Orban: many Hungarians behaved shamefully in the war

Many Hungarians “shameful behaved” during the Second world war against fellow Jews, said on Monday the Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban.

He said this during the ceremony on the eve of the international day of remembrance of the victims of the Holocaust at the Budapest Jewish cemetery, where are buried the participants of the battles of the First world war.

As noted Orban, quoted Prague online publication Ceske noviny, “the path from the front of the partnership during the First world war to concentration camps during the Second world war to understand it is simply impossible”.

In June 1944, after the German occupation of Hungary, about 440 thousand lived in the country of the Jews in several echelons were sent to Nazi death camps, the vast majority in Auschwitz. Many ordinary Hungarians actively assisted the police in identifying fellow Jews. From 800 thousand Jews lived in the country before the war, after its liberation by the Soviet Army remained alive less than 200 thousand.

“This is the tragedy of the Hungarian people and irreplaceable loss for the Hungarian Jewish community,” stressed the Prime Minister of Hungary. - We were insensitive and indifferent (during the second world war), helping in this matter. Many, many Hungarians preferred the evil before the good and the shameful behavior before honest”.

“On Tuesday we (government members) participate in the ceremony in memory of the victims of the Holocaust at Auschwitz and want to Express our sorrow over the loss of Hungarian citizens-Jews,” said Viktor Orban.