Obj. ID: 48329  Holocaust Memorial at the Kozma Street Cemetery in Budapest, Hungary, 1949

Memorial Name:

Martyrs’ Memorial for Victims of the Holocaust

Who is Commemorated?

Hungarian victims of the Holocaust

Description

The memorial is built as an open L-shaped pavilion on two sides of a rectangular open space. The entire structure sits on a continuous concrete (?) slab base. A large two-step concrete slab is set in a part of the open space. The memorial encloses two sides of the open space, which is used for memorial gatherings. 

One end of the monument on the short side of the rectangular space, facing the center, is a tall wall of large squared brown stone blocks in the middle of which is a full-height white wall of evenly cut limestone (?) panels, at the top of which is written in high-relief Hebrew letters “Yizchor”. Beneath this is an inscription in Hebrew and Hungarian (these have slightly different texts).  In front of this memorial wall is a black marble vault. To the right of the vault is a menorah.

Extending out from this, at lower height, is an open pavilion constructed of nine (?) straight, flat walls and a row of thin concrete (?) piers along the outer edge that support a flat roof. The roof curves slightly as it changes direction. Three bays are on the short side next to the Remembrance Wall, and six (?) bays are on the long side. Along the entire length of the pavilion, between the outer perimeter supporting piers and the inscribed walls, are simple stone benches. These are each made of three stone blocks – two supports, and one for the seat.

Inscribed on the nine stone walls of the two-winged arcade memorial are tens of thousands of names, some of the about 600,000 Hungarian Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust and are known by name. Many names were added later, in pencil.

At the top of each wall is a Biblical inscription in Hebrew and Hungarian [listed (and translated) below]. At the bottom of each wall is the Hebrew commemorative abbreviation ת.נ.צ.ב.ה, an abbreviation customarily put at the bottom of a gravestone representing the Hebrew words תהא נפשו/ה צרורה בצרור החיים (t'hay nafsho/ah tzrurah b'tzror hachaim), "May his/her soul be bound up in the bond of life."

Each side of each wall is lined with four columns and three rows of marble plaques inscribed with victims' names. Inscribed across the tops of all four columns in the top row of panels are inscribed in larger letters the names of major killing sites - Bergen Belsen, Auschwitz, Mauthausen, Magyarorszag (Hungary) - and the inscription “Ismeretlenben Elhal Tak” (they died unknown) ...

Three plaques are also affixed to the side of each wall. Victim’s name and date of birth (when known). The names are not listed alphabetically or by date, but the walls are numbered and there is an index of all names listed.

At the very end of the pavilion, there is a wall of the same large squared brown stone blocks of the tall memorial wall at the beginning. In front of this – facing out - is a fountain, the back of which is in the shape of the Tablets of the Law. In front of this is a water basin.

Inscriptions

On both sides of the walls, above the names, there are quotations, from left to right:

Hebrew

אחינו בני ישראל שמסרו נפשים

על קדושת השם

Hungarian

Megölte öket a gyülölet-

örizze emléküket a szeretet

Translation: Our brothers, the sons of Israel, who sacrificed their lives for the holiness of the Name.

Hebrew

To be transcribed

Hungarian

To be transcribed

Translation: They were murdered by hatred— their memory should be preserved by love.

Hebrew

על אלה חשכו עינינו

Hungarian

Miattuk homályosodnak szemeink

Translation: Because of these our eyes are dimmed (Lamentations 5:17, JPS 1985)

Hebrew

כי־עלה מות בחלונינו

Ablakainon rontott be a halál

Translation: For death has climbed through our windows (Jeremiah 9:20, JPS 1985)

Hebrew

וספדה הארץ משפחות משפחות לבד

Hungarian

need to transcribe

Translation: The land shall wail, each family by itself. (Zechariah 12:12, JPS 1985)

Hebrew

שמעתי  ותרגז בטני לקול צללו שפתי

Hungarian

need to transcribe

Translation: I heard and my bowels quaked, my lips quivered at the sound. (Habakkuk 3:16, JPS 1985)

Hebrew

הן אצעק חמס ולא אענה

Hungarian

need to transcribe

Translation: I cry, "Violence!" but am not answered (Job 19:7, JPS 1985)

Hebrew

העל זאת לא־תרגז הארץ ואבל כל־יושב בה

Hungarian

need to transcribe

Translation: Shall not the earth shake for this and all that dwell on it mourn. (Amos 8:8, JPS 1985)

Hebrew

מחוץ תשכל־חרב ומחדרים אימה

Hungarian

need to transcribe

Translation: The sword shall deal death without, as shall the terror within. (Deuteronomy 32:25, JPS 1985)

Hebrew

אז יבקע כשחר אורך

Hungarian

need to transcribe

Translation: Then shall your light burst through like the dawn. (Isaiah 58:8, JPS 1985)

Hebrew

כי אבן מקיר תזעק

Hungarian

A kö is kiált a falból

Translation: For a stone shall cry out from the wall. (Habakkuk 2:11, JPS 1985)

Hebrew

Hungarian

need to transcribe

Translation: See my affliction and rescue me. (Psalms 119:153, JPS 1985)

Hebrew

ונתתי רוחי בכם וחייתם

Hungarian

need to transcribe

Translation: I will put My breath into you and you shall live again (Ezekiel 37:14, JPS 1985)

Hebrew

בצר־לי אקרא ה

Hungarian

need to transcribe

Translation: In my anguish I called on the LORD (Samuel II 22:7, JPS 1985)

Hebrew

Hungarian

need to transcribe

Translation: The Presence of the LORD shall be your rear guard. (Isaiah 58:8, JPS 1985)

Hebrew

Hungarian

need to transcribe

Translation: Let corpses arise! (Isaiah 26:19, JPS 1985)

Hebrew

Hungarian

need to transcribe

Translation: The songs in the palace will become cries of mourning. (Amos 8:3, JPS 1985)

Hebrew

Hungarian

need to transcribe

Translation: Never parted in their death! (alludes to Samuel II 1:23, "Never parted In life or in death," JPS 1985)

Commissioned by

Jewish Community of Budapest