A civilian movement of Christian inspiration against anti-Semitism, for Jewish life and values as well as Israel
Marsch des Lebens – March of Life – is a civilian movement of Christian inspiration for honest remembrance, reflection on historic responsibility, standing up against anti-Semitism, and for Jewish life and values as well as Israel. It started in Germany and is becoming known in Hungary, too.
It is not the well-spread and long respected organisation of “The March of the Living” Élet Menete and its marches and Holocaust remembrance events held all over the world as well as in Hungary.
On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Holocaust, the Hungarian community of the March of Life (Marsch des Lebens), in cooperation with its German partners, intends to take an active part in the events of the memorial year.
On 14 May 2024, an open conference will take place in the Rumbach Synagogue, Budapest, where the founder of the German movement, Pastor Jobst Bittner and his colleagues will take the floor. Many of the members of this German movement come from families in which grandparents were either directly or indirectly involved in nazi crimes. They will present the experience of their decades-long work in confronting and honestly exploring the past among the descendants of Holocaust perpetrators. They stand by Israel, especially in the context of the terrible events of 7 October 2023.
The representatives of the movement in Hungary, as Christians and as civilians, would like to meet the descendants of the victims and survivors of the Holocaust in Hungary, in order to witness that the community of descendants of the former perpetrators, which is being formed in this movement, is trying to face honestly the responsibility of their families, communities and people for the inhumanities that took place in the Shoa.
March of life Hungary invites all those who would like to participate in this work of remembrance, to help organise a march and a remembrance event in the period of 14 May – 10 July, during which the deportations took place 80 years ago. The purpose of these special events is to
- revive the memories of the survivors and their descendants, to meet the descendants of the perpetrators and silent bystanders in order to foster historical awareness and social responsibility and to enable the descendants of perpetrators and silent bystanders to voice their confrontation with the shame of the past and to rebuild their relations with the Jewish community and Israel
- stand up for the peaceful coexistence of non-Jewish and Jewish communities and for Israel, fight against all manifestations of anti-Semitism, racism and intolerance.
Here is a short video that helps to organise such a march.
Anyone who wants to get involved and/or organise a local event should apply on the website of the German or Hungarian community.
