On October 6, 1849, thirteen officers of the Hungarian revolution and freedom fight and Lajos Batthyány, the first prime minister of independent Hungary, were executed for their parts in the defeated revolution of 1848-1849.

True defeat would have been never to try to fight, Simicskó said at the memorial event in the Petőfi Sándor military barracks in Budapest’s 11th district. “It is partly thanks to their efforts that we live in a free, independent and thriving state today”, Simicskó said.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.

MTI photo: Kovács Attila