Statement Regarding Hungary's Response to Sándor Szakály's Remarks and the Proposed Monument to German Occupation
Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett
President, Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice
Recent days have seen considerable controversy in Hungary over the remarks of Sándor Szakály, Director of the Veritas Institute. His statements regarding the tragic and unforgivable 1941 deportation of thousands of Jews from Hungary to Ukraine where they were massacred in the notorious Kamenets-Podolskii atrocity have sparked outrage and deep concern across Hungary and beyond.
The Lantos Foundation is aware that Mr. Szakály has acknowledged that his statements were wrong and ill informed. This is an important step and we welcome it. Nonetheless, questions remain as to whether Mr. Szakály is the appropriate person to serve as the Director of an institute of historical research.
We are also aware of the statement issued by the Minister of State for the Prime Minister’s office, Mr. János Lázár. This very brief statement merely asserts that the views Sándor Szakály expressed do not reflect the opinion of the Prime Minister’s office. One would hope that this was self-evident, and while appreciated, this modest comment is by no means an adequate repudiation of the offensive and inaccurate comments of Mr. Szakály.
The deeper question remains regarding Hungary’s willingness to come to terms with its complicity in the deportation and murder of over half a million Hungarian citizens during the Holocaust. This painful issue is one that must be honestly faced, not only for the sake of Hungary’s past, but more importantly for the sake of Hungary’s future.
The Lantos Foundation sincerely appreciates the powerful and courageous speeches of Deputy Prime Minister Tibor Navracsics and Foreign Minister János Martonyi at the October 2013 conference on resurgent anti-Semitism that was sponsored by the Tom Lantos Institute in Budapest, We also appreciate the eloquent and strong remarks of Ambassador Csaba Kőrösi, at the recent opening of the United Nations exhibit commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Hungarian Holocaust. Such speeches reflect the integrity and decency of the Hungarian people. Furthermore, going back a decade, the Hungarian government established the Holocaust Memorial Center on Páva Street, which is one of the most impressive such museums anywhere in the world. In addition, many important initiatives are planned to memorialize this tragic 70th anniversary and to teach the lessons of this terrible time in Hungarian history to a new generation.
Holocaust in Hungary Exhibition Opens at United Nations
Guests Encouraged to Remember, Learn, and Face Present Dangers
New York, NY- Holocaust in Hungary, a moving historical exhibit documenting the horrific events that took the lives of 550,000 Jews in Hungary during the Holocaust, opened yesterday at United Nations Headquarters, in New York.
Under-Secretary General Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal welcomed more than 150 guests and joined Ambassador of Hungary to the United Nations Csaba Kőrösi, to remember those who lost their lives as well as those Hungarians who had the courage to help save their fellow citizens from death camps. Max Teleki, President of the Hungarian American Coalition, spoke on behalf of György Vámos representing the Carl Lutz Foundation.
Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, daughter of the late Hungarian Holocaust survivor and US Congressman Tom Lantos, addressed the attendees and said, “We are here tonight not only to remember and to learn, but even more importantly to prepare and to arm ourselves to face the very real dangers of the present moment.”
Lantos Swett was referring to recent remarks that dismissed the 1941 deportations and ultimate deaths of nearly 20,000 Hungarian Jews as a local police action against illegal aliens, and she called on the Hungarian Government to stand firm against such attempts to revise history.
Sponsored by the Carl Lutz Foundation, Budapest; the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice; and the Hungarian American Coalition, with support from The Hungary Initiatives Foundation; and the Permanent Mission of Hungary to the United Nations, “Holocaust in Hungary” will remain at the United Nations until January 31st and will be on exhibit in Washington, DC later this winter.
Katrina Lantos Swett Remarks - UN Hungarian Holocaust Commemoration
Prepared remarks of Katrina Lantos Swett at UN Hungarian Holocaust Commemoration, January 23, 2014
"Good Evening, Dear Friends.
As has already been noted by the earlier speakers, we meet tonight with hearts that are both heavy and full - heavy over the sudden and serious illness of our friend Gyorgy Vamos who has been in so many ways the moving force behind this exhibit and full because we gather today to remember a dark time in history and to commemorate and honor the hundreds of thousands of Jews who lost their lives in the tragedy of the Hungarian Holocaust. As you know my own family is included in the numbers of those who became victims, and my own dear mother and father were saved only because of the selfless heroism of one of the most extraordinary diplomats and humanitarians of the 20th century- Raoul Wallenberg. A monument to Wallenberg stands just a stone’s throw away from where we are, across the street from the UN, and perhaps the most notable part of the Memorial is the bronze suitcase, left on the ground to symbolize the unfinished work of Raoul who as we all know was kidnapped and imprisoned by the Soviets when they came to Budapest. I think that image of the suitcase left behind as he was taken is an important symbol and reminder for us here today of our own unfinished business.
This powerful exhibit tells an unforgettable story which we are honor bound to remember and bear witness to. But exhibits such as these have another, even more important purpose. In that sense coming here is quite different from going to admire a Matisse at the Met. We are here tonight not only to remember and to learn but even more importantly to prepare and to arm ourselves to face the very real dangers of the present moment. And as far as anti-Semitism in Europe is concerned, its alarming resurgence in recent years reminds us all of the truth of William Faulkner’s words, “The past is never dead, it’s not even past.”
In just the last few days the dark past has re-emerged in Hungary in a disturbing and outrageous way. In 1941, long before the German occupation of Hungary in 1944, nearly 20,000 Jews were deported by the Hungarian authorities to German occupied Ukraine where they were murdered en masse in the infamous Kamianets-Podilskyi massacre. This was the first mass atrocity directed at Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust. And yet, a few days ago, the director of a government funded Historical Institute described this unforgivable deportation as simply a “local police action against illegal aliens.” It is hard to properly express my outrage at this appalling attempt to rewrite history and to attempt to evade the Hungarian government’s deep moral complicity in the massacre of these innocent people - the vast majority of them native-born Hungarians. Such an effort to evade, avoid, whitewash and desecrate history is utterly unacceptable and cannot be tolerated by any nation that hopes to command the respect of the world community.
I urge the leadership of the Hungarian government to speak out forcefully against these reprehensible statements and to take appropriate steps to rectify this situation. Hungary is too proud and too decent of a nation to let such shameful remarks stand unrebuked by those at the highest level of government.
When I first learned of these events, I thought immediately of my dear father, Tom Lantos, who was truly fearless when it came to confronting those who would seek to once again fan the flames of bigotry and hatred in Hungary. I know if he were still alive, he would take to the floor of his beloved Congress to denounce these comments and to call upon the government of Hungary to stand proudly and unshakably for the values of human rights, tolerance, democracy and decency. There are many in Hungary who do just that, and I have come to know many of them both as leaders I admire and even more as friends. Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi and State Secretary Zsolt Nemeth are two such individuals; I have been moved to witness their eloquent defense of persecuted minorities, and I’ve been touched by their courageous willingness to honestly face Hungarian history – even its darkest chapters. They do much to bring honor to their country, and I know they represent the millions of decent Hungarians who reject the old prejudices of the past.
I spoke a moment ago about Raoul Wallenberg’s suitcase, now sitting in bronze outside this great Parliament of Man as a reminder of his unfinished work.
His suitcase is waiting there for me. It is waiting there for you. It is now up to us to pick up that suitcase and carry his work forward for as long as we are able in the fight for human rights and justice for all of humanity. That is the work of this exhibit, and we must make it our work as well.
Thank you."
Lantos Foundation Statement - Mikhail Khodorkovsky Is a Free Man
Today Mikhail Khodorkovsky is a free man. He is free not only in the narrow sense of having been freed from illegitimate imprisonment. He possesses the deeper freedom that comes from having met the test of conscience and courage. This deeper freedom comes when someone faces unjust persecution at the hands of a corrupt judiciary and authoritarian state and nonetheless maintains their integrity and principles. Like other prisoners of conscience before him - men like Natan Sharansky and Nelson Mandela - Mikhail has shown a deep determination to fight for a more just and democratic world. Furthermore, he has been willing to pay a high personal price for his ideals. Mr. Khodorkovsky’s demonstration of character and determination has won the respect of his fellow Russians and millions of others around the world.
Statement on Mikhail Khodorkovsky Pardon
We are thrilled by the news this morning that Mikhail Khodorkovsky could shortly be pardoned and freed after 10 years of unjust incarceration. The Lantos Foundation has been actively protesting his political prosecution, rigged conviction, and continued incarceration throughout this shameful miscarriage of justice. We also welcome the fast track progress of an amnesty bill in the Russian Duma that could lead to the release of the young women of Pussy Riot and the lifting of charges against the Green Peace activists. These are all positive steps and we hope they are the harbinger of more reforms to come.
The announcement this morning indicated that Mr. Khodorkovsky would be released soon. We are cautiously optimistic, but we cannot celebrate this progress, until the deeds match the words. We hope that before the Holidays Mikhail is safely reunited with his loving family and amnesty is granted to the many other political prisoners in Russia.
As the world’s eyes turn to Russia for the upcoming Sochi Olympics, we hope that these steps towards reform and compassion will prove to be more than short-lived public relations gestures. Our hope for the people of Russia is that these actions represent a genuine desire to return to greater democracy and to build a society where the rule of law is respected, robust civil society is celebrated, and people are free to express themselves.
In this holy season, the freeing of Mikhail Khodorkovsky gives many of us cause to celebrate and to hope for a coming year with greater peace and goodwill towards all people.
MEDIA ADVISORY - Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to Receive 2013 Lantos Prize
MEDIA ADVISORY
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kate Ray, Rabinowitz Communications, kate@rabinowitz.com, (202) 265-3000, (414) 614-3557
Former Secretary of State
Hillary Rodham Clinton to Receive 2013 Lantos Prize
Dec. 6 ceremony to take place in Cannon Caucus Room
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice will award the 2013 Lantos Human Rights Prize, its highest honor, to Hillary Rodham Clinton in an award ceremony December 6, 2013, at 11:00 am in the Cannon Caucus Room of the Cannon Office Building of the US House of Representatives in Washington. The event is open to press and coverage is invited.
The Former Secretary of State will receive the award for her tireless efforts to promote human rights for women around the world and her groundbreaking work on promoting human rights through Internet freedom. Former recipients of the Lantos Prize include the Dalai Lama, Elie Wiesel, Paul Rusesabagina and Chen Guangcheng.
“Hillary Rodham Clinton has gained global recognition for her leadership in so many critical arenas, but we are particularly proud to recognize the enormous contributions she has made to human rights causes,” said Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation. “Her proclamation that ‘women’s rights are human rights’ changed the way the world thinks about human rights and opened doors for women in a way that only Hillary Clinton could. Furthermore, Secretary Clinton’s pioneering work on Internet Freedom has focused worldwide attention on the urgent need to “tear down the walls” of closed societies that seek to imprison their citizens behind internet firewalls that have become the iron curtains of this “virtual” century, She has also provided a powerful intellectual framework for advancing this central human right of our time.”
In nearly four decades of public service, Hillary Rodham Clinton has served as an advocate, attorney, First Lady, United States Senator and most recently as Secretary of State of the United States. Though she has championed a number of issues ranging from education to health care, Secretary Clinton is revered in the human rights community for her 1995 Beijing speech where she boldly stood up for women’s rights and became a true global champion for those issues. She also broke new ground in 2010 when she declared that governments that fail to allow for Internet freedoms are not only attempting to crush dissent, but to deny human rights.
Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, computer scientist and “father of the Internet” Vinton Cerf (by video) and Lantos Foundation president Katrina Lantos Swett will also speak.
The Lantos Foundation established the Lantos Human Rights Prize in 2009 to honor and bring attention to heroes of the human rights movement. It is awarded annually to an individual or organization that best exemplifies the Foundation’s mission, namely to be a vital voice standing up for the values of decency, dignity, freedom, and justice in every corner of the world. The prize also serves to commemorate the late Congressman Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor ever elected to the U.S. Congress and a prominent advocate for human rights during his nearly three decades as a U.S. Representative. Former recipients of the Lantos Prize include His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, Rwandan humanitarian Paul Rusesabagina, and Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng.
WHO: Hillary Rodham Clinton, Madeleine Albright, Vinton Cerf, Katrina Lantos Swett
WHAT: The Lantos Foundation 2013 Lantos Prize Laureate Award Ceremony
WHEN: Friday, December 6, 2013, 11:00 am
WHERE: Cannon Caucus Room in the Cannon House Office Building, Washington
For more information, please call 603-226-3636. Press who wish to cover the ceremony should contact Kate Ray at kate@rabinowitz.com or 202-265-3000.The event will be live streamed at www.lantosfoundation.org.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton To Be Named 2013 Lantos Prize Laureate
November 7, 2013, WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice today announced that it will award the 2013 Lantos Human Rights Prize, its highest honor, to Hillary Rodham Clinton. The Former Secretary of State will receive the award for her tireless efforts to promote human rights for women around the world and her groundbreaking work on promoting human rights through Internet freedom. Former recipients of the Lantos Prize include the Dalai Lama, Elie Wiesel, Paul Rusesabagina and Chen Guangcheng. The award ceremony will take in Washington, DC on December 6, 2013. It will be open to press and coverage is invited.
“Hillary Rodham Clinton has gained global recognition for her leadership in so many critical arenas, but we are particularly proud to recognize the enormous contributions she has made to human rights causes,” said Katrina Lantos Swett, President of the Lantos Foundation. “Her proclamation that ‘women’s rights are human rights’ changed the way the world thinks about human rights and opened doors for women in a way that only Hillary Clinton could. Furthermore, Secretary Clinton’s pioneering work on Internet Freedom has focused worldwide attention on the urgent need to “tear down the walls” of closed societies that seek to imprison their citizens behind internet firewalls that have become the iron curtains of this “virtual” century, She has also provided a powerful intellectual framework for advancing this central human right of our time.”
In nearly four decades of public service, Hillary Rodham Clinton has served as an advocate, attorney, First Lady, United States Senator and most recently as Secretary of State of the United States. Though she has championed a number of issues ranging from education to health care, Secretary Clinton is revered in the human rights community for her 1995 Beijing speech where she boldly stood up for women’s rights and became a true global champion for those issues. She also broke new ground in 2010 when she declared that governments that fail to allow for Internet freedoms are not only attempting to crush dissent, but to deny human rights.
The Lantos Foundation established the Lantos Human Rights Prize in 2009 to honor and bring attention to heroes of the human rights movement. It is awarded annually to an individual or organization that best exemplifies the Foundation’s mission, namely to be a vital voice standing up for the values of decency, dignity, freedom, and justice in every corner of the world. The prize also serves to commemorate the late Congressman Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor ever elected to the U.S. Congress and a prominent advocate for human rights during his nearly three decades as a U.S. Representative. Former recipients of the Lantos Prize include His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, Rwandan humanitarian Paul Rusesabagina, and Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng.
Additional details about the award ceremony honoring Secretary Clinton will be announced soon. For information call the Lantos Foundation at 603-226-3636.
Lantos Foundation Announces Affiliation with Human Rights Activist Chen Guangcheng
Chinese Dissident to be Senior Advisor on Internet Freedom and Human Rights for People with Disabilities
The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice was enormously proud to award Chen Guangcheng the 2012 Lantos Prize – our Foundation’s highest honor.
This distinguished award is presented each year to a global figure who has shown extraordinary courage and leadership in the struggle for human rights. Mr. Chen was a particularly worthy recipient of the Lantos Prize. In the face of threats, persecution, and imprisonment, Guangcheng has demonstrated truly remarkable tenacity. His advocacy has spanned the spectrum of human rights concerns in China - encompassing the rights of persons with disabilities, environmental protection, women’s rights, democracy promotion, and internet freedom.
Like our founder, the late Congressman Tom Lantos, the breadth of Mr. Chen's human rights leadership, and the fearless way he has taken on critical human rights causes, regardless of the odds is admirable.
These two men share another quality in common-fierce independence. Anyone who knew Tom Lantos understood that he was always his own man. These brave human rights leaders are kindred spirits. Congressman Lantos never hesitated to make common cause with his colleagues of the right and the left when it was in defense of human rights. Tom Lantos passionately believed that the fight for human rights transcends the more prosaic political battles that occupy so much of our attention and rather than let ideological differences derail his advocacy for universal rights, he viewed human rights work as an opportunity to bring people together on the common ground of our shared values. Chen Guangcheng embodies a similar spirit of independence and inclusion.
While Chen Guangcheng has become an icon of the global human rights movement, he is also an active leader and voice on behalf of literally tens of millions of Chinese citizens who are seeking to exercise the most basic freedoms of speech, conscience, assembly, and self-government. The Lantos Foundation is grateful that he has had the opportunity to pursue his work through NYU and we welcome his decision to continue this work at Catholic University and the Witherspoon Institute. We are also pleased to announce that Mr. Chen will bring his expertise and deep understanding to the Lantos Foundation where he will join us as a Distinguished Senior Advisor focused on Internet freedom and human rights for people with disabilities. We would also like to announce that later this fall Guangcheng will be a guest lecturer at the Rudman Center for Justice, Leadership and Public Policy at the UNH School of Law. We look forward to this and future collaborations.
The Lantos Foundation and the Tom Lantos Institute Take the Lead in Fighting Anti-Semitism
More than 50 Countries Represented at Conference by Ambassadors and Political Leaders
Budapest, Hungary—More than 550 people from around the world, including Ambassadors representing more than 50 countries gathered today at the opening of "Jewish Life and Anti-Semitism in Contemporary Europe," a conference to address the alarming resurgence of anti-Semitism.
Representatives from Greece, Austria, Georgia, and Germany were among the participants. Israeli Minister of Finance Yair Lapid, and Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Tibor Navracsics opened the two day conference in Budapest, Hungary.
“We are encouraged that many world leaders and policy makers have joined us today to discuss the important issue of anti-Semitism. We hope it will be the beginning of a greater dialogue aimed at solving this problem. Anti-Semitism is everyone’s issue, and we must come together to find a solution.” said Dr. Anna-Mária Bíró, Director of the Tom Lantos Institute.
“The conference today was not intended to be a stand-alone event. Our aim is to be the preeminent organization fighting anti-Semitism in Europe, and this conference is just part of a broader strategy for addressing the issues of anti-Semitism,” continued Dr. Bíró.
Katrina Lantos Swett, daughter of Congressman Tom Lantos, President of the Lantos Foundation, and Co-chair of the Executive Committee of the Tom Lantos Institute announced a Solidarity Sabbath scheduled for the Spring of 2014, which will bring world leaders together to stand in solidarity against anti-Semitism in their countries. “My father, Tom Lantos, a proud Hungarian- American once said “The veneer of civilization is paper thin. We are its guardians, and we can never rest” This important conference exemplifies the vigilance my father was speaking about and I know he would be proud to see the Institute that bears his name, taking the lead on these vital issues.
The Tom Lantos Institute
The Tom Lantos Institute is an independent human and minority rights organization with a particular focus on Jewish and Roma communities and other transnational minorities. This conference is part of the Institute’s work focusing on Jewish communities. The Institute was named after Tom Lantos, the Hungarian-born American political leader, and the only Holocaust survivor ever elected to the United States Congress. Throughout his political career Congressman Lantos was a global leader in the struggle to advance human rights. He was the Co-Founder of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, and the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.