National day of mourning: Hungary honors the martyrs of Arad – national flag at half-mast

Hungary commemorated its national day of mourning by raising and then lowering the national flag to half-mast in front of the Parliament. The day marks the anniversary of the execution of the 13 martyrs of Arad and the death of Hungary’s first responsible Prime Minister.

In a solemn ceremony held on Sunday morning in Kossuth Lajos Square, outside the Parliament, the flag was raised and lowered to half-mast in remembrance of the martyrs of Arad, with full military honours. The event was attended by several government officials, including Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky and Chief of General Staff Gábor Böröndi. As a mark of respect, Hungary’s national flag will remain at half-mast throughout the day of national mourning, Világgazdaság reports.

The flag-raising was accompanied by the Hungarian national anthem, while the lowering to half-mast was performed to the sound of the “Szózat“.

Photo: MTI/Bruzák Noémi

Hungary remembers the martyrs of Arad

In 2001, the Hungarian government declared 6 October a national day of mourning, a day to remember the 13 martyrs executed in Arad after the defeat of the 1848-49 Revolution and War of Independence, as well as Lajos Batthyány, Hungary’s first independent and responsible Prime Minister, who was executed in Pest on the same day.

The 13 martyrs of Arad were:

Lajos Aulich
János Damjanich
Arisztid Dessewffy
Ernő Kiss
Károly Knézich
György Lahner
Vilmos Lázár
Károly Leiningen-Westerburg
József Nagysándor
Ernő Poeltenberg
József Schweidel
Ignác Török
Károly Vécsey

“They set an example with their lives and deaths, their passionate fight for their homeland, and their unwavering loyalty until the end. The sacrifice of these 14 martyrs was not in vain—today, Hungary is a free and independent country. Everything these brave men gave their lives for 175 years ago has become a reality,” a speech during the ceremony said.