Press release: Stop NS-glorification in Budapest!

Come with us to Budapest on the 10th of February to protest against the commemoration of nazism by fascists from all over the world!

On the 10th of February 2024, neo-Nazis want to hold their „heroic commemoration“ glorifying Nazism in Hungary’s capital Budapest again. In February 1945, Karl Pfeffer-Wildenbruch, general oft he SS, ordered his followers to break out of the besieged city – a naive attempt, as only a few soldiers survived the ensuing fighting. This does not stop the extreme right-wing scene from honouring the fascist general and his followers with their annual marches.

Although there have been several smaller and larger antifascist interventions in recent years that were successful, the urge of the fascists in Budapest to rewrite history remains unchanged. In some years, the far right mobilized thousands of supporters onto the streets. It is to be feared that on the 10th of february 2024 around midday, neo-Nazis from the Blood & Honour spectrum will also attempt to hold a rally in Városmajor Park, located in the north-west of the city.

 

For years, neo-Nazis and militarists have also been organizing a neo-Nazi march declared as a reenactment based on the fascist attempt to break out of the encirclement oft he city by the Red Army in 1945. The starting point oft he march is in the Budapest castle complex from where the neoNazis hike up to 60 kilometres into the Budapest countryside partly dressed in military uniforms and wearing fascist insignia. Largely undisturbed – and until a few years ago even with the blessing of the Hungarian Hiking Association – fascist hiking groups from the nationalist neo-Nazi scene mingle there with supposedly innocent Hungarian hiking fans.

Around the weekend, the Hungarian neo-Nazi scene organizes various smaller and larger concerts in Budapest. For several days, the right-wingers use the series of events to network. They indulge in their „Nazi-world“ and start the rest of the year mentally strengthened for their fight for a „white“ Europe and against minorities and everything outside their norm.

As antifascists we no longer want to accept this! Together with the Austrian Concentration Camp Association, the socialdemocratic Freedom Fighters and the MEASZ from Hungary, we as VVN-BdA are calling for an antifascist protest. On the morning of the 10th of February, we will hold an antifascist rally together at the memorial „Shoes at the Danube river“ and commemorate the victims of the Shoah and the Porajmos. Afterwards, we will go to Parliament, where we will express our demand for a ban on the neo-Nazi events. There will also be an opportunity to join the protests against the neo-Nazi march in the afternoon before we leave again. It is important to show that our Hungarian friends will not be left alone in their fight against the activities of the Nazis.

This cross-border cooperation between our antifascist associations is also supported by the umbrella organisation, the International Federation of Resistance Fighters – Federation of Anti-Fascists (FIR).

We want to be many! So come with us to Budapest! Everyone is invited to join us (as long as there are enough places). We will start in Vienna on the morning of the 10th of February and return to Vienna in the evening. The contribution towards expenses for the bus ticket from Vienna to Budapest and back is 20 euros. Accommodation is to be organised by yourself if possible. However, an attempt will be made to offer a small number of sleeping places. If you are interested, please contact fahrten_vvn-bda_2024@riseup.net.