This morning I was at the Budapest Holocaust Museum to meet the new Director and then attend a ceremony and exhibition. The Museum covers a grim topic but is one of the “must-see” venues in our city – a British Parliamentarian (of Jewish origin) visiting last year called it “magnificent”. Not only is it an informative and illuminating exposition of tragic events from before and during the Second World War, but it is also a centre of learning and research and incorporated into the Hungarian school curriculum.
Today’s event commemorated diplomats from Spain, Switzerland and Sweden who worked in Hungary during the War and risked their lives to save Jews who otherwise would have been deported to death camps. Raoul Wallenberg, from Sweden, was one of them – today would have been his 99th birthday. He has a particular link to our Embassy building (Raoul Wallenberg, plaque unveiling). The daughter of Carl Lutz, from Switzerland, was present at the Museum.
I have visited the Museum many times before (for example to launch the “Egy/Másért” (Each/Other) football booklet and video issued in support of the “Red Card to Racism” programme). Our Embassy is also in close touch with representatives of the Hungarian Jewish and Roma communities and we try hard to be represented at their key Holocaust memorial events. I was glad to be able to take part this year in the March for Life in April 2011, and for a while to lead the March together with the US Ambassador.
These are not just matters of history. Holocaust issues are live. And one dimension is the talks about restitution of property and and heirless property which are taking place. The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office is involved in driving forward implementation of the Terezin Declaration on Holocaust Era Assets, resolving outstanding issues related to property and art restitution and ensuring the UK remains at the forefront of discussions on the vital work of the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research and of the International Tracing Service. So we take a very close interest in relevant talks taking place in Hungary.
As a signatory to the Declaration of the Stockholm International Forum on the Holocaust the UK is strongly committed to promoting Holocaust education, remembrance and research, both at home and abroad. The admirable Budapest Holocaust Museum has been making a tremendous contribution to this work.