On 6 October 2020, the Municipality of Debrecen organised a commemoration and wreath laying ceremony on the occasion of the memorial day of the heroes of the 1848-49 War of Independence, and the military generals executed in Arad on 6 October 1849.
The series of events started in Kossuth Square, where the Hungarian national flag was hoisted then lowered to half-mast. The ceremony was attended by Mayor László Papp and István Puskás, Vice Mayor responsible for the cultural affairs of the city. Vice Mayor István Puskás said in his speech delivered at the Nagysándor-obelisk standing at the place of the Battle of Debrecen that took place on 2 August 1849: „we, Hungarians, are often said to be queer potatoes, as our national days are connected to lost causes or mourning days. And we normally reply: the fact that we remember these tragic days perfectly proves that our enemies could not win these battles, as „lessened but not broken” we are still here, we are together „the nation still lives on this homeland”, and we carry on the legacy of those who sacrificed their lives for the values that are still fundamental for us”. After the memorial speech, the representatives of the following institutions laid their wreaths of honour at the pedestal of the monument and also at the memorial plaque of József Nagysándor on the wall of the military recruitment office in Péterfia Street: the city and the county municipalities, the Armenian self-government, the armed forces, social and civil organisations, Fidesz-KDNP, various authorities and institutions. During the day, the municipal councillors of the individual districts also placed their wreaths at the memorial plaques in the streets of Debrecen named after the martyrs of Arad.
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