×
Search this website for:
11.07.2016

Visit of the delegation of the Hungarian Committee of National Remembrance and opening of the exhibition "1956. Poland - Hungary"- 27 June 2016 (Poznań), 28 June 2016 (Warsaw)

zdjęcie 1
zdjęcie 2
zdjęcie 3
zdjęcie 4
zdjęcie 5
zdjęcie 6
zdjęcie 7
zdjęcie 8
zdjęcie 9
zdjęcie 10
zdjęcie 11
zdjęcie 12
zdjęcie 13
zdjęcie 14

On 27-28 June 2016 a delegation of the Hungarian Committee of National Remembrance (NEB), composed of Dr. Réka Földváryné Kiss – Chair of NEB, Áron Máthé - Deputy Chair of the NEB, Martin Gulyás and Anita Melkovicsné Madarász, visited Poland.

The delegation of the NEB, together with Dr. Łukasz Kamiński - President of the IPN, Dr. Janos Tischler - director of the Hungarian Cultural Institute in Warsaw and Akos Engelmayer - former Ambassador of Hungary in Poland, participated in the ceremony of opening the outdoor exhibition „1956. Poland - Hungary. History and Remembrance" in Poznan and Warsaw and the official celebrations of the 60th anniversary of June '56 in Poznan with participation of the President of Poland Andrzej Duda and the President of Hungary János Áder.

Opening of the exhibition in Poznan took place on 27 June 2016 on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the events of the Poznan June '56, in the Castle Garden of the Victims of Katyn and Siberia.

During the opening of the exhibition President of the IPN Dr. Łukasz Kamiński said, among other things: „Although 60 years ago, the two nations lived in the enslaved countries, Poles and Hungarians could be free. Because only free men are able to stand up against dictatorship. And at that time we also managed to be in solidarity. The fact that today we recount these events together, I perceive as a sign that together we can be free and in solidarity.”

„The histories of the Poles and Hungarians are presented alternately; showing how in 1956 they were parallel and mutually affected themselves. We also show that the memory of the Hungarian revolution in Poland has been continuing up to now. In Hungary the solidarity of Poles in relation to Hungary is also remembered. The exhibition recalls the shared history of the two nations, Poles and Hungarians, woven in a tragic and unique way in 1956. At the news of the events in Poland, Budapest students began demonstrations in solidarity with Poland. This turned into the Hungarian Revolution. At the news of what happened in Hungary Poles passed the exam of solidarity by donating blood, sending medicines, providing assistance," said co-author of the exhibition Dr. Paweł Sasanka of the Office of Historical Research in the Institute of National Remembrance.

The ceremony of opening of the exhibition in Poznań was preceded by a symbolic laying of wreaths at the monument of the Poznań June 1956 by a delegation of the Institute of National Remembrance and the Hungarian Committee of National Remembrance and the Hungarian Cultural Institute in Warsaw.

A day later, on 28 June 2016 r. President of the Institute of National Remembrance Dr. Łukasz Kaminski and Chair of the NEB Dr. Réka Földváryné Kiss presented the exhibition to the President of Poland Andrzej Duda and the President of Hungary János Áder.

In Warsaw, the exhibition is presented in the courtyard of the Seym (in front of the Seym library), and its ceremonial opening took place on 28 June 2016. It was attended by Speaker of the Seym Marek Kuchciński, President of the Institute of National Remembrance Dr. Łukasz Kamiński, President of the NEB Dr. Réka Földváryné Kiss, Dr. Janos Tischler - director of the Hungarian Cultural Institute in Warsaw and Akos Engelmayer - former Hungarian Ambassador in Poland. Hosting in Poland at the invitation of the Polish Seym members of the Hungarian-Polish Friendship Group led by Zsolt Nemeth, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Hungarian Parliament, also participated in the ceremony.

The exhibition may be seen in Warsaw in the courtyard of the Seym till 7 July, and in Poznan till 30 July this year. Then, from 19 August to 26 October 2016, the exhibition will be presented at the Grand Courtyard of the Royal Castle in Warsaw. In turn, the exhibition in Hungarian and English version can be seen from 30 June at the Town Hall Square in Budapest.

***
The exhibition „1956: Poland - Hungary. History – Remembrance” was prepared in parallel in Polish and English (for the purpose of its presentation in Poland) and in Hungarian and English (for the purpose of its presentation in Hungary).

Its Polish official opening took place on 27 June in Poznan in the Castle Garden of Victims of Katyn and Siberia, and a day later, on 28 June 28 in Warsaw, in the courtyard of the Seym.

The exhibition is one of the elements of joint activities of the Institute of National Remembrance, Committee of National Remembrance and Hungarian Cultural Institute in Warsaw, carried out on the occasion of the falling this year 60th anniversary of the events of 1956 in Poland and Hungary. The main message is subordinated to the idea of the struggle for freedom, truth and solidarity between the two nations, independent from the officially emphasized friendship. The aim is to recount the events of 1956 in Poland and Hungary and show the universal desire for freedom of the people living in the Communist system. It is also an opportunity to show the fate of the two nations, that, despite different history during the Second World War, found themselves on the same side of the Iron Curtain, and the fate of people who, despite the difficult situation, fought for freedom and offered support to each other. At the same time the Polish dimension of the 1956 anti-Communist revolt of the inhabitants of Poznań in 1956 has been accentuated. These activities take place under the heading „1956. Poles and Hungarians. Together we remember„.


Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up for a fresh look at history: stay up to date with the latest events, get new texts by our researchers, follow the IPN’s projects