarding the statues, wearing uniforms resembling Hungary’s pro-Nazi regime during World War Two. It was their first real job, after the Magyar Garda, linked to the far right Jobbik party, inducted 600 new members Sunday, October 21.
Up to 3,000 people, many waving ‘Arpad’ flags used by Hungary’s war-time fascist Arrow Cross party, enthusiastically listened to anti-Jewish speeches and nationalistic songs. "There is Jewish imperialism, an ideology which many times make people angry," a speaker shouted, sparking applause and "Hungary, Hungary" slogans from the crowd. "They are opposing a 2,000 year old rich culture. Jewish culture is a poisoning, primitive culture of chauvinists," people were told during the meeting attended by church leaders.
Near the platform, participants could buy the Hungarian version of German leader Adolf Hitler’s book Mein Kamf as well as flags and symbols of that era. "I am a historian and I think people should be able to buy this book," said 35-year-old salesman Zsolt Fejes. Edina Borossa, a 43-year-old ‘Arpad’ flag carrying mother of two, was pleased Mein Kamf was available for those attending Tuesday’s church meeting.
SHIMON PERES
"I read in Mein Kamf that the Jews occupy the media and the financial world. I think that’s the truth. [Former] Israeli Prime Minister [Shimon] Peres already said that Israel managed to buy Hungary, Poland and Manhattan without a war," said Borossa, who works at the cash-desk of a Tesco supermarket outlet. "We cannot allow that to happen."
Her words were apparently music to the ears of Reformed Pastor Lorant Hegedus Jr. one of the
main organizers of Tuesday’s event, held on the day Hungarians commemorate the 1956 Revolution against Soviet domination in which thousands of Hungarians died. Hegedus told BosNewsLife he did not regret his writings for which he initially received an 18-months suspended prison term, which was overturned by an appeals court. His ‘Welcome Home Church’ is also open for Jews, he said, but, "If they want to be loved, they have to act in a way that people can love them…"
In 2001 he suggested in a publication to segregate Jews from "the Hungarian Christian nation" saying that "if we do not they will take our places." The synod of the Hungarian Reformed Church later declared the article irreconcilable with the Gospel and the Christian faith, but he has been able to continue his work as pastor.
MOTOR RIDERS
Motor riders waving Hungarian flags and some wearing helms resembling those from war-time German soldiers, briefly interrupted the gathering as they drove through a nearby street, accompanied by Hungarian police. Following Tuesday’s meeting, Hegedus encouraged the far-right crowd to march, or drive, to Corvin square, the site of heavy fighting in the 1956 revolution.
It came amid tensions in Budapest where late Monday, October 22, fourteen officers and five civilians, including journalists, suffered light injuries and 20 people were detained following clashes between far-right radicals and the police, national police chief Jozsef Bencze told reporters.
Police used water cannons and tear gas to repel a crowd of several hundred people that was heading for the State Opera house, where Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany was giving a speech. Some had thrown Molotov cocktails and set fire to cars nearby, police said.
There have been fears of a repeat of last year when violent protests broke out following a leaked tape on which Prime Minister Gyurcsany admitted to lying about the economy to win re-election.
CALLING REFERENDUM
His Socialist-led government is trying to introduce austerity measures, especially in health and education areas, to reduce what amounts to the highest budget deficit within the European Union. The leader of Hungary’s largest right-wing opposition party Fidesz, Viktor Orban, is seeking to use a planned referendum on parts of the government’s reform program to oust
Gyurcsany. No date has been set for the referendum.
Critics have claimed Gyurcsany uses international concerns about far-right groups in Hungary to take away attention from his own political difficulties. The prime minister has denied the allegations.
Over the weekend his Socialist party backed an initiative by Roma and Jewish organizations to place posters with black and white pictures of "Heil Hitler" shouting fascists with the text: History repeats itself. You can still turn back." The Hungarian Arrow Cross regime was responsible for the deportation of some 450,000 Hungarian Jews to Nazi death camps, mainly Auschwitz. In total about 600,000 Hungarian Jews perished in the Holocaust.
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