THE LIVING MEMORIAL AND THE SZABADSG SQUARE RESISTANCE

[ABOUT] The Living Memorial Group was created by the demonstrations against the German occupation
monument on Szabadsg [Liberty] Square. The groups first flash mob involved placing stones, candles,
mementos and two white chairs on the appointed site of the monument. The chairs symbolized the need for
public dialogue. Later, when the construction of the monument was in progress, the group brought 12 white
chairs onto the square and started the series of discussions that are continuing unfalteringly to this day. In
the beginning, we have talked mainly about the questions of historical remembrance and social
responsibility; later, along with the number of chairs and participants, the scope of our subjects has also
expanded. In the last five months, all the important social issues have been discussed. The discussions at
Szabadsg Square are open to the public; anyone can join in, if they wish to. This openness guarantees the
spontaneity of the debate, its liveliness and diversity. In this public realm, there is an opportunity for people
who are isolated from each other in society to meet. A shift of opinion which is required for social change
can only happen at the intersections of different groups and networks. Naturally, there can be some
tension at these intersections, which is (partly) why we try to conduct these discussions with a few simple
rules of moderation.
[OUR DEMONSTRATION] We wont let the statue erected by the government become a monument of the
German occupation, as it promotes the falsification of history. According to the Prime Ministers Office,
This is to set in stone: without the German occupation, there would have been no Holocaust, without
disputing the role of the Hungarian state in the events. [1] The statue accurately represents the first part of
this statement, but it does more than that: it shifts the blame further onto the present Germany. However,
the artist entirely failed to represent the responsibility of the Hungarian state. The Living Monument is one
of the demonstrating groups of the ongoing Freedom Square civil resistance. Together, we built the
Counter-Monument which represents the true relationship of our communities and families to our past.
With authentic remembrance, we have forced the government to back down, as we have achieved that the
monument would never get formally inaugurated. We shall keep demonstrating and holding discussions on
the square, caring for our objects and our memories, until the statue gets removed in a lawful manner. [2]
A monument is not completed by simply erecting a statue. It is completed if a ceremonial space exists
around it, which includes the act of remembering. Ceremonies, celebrations transform the statement made
by the statue into a widely accepted, community-building idea. On Szabadsg Square, the civilian population
is educating itself instead of formal ceremonies; the counter-monument, the Living Memorial has taken over
the space. The Szabadsgsznpad and the Living Memorial discussion circle continue organizing daily cultural
events, and we join other demonstrations together. The newest element of the movement is the Living
Europe Free University, starting with Ungvry Rudolfs lecture series. It is held in MSZI, a cultural and
community space, Tuesdays at 18:00. Living Memorial discussions are held Mondays and Thursdays at
present, from 17:30 at the Szabadsg Square mobile pavilion, as a discursive demonstration. [3]
[HISTORY] On December 31, 2013, the second Orban administration of Hungary adopted a government
resolution about building a monument on Szabadsg Square, Budapest. The monument was intended to
commemorate the German occupation of Hungary on March 19, 1944. The plans, which were revealed on
January 19, 2014, as well as the decision that lacked any kind of public or professional consultation,
generated numerous objections by Hungarian and international public figures.
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Following these events, the Human Platform initiated the creation of an informal group consisting of
civilians, activists, artists, art historians. The purpose of this group was to draw public attention to the
problems and controversial meaning of the monument commissioned by the government, as well, as to
prevent the building of the monument in its planned form, if possible. Following a number of meetings and
brainstorming, the group decided to do a flash-mob on March 23, 2014. They asked the participants to
bring stones and candles in remembrance, a small cross or any personal item that expresses our emotions,
our personal involvement; and lets place these with dignity upon the stone parapet of the underground car
park entrance. Lets create a substantial pile from these diverse personal items, so that it expresses the wish
of the members of our nation to come to terms with our losses together, in a self-critical way. On the
appointed day, the organizers placed two white chairs facing each other on the spot before placing the
personal items, and they have also created a Facebook group for the initiative.
On April 8, two days after the Hungarian parliamentary elections of 2014, in spite of the demonstrations and
the Prime Ministers earlier assurances of consultations, that never took place, the construction of the
controversial occupation monument began. The Living Memorial, which had been named thus by art
historian Andrs Rnyi for the first time, was designated as a construction site and was cordoned off. This
made the other demonstrating groups focus on Szabadsg Square, as well, and together, they have brought
down the cordon. The Living Memorial was liberated for a short time, and the construction was delayed,
since the edge of the pavement, cleaned up during the working hours, became a shrine again in the
afternoon; the cordon was knocked over and the personal items placed down, day after day.
The founders of the Living Memorial published an appeal to Create a Living Memorial for Hungarians from
ourselves and our discussions! From April 17, 2014, the two white chairs symbolizing he countermonument based on the idea of the artist Gyrgy Jovnovics were increased in number to host the
discussion circle that would be able to initiate public dialogue.
Chairs with Living Memorial written on them would be on the square every day from then on. Anyone could
sit down and share their opinions with the discussion circle, whether they were in favour of the statue or
not. This was the beginning of the discussion series that continues to this day. Along with the number of
chairs, the number of participants has also expanded.
Beyond the civilians joining us spontaneously or deliberately, we have started inviting guests: artists, art
historians, sociologists would introduce topics; elderly people, Holocaust survivors came forward to tell their
stories. The tension during these discussions made feelings run high at times; to handle this, we successfully
adopted a form of nonviolent communication by way of a moderation technique. This is the discursive space
that enables people of wildly differing backgrounds to come together. We have learned these methods from
the practices of the Occupy movements, collaborative art and direct democracy, and optimized it for the
situation on Szabadsg Square. /Balzs Horvth, responsible organizer, January 2015/
Continuing the Living Memorial Discussions during the winter was made possible by the heated mobile
pavilion designed by Balzs Byron Horvth and constructed by the activists of the Living Memorial Group.
At present, discussions are held Mondays and Thursdays from 17:30.

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[DEMONSTRATIONS ON SZABADSG SQUARE] On April 27, 2014, the group has organized a demonstration
on Szabadsg Square, then joined the March for Life, a march designed to pay tribute to the victims of the
Holocaust. In June, the group took part in the Yellow-Star Houses events. The Facebook group Clear
memory for freedom and democracy, led by Fruzsina Magyar, Imre Mcs, and Andrea Zoltai, also holds
gatherings on Szabadsg Square. From August, the daily presence on Szabadsg Square is maintained by the
Living Memorial and Szabadsgsznpad (Freedom Theatre), a daily cultural protest event. The latter has been
created by Gbor Seb and Gbor Nmethi with other Szabadsg Square activists. From October 2014,
Szabadsgsznpad and the Living Memorial demonstrate in turns on the square every day.
[DISCUSSION PARTNERS A NON-COMPREHENSIVE LIST] Jnos Sugr artist; Jzsef Mlyi art historian;
gnes Eperjesi artist; Gyrgy Konrd writer; Mria Vsrhelyi sociologist; Anna Lnrd artist, Bupap;
Emese Krti art historian; gnes Darczi journalist, activist; Jnos Brsony lawyer; Hajnalka Tarr
artist; Pter Molnr freedom of speech expert; Lszl Mikls Chairman of Hungarian History Teachers
Society Andrs Rnyi art historian; Katalin Tmr art historian, curator; Zoltn Kiszelly political
scientist; Pter Bndek political philosopher; Csaba Tth political scientist; Gspr Mikls Tams
philosopher; Balzs Bcskei political scientist; Jlia Kirly economist; Bernadette Somody and Lszl
Majtnyi Etvs Kroly Foundation; Zoltn Lakner political scientist; Balzs Nagy Navarro leader of the
Clean Hands for a Democratic Hungary movement; Istvn Hegeds chairman of the Hungarian Europe
Society; Szabolcs Szunyogh journalist; Annamria Szke art historian; Endre Szkrosi intermedia artist;
Zsolt Srs visual poet; Aladr Horvth civil rights leader; Jen Zsig sociologist; dr. Ferenc Raj rabbi;
Lszl Ersi historian; Emke Bagdy psychologist; Tams Bodoky editor-in-chief, tltsz; Szilrd Teczr
journalist, Magyar Narancs; Mikls Barcs musician (Flash); Tams Bart journalist; Gerg Kovcs party
leader (Ktfark Kutya Party); Gergely Litkai comedian (Duma Theatre ); Mikls Paizs musician (Sickratman);
Krisztin Peer poet; Ferenc Seb theater director (Anarchista Theatre); Attila Antal political analyst; gnes
Heller philosopher; Rudolf Ungvry writer; Endre Kukorelly writer; Imre Mcs engineer and civil rights
activist, Fruzsina Magyar, dramaturge; Balzs Gulys activist; Zoltn Pogtsa economist; Csaba Nemes
artist; Istvn Bnfalvi social policy expert; Pter Somlai sociologist; Lszl Trencsnyi university
associate professor, founding member of HAT; Attila Janisch movie director, Gbor Havas sociologist,
Judit Cski film critic; Dniel Dek Faculty of Law, Corvinus University of Budapest; Szilvi Nmeth
curator..

DECLARATIONS BY THE FOUNDERS OF THE LIVING MEMORIAL

Friends, Hungarians, fellow countrymen!
At 16:00, March 23, 2014, we are organizing a flash-mob named Living Memorial my history to the site of
the German occupation monument, by the entrance of the underground car park on Szabadsg Square,
Budapest. Our goal is to prevent the construction of this political symbol propagating a historical deception.
For the flash mob, bring stones and candles in remembrance, a small cross or any personal item that
expresses our emotions, our personal involvement; and lets place these with dignity upon the stone parapet
of the underground car park entrance. Lets create a substantial pile from these diverse personal items, so
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that it expresses the wish of the members of our nation to come to terms with our losses together, in a selfcritical way.
Lets create a substantial pile from these diverse personal items, so that clearing them from the site with
heavy equipment would constitute a scandalous act of sacrilege. May this, at least, make those falter who
wish to abuse their power. We would like as many of our fellow countrymen as possible to place their own
sacred symbols a symbol of willingness to repent and to forgive onto this unsought gravestone of our
history.
(We provide stones and candles on the spot.)
The event is not a campaign. There will be one speech only, but it is our hope that the demonstration will
continue.
Friends, Hungarians, fellow countrymen!
Lets make the site of the deceitful, cold monstrosity-monument the starting-point of the introspection of
Hungarians willing to listen to each other! Instead of political animosity kindled by manipulation, we
Christian, Jewish, Roma and all other minority or majority Hungarians have to be open for each others
stories, to understand each other.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War I. a hundred years is roughly the time
the memory of families can be called living memory. An abundance of knowledge, documents and stories are
buried in old briefcases or the memories of families, undiscovered and undiscussed. We have shared, or
dared to share very little in the way of personal experiences about this miserable century to ourselves and
to others. This is why we are starting a social movement by the name of Living Memorial my history, and
ask our compatriots to tell, to share what their family memory holds or remembers about our shared past.
Lets make public platforms in social media to enable the bottom-up way of organizing this sharing of stories,
this dialogue.
Pter Bndek
dm Gaborjk
Gyrgy Jovnovics
Mt Kernyi
Balzs Kicsiny
Szabolcs Kisspl
Andrs Lukcs
Csaba Nemes
Teri Szcs
Andrs Rnyi
and the Living Memorial My History Facebook group

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