The formation and re-enterpretation of the “mythology” of the Hungarian Conquest Memorial in Verecke in the light of in-depth interviews

The topic of this essay is the Verecke memorial, which has become a community symbol of Hungarians in Ukraine. The Verecke mountain-pass – the first “station point” of the conqueror Hungarians in the Carpathian Basin – became part of public awareness and an attribute of the Hungarian landtaking, in connection with the ceremonies of the Millenium. In 1995, when the question of the rebuilding of the Verecke memorial was raised, the Ukrainian state had only celebrated the 4th anniversary of its independence. As good-neighbourly relations with Hungary had been developing since 1991, the Ukrainian state at first reacted on the raised idea positively. But later, the construction works were suspended and the inauguration of the memorial did not go smooth either, partly for the national antipathies of the Ukrainian partner, partly for the different visions of the divided Hungarian political representation in Ukraine. We follow the views of the Hungarian minority on the memorial from the beginning of its construction in 1996 until its inauguration in 2008. The memorial has been in the centre of attention as one of the sensitive issues and source of a potential conflict between Ukraine and Hungary, as well as the Hungarian–Hungarian political relations representing local interests, and as such, has become a constant topic in the regional Ukrainian and Hungarian press.

László Túri     94(439)

The formation and re-enterpretation of the “mythology” of the Hungarian     94(477.87)

Conquest Memorial in Verecke in the light of in-depth interviews        725.94(477.87)

Keywords: The Verecke memorial. Hungarian–Ukrainian and Hungarian–Hungarian relations in Ukraine at the millennium. The stands of the Hungarian politicians and public figures in Ukraine on the memorial.