On January 27th, 600 white balloons symbolising the 600,000 Hungarian victims of the Holocaust were released outside parliament, part of the ceremonies marking international Holocaust Remembrance day.

“The tragedy of the Hungarian Jews started in this room, in the Upper House of the Hungarian Parliament with the passing of the anti-Jewish laws before the war,” stated Peter Feldmayer, the president of the Hungarian Jewish community.

Earlier in the month, on January 19th, a ceremony took place at the Dohány Street Synagogue in Budapest, commemorating the 61st anniversary of the liberation of the Budapest Ghetto. Various dignitaries, including Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány, Minister of Economy János Kóka and Mayor of Budapest Gábor Demszky attended the service held in Europe’s largest synagogue.