Hungarian Jews disturbed by formation of right-wing group <br><br> - Haaretz

Subscribe to Print Edition

Thu., August 09, 2007 Av 25, 5767

Israel Time: 20:34 (EST+7)

web haaretz.com

Back to Homepage

Print Edition

Diplomacy

Defense

Real Estate

Arts & Leisure

Jewish World

National

Sports

Advertising

Magazine

Week's End

Opinion

Business

Rosner's Domain

Anglo File

Travel

Q&A

del.icio.us

Digg It! new

Last update - 10:32 09/08/2007

Hungarian Jews disturbed by formation of right-wing group

By DPA

A Hungarian Jewish association on Wednesday expressed concern about the formation of an armed "Hungarian Guard" by an extreme-right-wing group, saying that the uniforms its members planned to wear were close to those wore by fascists in the 1940s.

"Mazsihisz (The Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities) is at a loss to explain the recent creation of this armed body," Mazsihisz said in a statement.

The extreme-right-wing party Jobbik on Friday said it would establish the Hungarian Guard because Hungary is currently lacking any "physical, mental or spiritual self-defense".

	Advertisement

The 56 founding members of Jobbik are planning to have a swearing-in ceremony on August 25 at Budapest's Buda Castle, the historical seat of Hungarian royalty.

The party members plan to wear black uniforms bearing the controversial red-and-white Arpad Stripes, a medieval coat of arms that became associated with the Nazi-aligned Arrow Cross party in power for a brief period during World War II.

Around half of the 200,000 Jews living in Budapest prior to the war perished during World War II, many of them sent to concentration camps or lined up on the banks of the Danube and shot.

In total, over 400,000 Jews were sent to death camps from Hungary in 1944. Many of the killings were carried out under the direction of the Arrow Cross Party.

Mazsihisz said the planned uniforms were similar "to the point of deception" to those worn by the fascists in the 1940s.

Right-wing groups say that they are simply reclaiming the Arpad Stripes, while opponents say the symbol has become inextricably linked with a fascist regime.

The symbol was a common sight during the anti-government protests and riots that rocked Hungary last September and October.

Jobbik leader Gabor Vona said that about 200 people had applied to join the guard, but that he hoped numbers would swell to 1,000 by the end of the year.

He said that members of the guard would be ready to defend Hungary in a time of war, despite the fact that the guard is not allowed to carry out any military training.

Mazsihisz said it hoped the government would find some constitutional method to ban this and similar groups to "guarantee a peaceful life for Hungarian Jewry and every Hungarian resident."

The ruling Hungarian Socialist Party and its junior coalition partner the Alliance of Free Democrats have both condemned the Hungarian Guard, as has the conservative Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF).

Vona has said that the initiation ceremony is to be conducted by Lajos Fur, who was defense minister and president of the MDF in the mid-1990s.

The MDF said it was shocked by Fur's participation in the event and said that the only goal of the Hungarian Guard was to threaten the silent majority.

Main right-of-centre opposition party Fidesz and its ally the Christian Democrats have so far refused to condemn the formation of the guard.

Bookmark to del.icio.us


	Do not panic
	It is ridiculous to claim that Friedmann's proposal undermines the legal system.


	Lucky number seven
	Six Israelis will compete in Beijing for a seventh national Olympic medal.




1.	Jews wear a lot of black clothes	14:03	\|	Wendy	09/08/07

2.	black clothes to #1	14:47	\|	Anna	09/08/07

3.	This is why we have Israel.	15:14	\|	Kevin Minailo	09/08/07

4.	HUNGARIAN Jews ignore the past at their peril.	15:20	\|	PETER SM	09/08/07

5.	WENDY how many Jews have you counted wearing black?	15:22	\|	PETER SM	09/08/07

6.	Wendy wondering why...	16:06	\|	Akiva Patysh	09/08/07

7.	That is paranoia...	16:50	\|	El_Justiciero	09/08/07

8.	1wendy Gee. I always thought Jews wore a lot white shorts.	16:58	\|	very surprised	09/08/07

9.	Gay Israeli jew disturbed by Harideem hatred	17:43	\|	SJ	09/08/07

10.	symbols	17:51	\|	Shana	09/08/07

11.	Hungarian Input	18:37	\|	Truth Magnified	09/08/07

12.	The attitude of this party remind me of the attitude of settlers	19:23	\|	anti-racist	09/08/07

13.	Hungarian fascists	19:29	\|	jorge grosz	09/08/07

14.	to "anti-" racist	20:08	\|	Ben	09/08/07

Today Online


	U.S. university heads slam U.K. boycott of Israeli academe
	Responses: 152


	Israel Harel: Arab war with Israel is over ideology, not territory
	Responses: 164


	Police to probe professor who wished death on IDF commander
	Responses: 76


	Israeli government sends conciliatory messages to Syria
	Responses: 50


	Shlomo Shamir: The disobedience of the ultra-Orthodox
	Responses: 24

Rosner's Domain

* Hoyer wants to hear Israeli point of view on Iraq

* WTR: Assistant State Secretary promises to blow out the Iranian flame

* Guest: Good to have many American Jews in politics

* Blog and Poll: Clinton, Giuliani, Bloomberg and The Israel Factor

More Headlines
17:44 Army charges IDF officer over wrongful shooting of Palestinian


16:15 Police to probe professor who wished death on IDF commander


19:55 Yemen offers to mediate between rivals Fatah, Hamas


19:47 Court rejects petition to cancel ex-MK's reduced sentence


12:51 IDF troops kill an unarmed Palestinian near Gaza border


18:18 Hamas arrests doctor who said Gaza hospital short on supplies


12:48 Arab MK slams 'ethnic cleansing' after demolitions in W. Bank


19:17 Polish police analyze tapes of alleged anti-Semitic comments by priest


20:07 Source of eye irritations, strong odors in Haifa area identified


14:48 Last batch of Palestinians stranded in Egypt returns to Gaza Strip