On Wednesday, September 28 in the joint organisation of the Ministry of Defence and the Honvéd Re-enactment Association (HOHE) the one-time students commemorated the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the six Cadet Schools operating from 1941 until 1945 in the Banquet Hall of the Zrínyi Miklós National Defence University (ZMNE). The wife of the President of the Republic Katalin Schmittné Makray, Dr. István Simicskó, the MoD Parliamentary State Secretary and the former Prime Minister Dr. Péter Boross were also present at the event.

Following the entry of the historical flags of the HOHE, the Royal Hungarian “Prince Csaba” Rapid Reaction (motorized) Forces Cadet School of Marosvásárhely, the Royal Hungarian “Gábor Áron” Honvéd Artillery Cadet School of Nagyvárad and the Royal Hungarian “Zrínyi Miklós” Honvéd Infantry Cadet School of Pécs, and after the singing of the Hymn (National Anthem), the attendees were welcomed by Ret. Col. Dr. Attila Gál on behalf of the HOHE. “We have retained everything, the sense of our life: the love of the homeland, the faith, the fortitude and the honour!” – he declared in his introduction.

In his greeting address István Simicskó pointed out that this generation has lived through extremely hard times, and therefore honour and respect is due to them. In the cadet schools the students had acquired such characteristics and morality, which became the pride of the Hungarian motherland until the end of the First World War. István Simicskó added: “we usually want to know what we can expect from a school, whether it will serve the success of our children in life? The then parents said “yes” to this question – and they decided right. As you also, did. They had stood their ground excellently already at the age of 14! And they received such an amount of moral and intellectual nourishment, of which they can feel proud for a lifetime!” The State Secretary requested the one-time students to hand down this invaluable knowledge, and love of the homeland to the present generations, because we badly need it.

Following the speeches and recollections, István Simicskó presented tokens of appreciations on behalf of the Minister of Defence Dr. Csaba Hende. Afterwards, László Nagy, the Vice-Chairman of the HOHE and Tamás Böjthe, the General Secretary of the HOHE awarded memorial certificates to the one -time students of the six cadet schools. On behalf of his schoolmates Péter Boross, the “old cadet”, the former Prime Minister spoke to the gathering.

The festive commemoration closed with a wreath-laying ceremony in the Zrínyi Memorial Garden at the memorial plaque of the unknown war heroes.

(Ministry of Defence, Zrínyi Media)