Central services directorate general

CENTRAL SERVICES

DIRECTORATE GENERAL

1054 Budapest, Báthory u. 12.

“Design of the memorial for the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and Freedom Fight”

I.
Pursuant to the provisions of Government Resolution No. 2208/2004 (VIII. 27) Korm. the Prime Minister’s Office of the Republic of Hungary hereby issues an open design contest for the design of the memorial for the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and Freedom Fight.

1. 
   The Memorial manifests the historical desire of the Hungarian people for national independence; a long tradition, which also includes the’56 Revolution and Freedom Fight. During its entire history, the Hungarian nation has always strongly objected to foreign oppression. In ’56 the society expressed its outrage against the distorted communist dictatorship, which had lasted for ten years. The ’56 freedom fight was the culmination of attempts to gain independence. Not only each Hungarian, but also the freedom loving people of the world can consider the historic action their own, with which our oppressed country fought against the superior number of tanks for freedom. The Hungarian people, living in peace in a developing country at present, owe a lot to those who took part in the revolution and freedom fight. The process, as a result of which these days Central and Eastern Europe is no longer ruled by terror causing fear and fright started by the brave uprising of the Hungarian nation. It is important to designate this Memorial a due site remembering the heroic and imposing days of the freedom fight.
   
2. 
   The basic dichotomy of 1956 is that it was both revolution and freedom fight.
   
3. 
   The above duality can be approached from two aspects. On the one hand, the previously oppressed power, manifested in a victorious revolution came to the surface on 23 October, as it swept away dictatorship and formed a new government based on democratic principles, trusted and supported by the Hungarian nation. On the other hand, the results of the victorious revolution soon had to be protected against the superior forces of foreign oppressors. The freedom fight protecting the resolution was destined to failure, but the desire for freedom continued during the socialist era, culminating again in the political transformation in 1989. This means that in terms of ideas neither the revolution, nor the freedom fight failed.
   
4. 
   Consequently, the spirit of the Memorial may express the progressive nature of the revolution, the fact that its ideas have survived for decades, affecting the present days and generations.
   
5. 
   The Memorial may symbolise the victory of the people over the oppressors, yet it may also symbolise human sacrifice for freedom.
   
6. 
   The Memorial should convey a message that the desire of Hungarian people for freedom culminate in this historic event, uniting a nation desiring freedom and human life. This freedom fight was the most powerful outbreak of East European desire for freedom; it was also significant in terms of the world history, because the revolution and its consequences contributed a great deal to the collapse of the Soviet Union and Soviet-type systems.
   
7. 
   The Memorial could symbolise the power and community of the Hungarian people, joint responsibility, cohesion of the Hungarian society as well as the unity of a nation, all of which features characterised 23 October 1956.
   
8. 
   As the Memorial does not only erect a monument for the past at present, but also addresses the future generations, it could function as a bridge connecting traditional elements with modern and progressive creative arts. This Memorial could symbolise an imaginary link between 1956 and the free, European democratic Hungary of the present.
   

EUROPEAN UNION Publication of supplement to the Official Journal of the European Communities 2, rue Mercier, L-2985 Luxembourg Fax: (+352) 29 29 44 619, (+352) 29 29 44 623, (+352) 29 29 42 670 Electronic mail: mp-ojs@opoce.cec.eu.int On-line notification: http://simap.eu.int

As in I.1)  If different, see Annex A

As in I.1)  If different, see Annex A

As in I.1)  If different, see Annex A

Central level x EU institution  Other 

Regional/local level  Body governed by public law 

SECTION II: OBJECT OF THE DESIGN CONTEST

II.1) Project description

II.1.1) Title attributed to the design contest by the contracting authority/entity: Design of the Memorial for the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and Freedom Fight.

1:10 scale design/plan of the Memorial for the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and Freedom Fight, commemorating its 50^th anniversary.

Planned site for the Memorial: a semi-circle with 40 metre radius outlined on the territory of Budapest City Park (District XIV, topographic lot number: 29732/1.) the total diameter of which falls on the borderline of the surface of the former Public Procession Square on the park’s side, and its central point is the intersection of this line and the extended middle axis of City Park alley.

NUTS code*: HU

II.1.4) Nomenclature

II.1.4.1) Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

	Main vocabulary	Supplementary vocabulary (if applicable)
Main object	74.22.30.00-8	- - -
Additional objects	...- ...- ...- ...-	- - - - - - - - - - - -

II.1.4.2) Other relevant nomenclature (CPC)*

Service category: 12

- By entering a project, applicants shall accept the terms and conditions of the design tender notice binding.

- Parties in relation to whom the excluding reasons under Government Decree No. 137/2004 (IV. 29). Korm. (hereinafter: Government Decree) on the detailed rules of design contests prevail may not participate in the contest.

- Sculptor architects, or architects or architectural communities holding at least one reference in the memorial genre may participate in the design contest, indicating their reference in their projects.

- The jury shall exclude from evaluation:

a) any projects submitted after the deadline, without even opening them;

b) any project that does not fulfil the content requirements specified in the documentation;

c) any project that violates confidentiality, as well as

d) projects, to the author of which the reasons of exclusion apply.

- After the opening of the projects the jury may exclude from evaluation incomplete projects and those which do not fulfil the formal requirements.

NO  YES x

Open x Restricted 

Number  or: maximum  / minimum 

1

2

4

5

7

IV.2) Criteria to be applied in the valuation of projects

- Expression of the idea of freedom, the spirit of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and Freedom Fight, and its importance in terms of national and world history using symbols and spatial organisation instruments.

- Importance of the Memorial in the townscape.

- Support of individual and ceremonial community commemoration by the memorial.

- The contracting authority does not apply any restrictions for the character, material or selected technology of the Memorial, but expects state-of-the-art solutions.

IV.3.1) Reference number attributed to the file by the contracting authority/entity*

IV.3.2) Conditions for obtaining contractual documents and additional documents

Obtainable until: 02/06/2005 (dd/mm/yyyy)

Price (where applicable): free of charge Currency:

Terms and method of payment: -

Availability of documentation:

The design contest documentation can be collected at the premises identified in Annex I.3. A, in Office No. 30 on the 2^nd floor, between 9 and 12 a.m. on working days. Intentions to collect the documentation in person shall be indicated by phone, fax or in an email message two working days in advance; the Central Services Directorate General shall also post the documentation to the requested address based on requests made through the channels indicated above.

02/06/2005 (dd/mm/yyyy) or:  days (from dispatch of notice)

Time: 12 a.m.. _______________

IV.3.4) Despatch of invitations to participate to selected candidates (in case of a restricted procedure)

Estimated date // (dd/mm/yyyy)

IV.3.5) Language (languages) which may be used by candidates

ES

DA

DE

EL

EN

FR

IT

NL

PT

FI

SV

HU

Other country























x

______________________

The jury may spend HUF 18 million on prizes.

The value of the highest prize cannot exceed HUF 8 million, while the value of the lowest prize cannot be less than HUF 4 million.

The prize awarded for the project cannot be included in the future design contract fee.

IV.4.3) Must the service contract part of the follow-up of the design contest be awarded to the winner or to one of the winners of the contest?

NO  YES x

IV.4.4) Is the decision of the jury binding on the contracting authority/entity?

NO  YES x

IV.4.5) Names of the selected members of the jury

VI.1) Is this notice a non-mandatory one?

NO x YES 

VI.2) Does the design contest relate to a project/programme financed by EU funds?

NO x YES 

The answers to the questions shall form part of the documentation from the same date. With the exception of evaluation and eligibility criteria, the contacting authority may amend the detailed schedule of the documentation, supplementing its data by the date of answers to the questions.

- The contracting authority/entity shall announce the result of the design contest on 16 June 2005, at 11 a.m. The announcement of result shall take place at Műcsarnok (Art Gallery); 1146 Budapest, Dózsa György út 37.

- Applicants shall name potential co-designers and special designers.

III. GUIDELINES FOR PROJECTS

In order to ensure confidentiality:

- no code words, signatures or other items violating confidentiality may be indicated on the package containing the projects, or its individual components, and the project cannot contain any reference either, from which the identity of the author can be concluded.

- the name, address, registered office and other data of applicants requested in the notice shall be sealed and attached to the title page of the project; the sealed envelope shall be kept until evaluation by a notary public, assigned by the Central Services Directorate General.

- without the applicant’s authorisation the jury may not have access to, or disclose the data of authors of projects not rewarded or purchased.
Participants:
The contracting authority/entity expects projects from sculptors, sculptors-architects, architects or architectural communities.

In order to certify eligibility, applicants shall make a declaration,

- about the involvement of potential co-designers and special designers.

An individual who

- is a member,

- is a relative of a member,

- is an employee of, or a party of some other contract concluded with, or a shareholder of the same economic organisation as a member,

- submitted a joint project with a member of the jury cannot participate in this design contest.

The contracting authority does not apply any restrictions for the character, material or selected technology of the Memorial, but expects state-of-the-art solutions.

The contracting authority/entity intends to make the Memorial a key element of the cityscape.

The Memorial should support individual commemoration events, as well as ceremonial mass demonstrations.

Applicants shall also make a proposal for the direct environment of the Memorial.

The designated site is in a historic monument environment.

The total cost of the Memorial cannot exceed gross HUF 650,000,000.

Contents of the design documentation: historical summary with archive photo attachments, detailed description of the site in a study, an outlined site plan, a site plan, a utility site plan, geodesic survey, horticultural survey, site photos, photos of the Western spatial wall, a title page, an envelope, a data sheet (indicating authors’ data and the distribution of the fee between authors in percentage).

The contest documentation is free of charge. The contest documentation may be collected at the Central Services Directorate General; 1054 Budapest, Báthory u. 12, in office No. 30 on the 2^nd floor, on workdays between 9-12 a.m., by 2 June 2005. Intentions to collect the documentation in person shall be indicated by phone, fax or in an email message two working days in advance; the Central Services Directorate General shall also post the documentation to the requested address based on requests made through the channels indicated above.
Questions and answers, deadline:
Applicants may ask questions from the contracting authority/entity (foreign applicants in the English language) about the assignment and the contest, strictly in writing, by 16 April 2005.

The contracting authority shall distribute both the questions and the answers to those who collected the documentation by the date of response. The answers to the questions shall form part of the documentation from the same date.

With the exception of evaluation and eligibility criteria, the contacting authority may amend the detailed schedule of the documentation, supplementing its data by the date of answers to the questions.
Submission of projects:
Components of the project, to be submitted in the design contest:

1. 
   1:10 design of the Memorial made of any material, and a model presented on CD or DVD
   
2. 
   construction and environmental plan (plans) on 1:100 scale
   
3. 
   perspective image from the main view: using any technique
   
4. 
   description of the Memorial
   
5. 
   plans for decorative lighting by night
   
6. 
   proposed budget
   
7. 
   implementation schedule for the Memorial (deadline of the potential phases of implementation)
   

Size f design sheets: A/1.

The narrative parts shall be submitted on A/3 sheets.
Place and time of submission of the projects:
Projects shall be posted or delivered directly to Műcsarnok (Art Gallery) in an intact package free of damages with a separate title sheet, attached to the documentation in a separate envelope, submitted simultaneously with the project. No reference can be made to the identity of the applicant either on the package containing the project, or on the envelope containing the title sheet. The contracting authority/entity shall consider the certified date of dispatch by post or the date of acknowledgement of receipt, the date of submission of the project
Deadline for submission: 2 June 2005, 12 a.m. (Central European time)
Address: Műcsarnok (Art Gallery); 1146 Budapest, Dózsa György út 37.

The contracting authority/entity prepares an official record of the acceptance of projects, containing identification data, the date of the postal stamp on the packaging, the number of the postal remittance order and the acknowledgement of receipt.

The projects shall be opened in the presence of the assigned notary public.
Project evaluation criteria:
One project can only contain one solution.

The same author may enter the contest with one project only.

In compliance with the terms and conditions of confidentiality, applicants may issue a declaration prohibiting the simultaneous disclosure of his project and name, or may agree to the simultaneous disclosure of his unrewarded or unpurchased project.

The applicant accepts that a copy of his project (with or without the name of the author, depending on his consent) may be exhibited in compliance with the terms and conditions of the confidentiality of authors.

Applicants accept that they may not object to the decision of the jury.
Evaluation of projects:
By submitting their projects, applicants agree to submit themselves to the decision of the jury.
Members of the jury:
Dr. Hans Belting, director, Internationales Forschungszentrum Kulturwissenschaften
Géza Boros, art historian
Péter Csíkvári, sculptor
Dr. Júlia Fabényi, art historian, director of Műcsarnok (Art Gallery)
István Ferencz, DLA, architect
Prof. Hans Hollein, architect, designer
Tamás Körösényi, DLA, sculptor, assistant professor of the University of Fine Arts
Antal Lázár, DLA, architect, dean of Budapest University of Technical and Economic Sciences, Faculty of Architecture
Enikő Szöllőssy, sculptor
János Schiffer, deputy mayor
Attila Zsigmond, director of Budapest Gallery, chairman of the jury
Invited experts of the jury:
Jenő Fónay, founding chairman, National Association of Political Prisoners

(On behalf of the Social Committee.)

(On behalf of the Memorial Committee.)

(On behalf of the Memorial Committee.)

(Proposed by Fővárosi Kertészeti Kft..)

(Proposed by the Cultural Heritage Protection Office.)

(Proposed by District XIV Budapest-Zugló Mayor’s Office.)

The jury shall begin its evaluation work on 3 June 2005.

- any projects submitted after the deadline, without even opening them;

- any project that does not fulfil the content requirements specified in the documentation,;

- any project that violates confidentiality, as well as

- projects, to the author of which the reasons of exclusion apply.

- After the opening of the projects the jury may exclude from evaluation incomplete projects and those which do not fulfil the formal requirements.

The jury shall regularly document its evaluation work, implementation and evaluation of the contest, the order of projects, awards and decisions concerning potential purchases and shall prepare a written summary final report.

The sealed envelope attached to the rewarded and purchased projects shall only be opened following the signature of the regular jury documentation and other documents containing professional assessment by the assigned notary public in the presence of the members of the Memorial Committee preparing the 1956 Memorial Year. The data of individuals indicated on the form (authors and colleagues) shall be attached to the final report in a separate record.

If a reason of exclusion arises in relation to authors or their colleagues after the acceptance of the final report or opening of the sealed envelope, the project shall be excluded from the contest. If the exclusion affects the order, a new order shall be established.
Announcement and utilisation of the result of the contest
The contracting authority/entity shall announce the result of the contest on 16 June 2005 at 11 a.m..

Venue of the announcement of results: Műcsarnok (Art Gallery); 1146 Budapest, Dózsa György út 37.

The contracting authority/entity shall send one copy of the final report to all parties who collected the documentation, irrespective of whether they submitted a project or not within 30 days from the announcement of results.

The announcement of results shall be a public event. Participants of the jury, authors of rewarded and potentially purchased projects and authors of unrewarded projects who request it will be invited to the announcement of results.

Rewarded and potentially purchased projects shall be transferred into the contracting authority/entity’s ownership, and it can use them, either in part or in full, without any further consideration in compliance with the legal provisions applicable to copyright.

The contracting authority/entity shall return unrewarded projects to Hungarian applicants upon request, in exchange for a certificate of receipt. The projects of foreign applicants shall be returned by post. The contracting authority/entity shall keep uncollected projects for 30 days from the public announcement of results.

The contracting authority/entity shall keep the regular documentation of the contest, the final report and all related documentation for five years.

The contracting authority/entity intends to enter into a contract with the winner of the contest for design and artistic architectural management of implementation.

Any subsequent order for further design can only be made on the basis of project declared successful by the jury, and shall be based on a proposal of the jury, the terms and conditions specified in the documentation, as well as the rules of public procurement procedures.

The jury may declare the contest void if it does not find any of the projects worthy for reward. In such a case the jury shall give its reasons for declaring the contest void and may make a proposal for the repetition of the contest and the method of its implementation procedures.

List of annexes of the design documentation:

- historical description of the site,

- part of Budapest regulation framework plan,

- geodesic map,

- site plans, copies of maps from land registry offices,

- site plan indicating the design area,

- environmental/ecological map of Budapest District XIV (estimated maximum height of groundwater above sea level, construction suitability map),

- GIS maps of Budapest District XIV,

- air and other photos of the site,

- contemporary photos of the site and the revolution,

- data sheet

- title sheet,

- envelope.

Budapest, …. day … month …. 2005

……………………………

signature

on the involvement of potential co-designers and special designers

Budapest, …. day … month …. 2005

……………………………

signature

Annex 3

I the undersigned

……………………………………………………..

……………………………………………………..

……………………………………………………..

senior designer (s) hereby issue a legally effective declaration to undertaken all the work specified in the design contest “Design of the Memorial for the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and Freedom Fight”, under the terms and conditions specified in the contest design should we win the contest.

Budapest, …….. 2005

…………………………….

…………………………….

Annex 4

Declaration

on the acceptance of design deadlines

I the undersigned

……………………………………………………..

……………………………………………………..

……………………………………………………..

senior designer (s) hereby issue a legally effective declaration that I shall/we shall prepare the implementation plan documentation

within … days

from the signature of the contract for further design should we win the contest of “Design of the Memorial for the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and Freedom Fight”,

Budapest,. ……….. ….2005

…………………………….

…………………………….

…………………………….

History of the Memorial site

Public Procession Square

The most representative avenue of Budapest, Andrássy út and Heroes’ Square at its end, were built at the end of the 19^th century. The area bordered by the Museum of Fine Arts, the Art Gallery and the Millennium Memorial was first decorated with flower beds but in 1938 the square received its decorative surface for the mass event of the Eucharistic Congress. Thus, encouragingly surrounded by the City Park, the square became suitable for political meetings, commercial fairs and cultural events. The square could be accessed on the impressive Andrássy Avenue from the city centre, but it could also be reached from the workers’ districts near Eastern Station using the increasingly busier Aréna (at present Dózsa György) road. It is not accidental that the workers’ meeting with 60,000 was held at the Aréna, the corner of City Park on 1 May 1890.

There used to be villas on the wide Aréna út close to Andrássy út, then head offices of various public institutions, including Glück, Liget, Park and Batizfalvy Sanatoria. Between Ajtósi Dürer sor and Kerepesi út there were rented barracks. Erzsébet Town’s Theatre operated on Aréna’s place since the 1930s, offering high-quality operetta performances involving famous guest artists (Hanna Honthy, Ida Turay, Gyula Csortos, Pál Jávor). The construction of the parish church of Magna Domina Hungarorum, otherwise known as Regnum Marianum, began slightly further to the centre, opposite the corner of Damjanich utca in the middle of the 1920s.

Regnum Marianum Catholic Devotional Association was established at the beginning of the 20^th century upon the initiative of bishops Ottokár Prohászka and Gusztáv Mailáth. They were allocated a headquarters at 50 Damjanich utca to organise lectures and religious exercises for youth education. These headquarters also served as a home of priests. The association tried to open towards lower strata of the society: “The increasingly spreading socialism and materialism made people slowly forget the need for religious life amongst the struggle and misery .”

In 1920, the association decided to construct a new church to hold 2,000 people. István Kosits, a teacher of the Technical University won the design tender issued by the Church Construction Committee. The Committee explained the ideological purpose of church construction in 1925with the following arguments:

“Let us erect a church as a long-lasting reminder of the horrors of the red terror, imposed on us by unfaithfulness, selfishness and hatred forgetting about our church or home country.

“Let us erect this church to announce and serve the idea of the thousand-year-old integrated Hungary and historic Regnum Marianum among mutilation and material decay.”

The foundation stone of the church was laid in the presence of Governor Miklós Horthy, while actual construction began in the summer of 1926. The centrally structured church, emphasising its monumental nature, was consecrated by Archbishop Jusztinián Serédi on 14 June 1931. By that time the place turned into a real traffic junction, because trams 8, 10 and 27 turned around on the site of the City Park, not far from Regnum Marianum, and the route of buses 18, 20 and 25 and tram 23 also passed a section of Aréna út between the Art Gallery and Ajtósi Dürer sor.

During the years following the Second World War, significant changes took place in symbolic and real terms. In 1954 Aréna út was renamed Dózsa György út, and Erzsébet Town Theatre changed to Free Theatre, and then Peace Theatre in 1946. Trade unions moved into the buildings along Dózsa György út and the surrounding streets one after the other, and by the 1960s 11 of the 19 operating trade unions had their head office in this area. Reconstructed and newly built head offices became typical buildings at the end of the 1940s. In 1948 the ruins of the former Park Sanatorium (Dózsa György út 84/B) were reconstructed for the Trade Union’s Council (later National Council of Trade Unions – Hungarian abbreviation SZOT), and the head office was provided for the Trade Union of Mining Industry Employees on Queen Vilma út (these days Városligeti fasor 46–48).

There is no doubt that the new head office of the National Association of Hungarian Construction Workers (Hungarian abbreviation MÉMOSZ) became the most important building (Dózsa György út 84/A). For obvious prestige considerations, builders devoted a lot of attention to the design and quality construction of their head office. They issued a design tender in 1947, as a result of which Lajos Gádoros was assigned for the construction of the main façade while other famous architects (Imre Perényi, Gábor Preisich, György Szrogh, Frigyes Gábriel, Antal Vass) also contributed to the work. The foundation stone was laid in the presence of László Rajk, minister of interior in 1948, and the building complex was completed in the first half of 1950. The first event, the foundation congress of the Federation of Working Youth (Hungarian abbreviation DISZ) was organised on 18 June.

The relatively small war damages Regnum Marianum church, undesirable or at least uninteresting for the communist system, and those of Béke (Peace Theatre) on the City Park side of Dózsa György út were soon repaired, but their fate was finally sealed in 1951 based on high political concepts.

Spatial arrangements

On 20 December 1949, the even of the 70^th birthday of Stalin, the ceremonial general assembly of Budapest Statutory Regulatory Committee, held in the presence of the members of the government decided with “frantic enthusiasm” “1. to name the most beautiful street in Budapest, Andrássy út, Stalin út after Generalissimus Yosif Vissarioninovich Stalin, the genius leader striving for progress and peace; 2. To order and erect a due artistic and grandiose monument to Generalissimus Stalin at the most suitable place in Budapest within one year from the approval of the resolution”.

The decision-makers defined the material of the statue as bronze or marble and its size (5-6 metres of height) in the restricted tender notice sent to 25 sculptors, but they could not agree on the location of the statue. The requested expert bodies considered that the most ideal location would be opposite the junction of Queen Vilma út (currently Városligeti fasor) next to the City Park: “…It has almost all advantages. It is a situated in a workers’ district visited by thousands of workers on workdays and holidays alike. The area is suitable for holding hundreds of thousands of people on ceremonial occasions, and has good procession roads. […] Despite its size, the square can still be filled well by an approximately 10 m high statue.”

The jury, consisting of politicians and artists, awarded those projects which depicted best the cheerful yet determined Stalin picture, communicated by the Soviet propaganda. After the closing of the two-round tender, the Secretariat of the Hungarian Workers’ Party (MDP) published its decision on 21 December 1950, Stalin’s birthday, according to which they assigned Sándor Mikus to prepare the statue.

The delays in the identification of the exact location of the statue and the necessary landscaping activities postponed implementation for works. Finally, in the summer of 1951 politicians decided to widen Dózsa György út to 85 metres on a total length of 360 metres (practically from the Heroes’ Square to Ajtósi Düres sor) and erect the statue opposite Gorky fasor (former Queen Vilma road), 75 metres from the edge of pavement on Dózsa György út. The Secretariat also made a decision on the aesthetic features of the decorative platform forming the foundation of the monumental statue and specified the demolition of the buildings situated on the site of the City Park, on the territory used by public processions: “Comrade Kossa should notify the priests in charge of the City Park church about its demolition.”

The tram terminus, Regnum Marianum church and Városliget Theatre were demolished within a few months after the dictatorial decision. Hurry, as well as insufficiencies of the planned economy could be observed even in relation to this construction project of outstanding importance. Budapest Construction Company complained about the high scrap percentage of the base material and a drastic increase in expenditure in one of its reports.

As the height of the main figure increased from six metres to eight metres in the meantime, a separate shed had to be built, because there were no studios in Budapest where such a high statue could have been kept. The material of several former outdoor statues (statues of István Tisza, Gyula Andrássy, Ignác Darányi), removed after 1945, was also melt in into the 65 metric centners of bronze statue.

Size of the platform on the foundation: length - 19.99 m, width – 4.80 m and height 1.75 m, with 3.20x3.48 m cross section postal stand at a height of 9.885 m from the ground. Thus the total height of the monument was 18 metres including the 8-metre statue.

In the autumn of 1951 water mains, sewage and electricity cables were led to the platform and, at the same time, the statue of Antal Csengery, hidden behind the outside alley of the City Park was transferred to Almássy tér. In the previous year, trams were replaced with trolley buses on Dózsa György út, and the cables also had to be moved. Search lights were installed into the attic of MÉMOSZ head office and the students’ hostel operating in the building of former Klösz Printing House opposite the monument for the purpose of decorative lighting. The platform was also connected to the radio and telephone network in November.

In total, the project costs HUF 9.45 million, which was a huge amount compared to the cost of contemporary statues. This amount represented the total annual average income of 1150 people.

According to the initial plans the statue would have been dedicated on 21 December, Stalin’s birthday, but Márton Horváth, a member of the Central Executive Committee of MDP proposed to hold the celebration on Sunday instead of on a workday when only a crowd of 15,000–20,000 could have been mobilised. Thus on 16 December 1951, József Révai, minister of public education, delivered his speech in front of 80,000 people. The newspapers covered the event in their editorial articles, and the reports were left behind for the future generations as the pearls of the personal cult.

“If it is true – and it is true – that Budapest is the heart of our country, it is also true that this heart has become more complete and stronger, more cheerful and sounder since he, who had already been with us, joined us with his wise smile, face and figure. We can feel more that he looks at us, we can feel better this look, encouraging us to act, giving us bravery and showing us light from the eyes of a person who is ‘great in his simplicity and simple in his greatness’. Stalin has already been with us and will now be with us even more, keeping an eye on our work, and shining a light on our path with his smile.”

Following the dedication of the statue, the square served as a monumental propaganda scene of state celebrations – on the 4^th of April, 1^st of May, 7^th of November and on other occasions. On 8 March 1953, three days after Stalin’s death, the square was named after Stalin and the former Stalin square (today’s Erzsébet square) was named Engels square.

1956

Following the years of public processions with hundreds of thousands, sometimes millions of participants, the square was flooded by crowds – this time spontaneously – on 23 October 1956 again when the revolution broke out. The hatred of the people focused on the bronze statue of the hated leader. The idea of breaking the statue did not only occur to the people present on the square but also to university students: Section 13 of the resolution of the students’ meeting held in the hall of the Technical University on 22 October also gave an instruction to hurl the idol: “We demand to hurl down the Stalin, a symbol of Stalin’s tyranny and political oppression as quickly as possible and replace it with a monument commemorating the heroes and martyrs of the 1848–49 freedom fight.”

Wire ropes were put around the statue’s neck and power machines were used to separate it from its foundation. After the failed attempts workers attacked the bronze statue with flame cutters and dragged the hurled down “body” almost as far as Blaha Lujza square, where it was broken to pieces shortly. People took parts of the statue home. Only the huge boots remained in their original place facing the sky and, based on this sight, the people of Budapest began to refer to the vacant area as “Boot Square” The reconstruction of Regnum Marianum occurred only during the days of the revolution, but after the suppression of the revolution the subject was removed from the agenda and reconstruction did not take place even after the political transformation in 1989–90.

Kádár’s new communist leadership did not reconstruct the Stalin statue either, but it left the platform for to be celebrated on by the “workers’ crowds” on important occasions. The first general meeting involving hundreds of thousands of people, certifying the legitimacy of the system, was still held on the more traditional Heroes’ Square instead of this site on 1 May 1957. However, Stalin square regained its function slowly and became the scene of the ceremonial procession of workers on 1 May and a military parade on 4 April. However, it lost its name, officially it became part of Dózsa György út again. The bronze statue of Lenin, father of communism, was erected on the 20^th anniversary of liberation (made by Pál Pátzay). The 4-metre statue on a 1-metre high pedestal was tiny compared to his “pupil” in terms of size as well as location, as it was erected between the ceremonial platform and the Art Gallery. The statue was removed for repair in 1988, but due to the political changes it was never returned to its original site.

The Memorial to the Republic of Councils was erected closer to Ajtósi-Dürer sor, on the place of the former Regnum Marianum parish church, thus the participants of processions waved to the 9.5 high shouting sailor figure before being welcomed by party and state leaders. The statue was made by István Kiss based on a 1919 poster motive by Róbert Berényi. The memorial, ordered for the 50^th anniversary of the Republic of Councils, stood on a 20x21 m spiral foundation.

1989–90

The political transformation also involved political mass demonstrations. The largest meeting, the funeral of former Prime Minister Imre Nagy and his martyrs was held on Heroes’ Square on 16 June 1989. With this act the Public Procession Square was finally removed from the list of potential scenes of political events. The accessories of the mass propaganda of the socialist system, the outdoor statues and ceremonial platform were removed, while the huge cross installed in 1992 serves as the reminder of the former site of Regnum Marianum church. At the moment, the envisaged site of the Memorial is bordered by Regnum Marianum memorial cross on one side and the time wheel, erected on the place of the former Lenin statue based on the design of István Janáky István in 2002 on the other side.