‘Mostly drunk’ Romanians attack Hungarians at cemetery

John Woods

They broke into and desecrated the WWII cemetery where Hungarian, German and Austrian soldiers rest, smashed several wooden crosses that marked the memory of fallen Hungarian heroes and beat up Hungarians protecting the cemetery with flagpoles and rods torn from the fence. Meanwhile, the Romanian gendarmerie did almost nothing; nobody was taken into custody yet because of what had happened, and the Romanian ambassador in Budapest refused to show up in the Hungarian foreign ministry and give an explanation as to what happened and why due to a higher order.

“Out with the Hungarians from the country!”

According to the newsletter of the Mikó Imre Minority Rights Legal Services Assistance, close to a thousand civilians and public personalities from Szeklerland formed a human chain around the military cemetery in the Úz Valley yesterday (Friday) afternoon in order to inhibit Romanians from unlawfully breaking into the common graveyard, where the bodies of Austrian, German and Hungarian soldiers rest. Meanwhile, Romanian groups demanding the opening of the cemetery gate shouted “out with the Hungarians from the country!”, sang irredentist songs and yelled at Hungarians.

The Romanian crowd was strongly influenced by alcohol and revolted then climbed on the fence, broke the cemetery gate, smashed several wooden crosses that marked the memory of Hungarian heroes, beat up Hungarians with flagpoles and rods torn from the fence, causing enormous damage both in a moral and physical sense. The Romanian authorities quickly lost control over the happenings, though Romanian foreign minister Teodor Meleșcanu previously promised his Hungarian counterpart that they would do everything to prevent provocations and physical abuse towards local Hungarians. However, though Romanian authorities were present at the scene, they were not able or would not like to protect the Hungarians, and yet, nobody has been arrested, and nobody has been taken into custody because of what happened.

The Romanian ambassador refused to give an explanation. Furthermore, representatives of Romanian political organisations also took part in the event, radicalising the civilians and sharing abusing texts against Hungarians on social media. Meanwhile, Hungarians were praying, and a lot of them even burst into tears because of what happened.

Hunor Kelemen, president of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ), condemned the incident from Úz Valley and called the destruction of the cemetery a barbaric act. He said that the Hungarians did not provoke anyone but formed a human chain to protect the memory of their ancestors. He added that the Romanian news televisions should put an end to misinformation and incitement because it only leads to further conflicts. He also asked the Prime Minister to replace the Minister of Internal Affairs and the prefect of Harghita county, both of whom were responsible for letting such severe atrocities to take place.

According to MTI, Romania’s ambassador to Hungary has been summoned to the foreign ministry to account for what had happened but refused to comply, citing conflicting orders. On a press conference today, state Secretary Levente Magyar said about the refusal that it is “below all courtesy and friendship” and “Romania has refused an opportunity for dialogue.” In fact, the ministry already issued a diplomatic note of protest yesterday. Magyar added that Hungary still has a vested interest in a correct and good relationship with Romania to ensure the peaceful coexistence of Hungarians and Romanians.

Both government parties and Hungarian opposition parties Jobbik – Movement for a Better Hungary and Our Home Movement condemned the vandal destruction of the cemetery. The Romanian foreign ministry issued a statement today in which they would like their Hungarian counterpart to send a clear message towards Hungarians living in Romania to put an end to boosting further tensions. Thus, it is clear that the Romanian government blames Hungarians for what happened yesterday.

The antecedents

In fact, the local administration of the village of Dărmănești/Dormánfalva appropriated illegally the Hungarian military cemetery located in neighbouring Harghita county earlier this year. This is because a law from 1968 clearly states that the valley belongs to Sânmartin/ Csíkszentmárton, a Hungarian village in Harghita county, instead of Dărmănești/Dormánfalva, a Romanian settlement in Bacău county. The situation has worsened considerably after several Hungarians were taken in for questioning by the police, while the local administration of Dărmănești/Dormánfalva that illegally put up concrete crosses and monuments in the cemetery has still not been brought to account.

Árpád Antal, the president of the Szekler Council of Local Representatives, declared then that “we, Transylvanian Hungarians, are citizens with full rights of both Europe and Romania, and we do not accept to be treated as second-class citizens in our homeland. Asking for the situation of the military cemetery in Valea Uzului/Úz-völgye to be settled, for the violation of the rights of our community to cease and for those responsible to be brought to justice is a legitimate demand, one that we will not give up.” 

On the 16th of May, an unknown group of people covered the crosses that had been illegally put up by the local government of Dărmănești/Dormánfalva with black sacks. Although members of the Hungarian community immediately removed the sacks, and the Szekler Council of Local Representatives qualified the act as an obvious provocation, distancing themselves from both the persons committing the act, as well as the act itself, the Romanian media and some politicians took the opportunity to initiate a hate campaign against Hungarians.

The cemetery located in Valea Uzului/Úz-völgye (Valley of Uz) was the site of several battles during World War II. In fact, many Hungarian and German, but no Romanian soldiers are buried there. The cemetery has come to be almost like a place of pilgrimage, not only for Hungarians living in Transylvania but for all Hungarians.  

https://dailynewshungary.com/shocking-romanian-nationalists-attacked-hungarians-protecting-a-wwii-military-cemetery-in-szeklerland-photos-videos/

(In World War II, both Hungary and Romania were allied with Hitler’s Germany. Hungarian forces participated in Germany’s invasion of Yugoslavia and of the Soviet Union. When Hungarian leaders decided they backed the wrong side, they began talks with Allied nations. Hitler found out and in March 1944 occupied Hungary. Romania joined the Axis powers in November 1940 and committed soldiers and a base of invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. With the invasion of Soviet troops in 1944, Romania changed sides. After the war, Romania lost territory to the Soviet Union and to Bulgaria, but regained northern Transylvania from Hungary. Much of the animosity between Hungary and Romania is from both world wars of the 20th century, plus occupation by Muslims in previous centuries.)