KesterTester 37 - It's a Tough Life, Being a Central European Politician, Especially in a Democracy, having to Fight Elections and all that stuff - even more so when you are Party Leader. So who is this, rubbing his eyes from weariness at a Party Congress in the 1990s?
A pretty straightforward Tester this week - this gentleman's still around by the way (pretty nice tie too, isn't it? Wonder if he still wears it?)
Answers please - name and party and position (he's at the height of his career when this pic was taken) via the site messaging system or an email, as you wish. And any anecdotes you may have about him?
You have another few hours to have a go at KesterTester 36 - and win Global Glory - I'll post the answers and winner in an update here tomorrow.
UPDATE: KesterTester 36
This attracted four more or less correct entries, one vaguely something to do with it and one stab in the dark from AF. (The latter certainly didn't spot it in the Statue Park when last there - but that was probably after a night of heavy imbibing.)
David McCall was sort of on the mark, writing:
"When I saw your photo this morning, I was immediately brought back to the Memento Park, where I believe I have seen this strange piece of "art" multiple times.
"I could not remember ever seeing it outside/before the Park, so I googled it. that search confirmed that this was indeed the piece erected to commemorate the "brave heroes" of the AVH, who helped the Soviet troops crush the 1956 Revolution. <Not quite, David>
"What I was not able to find anywhere was any reference to the place at which this wall was originally located. Therefore I have no idea where your picture was taken, not even with the assistance of Google."
Greg Dorey remembers the statue and park "from when my language teacher took me there for a couple of lessons, but had to check my old brochure (see below) for the former location".
(Greg, if you get the time to send me a photo of that brochure as a separate attachment, I'll post it here. I can't do that if it's embedded in the email I'm afraid.)
The most comprehensive (and accurate, as far as I can tell) answer came from Bob Dent, who wrote:
"My guess is that it is the wall sculpture entitled Memorial to the Heroes of People's Power, by Viktor Kalló, erected in 1983 in Köztársaság tér (today II. János Pál pápa tér, Budapest VIII) in memory of those killed on the defending side during the siege of the Budapest Party committee HQ in the square on 30 October 1956. It was placed near the much more noticeable Monument to the Martyrs of the Counter-Revolution, also by Kalló, which was erected in 1960 and which took the form of a thick-limbed proletarian depicted with head thrown back and one arm raised to the sky. In 1992 both monuments were moved to the Statue Park.
"At the end of the siege, the occupants were dragged out and many were brutally killed on the spot. It was a major atrocity and the post-1956 authorities made the most of it, (unjustifiably) attempting to equate the whole of the 56 Uprising with what had happened in the square."
Indeed, as far as I know, Bob, most of those killed were not active AVH soldiers or even Communist Party members, certainly not big time. And I believe they had been promised safe passage if they surrendered, which they did - at least, that is the story I was told. A sad affair.
Here's a link to the park, officially known as Memento Park
As to the KesterTester winner - the moment you've all been waiting for - it was number 2 that was drawn out of the EU-approved Black Woolly hat - corresponding to Greg Dorey!
Gosh, Greg, I don't know how you're going to leave your home in future, such will be the crowds of fans after ANOTHER win.
Congratulations to you and all participants. Now, who is that chappie pictured above?
Have a good week!