Hanna Szenes was
born into an assimilated Jewish family in Budapest on July 17, 1921, with the
name Anikó Szenes. Her father, Béla Szenes, was a journalist, stage writer, and
translator. Anikó studied at the Baár-Madas reformed high school for girls, already
writing poems and displaying her talent in literature.
Hanna Szenes
(1921–1944), a Hungarian poet of Jewish origin, was trained by the British army
to attempt to prevent the imminent deportation of Hungarian Jews. In the spring
of 1944, she was parachuted into Yugoslavia. Szenes was arrested at the
Hungarian border and tortured but did not reveal the details of her mission.
She was sentenced to death by bullet, and the sentence was carried out.
The Színes Város
(Colorful City) Group presents itself with a new performance, this time with a
historical theme. As part of the commemoration series organized for the 80th
anniversary of the Holocaust in Hungary, they pay tribute to Szenes Hanna, the
martyred poet and parachutist, by painting a gable wall mural. The act is
supported by the Hungarian Jewish Heritage Public Foundation (MAZSÖK) and the
Budapest II. district municipality. The story of Hanna Szenes is like a myth
that is embedded in the history of Israel and the Jewish people. Her life, work
and the circumstances of her death have not received much publicity so far in
Hungary – thus the main goal of the project is to make her person and legacy
known as widely as possible.
"Every
performance that can be linked to the 80th anniversary of the Holocaust draws
attention to the importance of remembrance. Whether we're talking about a
concert, a book or another work of art, each one is unique in its own way.
Along with all this, this project is also particularly important because it
does not want to be intrusive, it arouses interest and can make those who will
see it to contemplate," said György Szabó, president of MAZSÖK.
“The art project
about Hanna Szenes is important for us in many ways” said Gergely Őrsi, the
mayor of the district “because the Frankel Leó Street synagogue is located at
the opposite side of the road, the very same synagogue frequented by Hanna
Szenes. Furthermore, the episodes of her unjustly short life in Budapest were
mostly associated with our district, which is why we could immediately endorse
the idea and stand by it.”
At the tender by
the Colorful City Group, Emese Thamó's visual design was selected. It will be
realized by a creative team of four. The painting will be visible on the gable
wall of the building at Frankel Leó Street 78. The unveiling is expected to
take place in the first half of September.
