Memorial plaque for freedom fighter Enn Uibo unveiled in Veszprém, Hungary
On 27 October 2025, a memorial plaque in Hungarian and Estonian was unveiled on the wall of the main entrance of the Eötvös Károly Library in Veszprém, Hungary, in memory of Estonian poet, guardian of Finno-Ugric unity, and freedom fighter Enn Uibo (1912, Vana-Kariste – 1965 Dubravlag, Mordvin SSR).
The memorial plaque was created as part of a joint project between the Liszt Institute in Tallinn, the city of Veszprém, and the Hungarian National Memory Commission. Speeches were given at the unveiling by the mayor of Veszprém, Gyula Porga, and the deputy chairman of the Hungarian National Memory Commission, Dr. Áron Máthé.
Unveiling ceremony
In his speech, Gyula Porga, Mayor of Veszprém, recalled the importance of the Hungarian Revolution for other peoples trapped behind the Iron Curtain and emphasised the importance of remembering the young Estonians who supported the Hungarians in Veszprém’s twin city, Tartu.
Dr. Áron Máthé, a historian, explained to those present the impact of the events of 1956 on Estonia’s struggle for freedom, drawing parallels between the “Pest boys” and the “Estonian boys”. The head of the Estonian Embassy, Anu Kippasto, was also present as a guest of honor at the unveiling of the memorial plaque.
Literature evening
After the unveiling of the memorial plaque, a literary evening was held at the Eötvös Károly Library in Veszprém. The evening was opened by Csaba Kőrösi, an actor at the Veszprém Theatre and winner of the Jászai Mari Award, reciting Enn Uibo’s poem “Memorial Wreath for Hungary’s Fallen Freedom Fighters,” the last verse of which, in both Estonian and Hungarian (translated by Orsolya Sild), also adorns the memorial plaque.
Next, translator Orsolya Sild gave a presentation on Enn Uibo’s life and work, reading several Hungarian translations of his poems. Finally, Piret Tarto gave an emotional and captivating speech, explaining to the audience of fifty people the importance of Enn Uibo as an enlightener for the members of the Estonian Youth Brigade at the camp in Mordovia. The literary evening ended with a coffee table with a selection of Kalevi sweets. Merike Riives, Halliki Uibu, and Nóra Rácz and her family contributed to the organisation and translation of the event.
Enn Uibo’s fate
Enn Uibo’s “Memorial to the Fallen Freedom Fighters of Hungary,” which he wrote in honour of those who died in the Hungarian Revolution, unfortunately proved fatal for the author. In 1957, he was sentenced to a second term in a prison camp in Mordovia (having just been released from 10 years of hard labour in Norilsk), where he died in 1965 and was buried in a mass grave. Nevertheless, he managed to become a spiritual teacher to Estonian youth, among whom were Enn Tarto, Jaan Isotamm, Valdur Raudvassar and Taivo Uibo, who memorised his poems and brought them back to their homeland.
Text and photos: Silver Sild
