On Tuesday, a truly special opportunity was given to the Community House of Nagybajom. Thanks to the organization of the Municipality of Nagybajom, the Reformed Church of Nagybajom, and the Csányi Foundation, we were able to travel to Slovenia to pay our respects at the memorial sites of Hungarian soldiers. At dawn we set out to visit the military cemeteries as well as Ljubljana Castle, where Count Lajos Batthyány, Hungary’s first independent Prime Minister, had once been imprisoned.
The first rays of sunlight reached us already beyond the border. It was an unforgettable sight to see the peaks of the Alps rising high above us. We made a short detour to the famous Lipica Stud Farm, and then our journey led us through winding tunnels and river valleys into Italy. Our first stops were in Prosecco and then at the military cemetery of Palmanova. In the latter, around 14,500 soldiers of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy are laid to rest. At both sites we placed wreaths and paid tribute to their memory. It was a moving experience to read Hungarian words carved on a memorial post, so far away from home.
We then admired the Italian World War I military memorial steps, the Doberdò Plateau, and the banks of the Isonzo River. After lunch in Gorizia, we continued on to the Slovenian capital. There, we had the honor of meeting Dr. Zoltán Thuróczy, head of the Liszt Institute, Hungarian Cultural Center. As part of the Embassy, this institution’s mission is to present Hungarian culture abroad through exhibitions and performances. Upon our arrival, we were able to view the Retro+ Balaton exhibition.
In the late afternoon, we strolled through the center of Ljubljana and visited the castle, the place where Count Lajos Batthyány was held prisoner from 5 May to 23 July 1849. His memorial plaque was honored with a ceremonial wreath-laying.
As the sun was setting behind us, we began our journey home. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to take part in this meaningful and heart-touching journey. Márton Gelencsér, NB3