Heritage as a political tool- cherry-picking historic layers to suit political agenda

Kossuth tér,  Budapest´s symbolic square in the political centre of the nation is subject to a major remodelling project, that would simply edit politically unwelcome historical layers from public view. According to the parliamentary act signed by premier Viktor Orbán and his party Fidesz “the  artistic appearance of the square is to be remodelled to correspond to its condition of before 1944”- a historically charged date, corresponding to the reign of Miklós Horthy over Hungary, who allied himself with Hitler´s Germany and approved of the deportation of more than 400.000 Hungarian jews to Auschwitz.

Critics point out that the remodelling of the square has deeper motives and demonstrate Fidesz´ unwillingness to distance themselves from the political ideas of the area . As part of wide reaching attempts to blank out certain parts of Hungarian history, statues of hated republican and leftist personalities such as count Mihály Károlyi (1875-1955) that were set up after 1944 would have to be removed. Additionally, fencing of the area for construction work, will hinder demonstrations of the opposition to Orbás´ government in front of the the neo-gothic parliament buildings, such as the Milla One Million for the Freedom of Press gathering in October 2011.This is a reminder that, as urban design is often derived from military strategies, the design of urban spaces is no accident and strongly connected to controlling the public.

Link to Milla One Million for the Freedom of Press in Hungary

Link to Press Freedom and Media Developments in Hungary

Article in The Guardian on Hungarian Press Freedom

Article on The Hungarian Perspective 

Kossuth memorial raised in commemoration of the rebellion of the people of Hungary against the Habsburg monarchy. To be edited from Kossuth tér square. Link

Statue of Mihaly Károlyi (1875-1955), first president of the Hungarian republic  founded after WWI. The center-left aristocrat is a hate-figure for the collective Hungarian right wing, Jobbik has been consistently pushing for its removal from "the Hungarian state´s main square".

Attila József the best known of the modern Hungarian poets looking solemnly out over the Danube. He has all reason to, as the statue of this proletarian poet is also scheduled to be edited from the square.

Proposal for new design of the square.

Proposal for new design of the square.