Hungary: Orban is rebuilding Budapest with a look to the past | Focus on Europe

[@dwnews]

The historical reference in this report has caused concern for some viewers. We would like to make it clear: Nazi Germany is responsible for the enforced transportation and murder of hundreds of thousands of Hungarian Jews. We apologize that the report can create a different impression and appear one-sided. - Manuela Kasper-Claridge, DW Editor-in-Chief

[@SweetSmoke21]

It was correct by your side to ask apology .. unlike the vid. I think you will get much more likes and positive comments if you represent the people with common sense instead of a political ideology; I keep the progressive ideology much more dangerous than the Nazism AND the Communism altogether and I think that the root of the progressive ideology has got something to do with the cultural Marxism. Once me, behind the Iron Wall had got a sense about the West as the land freedom, fairness, everything that is positive ..oh, one of them was the free speech, the right to express freely one's mind .. and I didn't know that the well-being and the cultural Marxist ideology and maybe other things altered the West so much. If somebody would tell me that there will be times when neo-marxist ideology will attack us from the west, I would laugh on such a nonsense claim. Next year we will have elections; hope that you do not intend to influence the voters one-sided.

[@budasardi4701]

TOO late , TOO less!!!MAKE AN APPOLOGY VIDEO TOO!!!!!!!!!PUBLIC!

[@barnabasbudai1082]

Magyarországnak is csak egy kókler német szerkesztő jut, mint a többi német importból.... Nem bocsánatot kell kérni, hanem törölni és egy bocsánat kérő videót posztolni. Tudjuk, hogy a németeknek nem számít a nemzetük, de itthon még vannak, akiknek igen is számít. A zsidó közösségeinket gyakorlatilag tenyerén hordozza a kormány és az Izraeli érdekeket majdnem teljesen képviseli a nagy többség ellenére is. A zsidó vallási érdekeket is képviselte, amikor szinte senki a kóser vágás tekintetében. Nem tudom, hogy mit tehet még egy kormány, hogy ne antiszemitázzák le. A többi állam állandóan a vállaltan zsidó közösségek életterét nehezíti meg az elmúlt 6 évben és veszélynek teszi ki. Ugyanolyan gerinctelen banda ez DW, mint bárki más a nagy média piacon....

[@organicambience]

@@barnabasbudai1082 Na végre! Nem tudom hol telelt a DW anno Kölnben, vagy amikor az EP megszavazta a kosher vágás betiltását, gondolom éppen mindenki szabadságon volt, vagy lemerült a kamerájukban a gombelem..... vicc ez már. Érdekes évtizedek elé néz Európa.......

[@Xmarcello88]

Please do not forget to mention that Germany was responsible for the almost complete destruction of the Castle Quarter and when we try to rebuild that 75 years later the Germans come and blame us and call us Na..s. This is just very sad

[@GAkos03]

i am hungarian and this video is full of misinformation. First of all they are rebuilding the palaces some of them from the ground,to the version of them in 1944,because they were bombed that time and destroyed, and not because of the representation of a dictatorship.

[@tomaszelen5966]

@MrLaci0110 Shouldn’t a film be screened in M1 about the German Parliament’s move to the Reichstag in 1990 being a reorganization of the 3rd Empire?

[@Vahur10]

@@tomaszelen5966 Ne ereszkedjünk már le a deutsche welle szintjére...

[@terra_solido]

This has gone too far! Why can't a country keep its history? Why can't it be proud? As long as it doesn't hurt anyone what is the big deal? Is it because Germans look at their history with guilt? Hungary was in between 2 great powers like today. It should never forget its own history Russia and Germany tried to erase, This is a one-sided BS report

[@schwarzer0se463]

When did Germany try to erase hungarys history?

[@vladimirkovacevic4415]

Keep it's history those buildings are new it's reviewing history( :

[@ionxtreme6847]

@@schwarzer0se463 *Arrowcross theme and marching intensifies*

[@LachlanMacDonald44]

Shouldn’t Hungary be learning from history instead of restarting like its mistakes never happened?

[@davidd5272]

This report is so much off reality that it is on the verge of ridiculous. Anyone with a slight knowledge of Budapest's architectural history knows that the reconstruction of the Buda Castle District has never been completed after WW2. The reconstruction of the Castle District is a final fulfillment of long pending plans to do so in order to restore some of the beauty it lost during the bombings of WW2. This is NOT 1940's nostalgia, the buildings lost during the war were built during the time of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy or earlier. The reconstruction does not, at all, have a bad reputation among the citizens of Budapest (I am one of them) but rather enjoys public approval. Yeah, of course if you look, you can find citizens who will say what you want to hear, but this is far from objective, investigative journalism by a wide margin.

[@farkasadam7290]

As a citizen of Budapest I am happy for these reconstructions. The city lost a lot during the two world wars, and the soviet occupation. I am glad we are building back what once we lost.

[@cgt3704]

I wish our goverment would do the samein Bucharest. Greetings from Romania btw (can we be friends 😊

[@farkasadam7290]

@@cgt3704 people in Budapest and Bucharest have lot of things in common I think its only matter of time. :) Younger generations are looking forward and not living in the past. In the near future I will definietly visit Bucharest. :)

[@cgt3704]

@@farkasadam7290 and i will vist Budapest if i have a chance

[@magyareuro2173]

@@cgt3704 Us young Hungarians recognize Romanians as allies and we need to bond together to avoid dying out like western Europe.

[@magyareuro2173]

@@farkasadam7290 You look Hungarian if so

[@atytate1899]

Budapest is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.

[@SweetSmoke21]

Thank you!

[@lacdirk]

Yep, paid for by EU money. The country itself is poor and per capita GDP is essentially flat under Orban. The man is a disaster for a country that really deserved a break.

[@SweetSmoke21]

@@lacdirk Do you claim that before Orban, Hungarian were rich?

[@lacdirk]

@@SweetSmoke21 No, but that they were getting richer.

[@albanianorthodox8659]

@@lacdirk and EU will make them rich by obeying to Von der leyn ?😂😂😂😂😂😂just forget it

[@jasonthewatchmansson8873]

DW is so ridiculously, comically biased. In the first minute of this "report," it has two critics attacking the building plan -- before it even explains what the plan is. Good for Orban for restoring Hungarian heritage.

[@xxkl4vd1oxx2]

Then DW cries about russian disinformation

[@yossiperl7424]

I don't understand this report at all. What is being constructed? Why is it bad? What does 1944 has to do with anything? This report has no information, just some opinions. Explanation anyone?

[@gagetomerlin2497]

The Orban regime itself is bad. They use nationalism to gain support from the far right

[@yossiperl7424]

@@gagetomerlin2497 saying that "it's bad" doesn't answer any of my questions. What is this report about? what has orban done (specifically in this context of construction) and why is it bad enough to cause people to allegedly leave the city?

[@farkasadam7290]

@@gagetomerlin2497 most of the citizens of Budapest hate Orban thats a fact. But rebuilding these once lost buildings is a good action. I appreciate that they are rebuilding them insted of building new useless stadiums.

[@gagetomerlin2497]

@@farkasadam7290 One good deed doesn't get rid of the fact that Hungary is becoming a dictatorship under him.

[@farkasadam7290]

@@gagetomerlin2497 of course not. But in my opinion we should appreciate the good things. In Hungary theres only a few recently.

[@gaborbravo1]

Yeah, and Polish were fascists after WW2 too because they rebuilt Warsaw exactly as it had been before 1944. Wait a minute...

[@uioplkhj]

"because they rebuilt Warsaw exactly as it had been before 1944" not really, Warsaw is a concrete jungle

[@gaborbravo1]

@@uioplkhj I mean the downtown

[@Thor.Jorgensen]

It's actually ironically true what you're saying. And you don't even know it. In West Germany, people were distanced from Germany's past and, as a result, had fewer fascists come 1990. Meanwhile, in Poland and especially East Germany, under the Soviet Union, people were left to retain their aesthetics, including Wehrmacht uniforms. And as a result, there are far more neo-fascists and anti-semites in Poland and Eastern Germany than in Western Germany today.

[@Thor.Jorgensen]

​@MrLaci0110 Yeah, there's growth. But it's still lower than in Israel (ironically), still lower than in Poland, still lower than in Hungary, still lower than In France, Ukraine, Russia, Greece, Belarus, Latvia, and much of the rest of Europe. And the growth of antisemitism in those countries is far greater than in Germany. The places with the highest rates of antisemitic crimes and antisemitic attitudes in Germany are in North-East Germany. Namely, the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, a former East-German state closer to Poland. Another highly anti-semitic town is Wunsiedel in upper Franconia, close to Czechia. And before you go ahead and accuse Germany too much about their history, don't forget that Hungary was just as guilty of antisemitism as Germany once was. Hungary was the first allies of Germany, long before Mussolini got involved. And many Hungarians served as guards at the camps in Poland.

[@mihalybormester8736]

​@@Thor.Jorgensendont remember? And who cares whaf hungarians did it ww2? Nobody cares, because russian dont leave our home. Wtf cares the axis ally? 😂😂😂😂 axis is cool beacuse 😂 and how comes this things the royal palace?

[@deedragongirl]

I've been to Budapest before, hope to go there again! I've also learn a lot of the Hungarian history too! Greetings from Malaysia too!

[@gyozop]

And you will be welcome. We even restore beautiful old buildings for you.

[@mannaz_y]

Ive been to Budapest too bro! Fantastic city fantastic people!

[@derelyeSan]

You're welcome! I've been to Kuala Lumpur in 2014. Very nice people!

[@xxkl4vd1oxx2]

@@gyozop when i came in 2016 it was the best trip of my entire life. Budapest will always have a special.place in my heart

[@sloweny2086]

@Orbán Viktor Mihály Ezzel a kommenttel mit akarsz elérni??

[@norbertpelso]

And why is it problem? This is not news, it's only a report with fallen politicians and fans of the left side. This buildings of the capital were built from the XIV century to the early XX century. It is not the restoration of the old Horthy era nor of the anarchist- socialist idiotism at all! The capital of Hungary is beautiful and lovely. After the covid epidemic I will back again.

[@CookiezSama]

And we will be more than glad to have you! :)

[@andrewp2444]

1. These buildings were destroyed by German and Soviet aggression. 2. They have nothing to do with Orban. 3. Rebuilding them is both of cultural and economic importance. As much as 15% of Hungary’s economy relies off tourism and tourism related transactions, conferences, and sporting events. Basically, Hungary has over 10 million tourists, with 9 million that visit Budapest alone every year. These structures are a big reason for that tourism. The architecture draws people in. So Hungary will eventually recoop most of the money spent on these buildings over a period of 15-20 yrs. It’s a long term investment both in culture and economy. Hungary is not a financial capital like Frankfurt or London, but it is a tourism capital in Eastern Europe.

[@adambalogh5168]

Well said!

[@scatalin09]

So the tourists come to see Miklos Horthy’s statues and the monuments of Hungarian fascism and revanchism? I doubt! I lived 5 years in Budapest and i loved it. I call it my second home. The city has an amazing romantic flavor, which should be preserved. But revanchism has no place in that.

[@bulcsutoth1134]

@@scatalin09 Horthy was one of the many leaders Hungary had, there is nothing bad about a statue of him. Far worse people has their status too, in the west

[@lajkatajka]

@@scatalin09 The Buda castle has noting to do with Horthy. Your comment is mean and misleading.

[@andrewp2444]

@@scatalin09 you aren’t Hungarian and your opinion regardless of how long you lived there or if you consider it your city is really not that important on this matter. Budapest is a Hungarian city and it should be filled with monuments and architectural beauty inductive of Hungarian origins, history, and civilization. It is not up for Joe Kerr from NYC or Frankfurt or London to determine that.

[@Tanu.90]

I am from Romania. I don't particularly like Orban, but on this one i have to approve him 100%. Restoration of historical buildings and monuments its a good thing. I wished Romania did the same in every city.

[@mihalybormester8736]

Why? Do you want to steal every items from new palace like 1919? Romania want to steal everything again?

[@amonszocs]

I am from Budapest, and I agree with the rebuilding of these historic places. They dont represent anything other than the willingness of the present government to improve the city’s look, rather than let it be as the left would leave it to rot.

[@MeowCatPleaseMeowBack]

Very propagandist report and one-sided. DW is becoming more and more of a political tool.

[@davidtore1325]

just as BBC.

[@zoltandrkiss3832]

I’m really surprised to see such a report on rebuilding Budapest castle hill palaces and buildings in a German television, in a country, which former leader refused to have Budapest to be a free city during the second world war, like Vienna, and was completely destroyed due to the Germans and soviet armies. So we have to suffer the destroy by Germans and now we are not allowed to build it up by the Germans????? What is it about?????

[@uioplkhj]

Have you seen Horthy's statue in the V district? What is that about?

[@GabrieleMolinarolo]

@@uioplkhj There is no Horthy statue in Budapest.

[@oliver5976]

@@GabrieleMolinarolo @Thomasreed Horthy's bust is right outside Hazatérés Church on Szabadság square. That is in the 5th district.

[@LazolTan]

@@oliver5976 That's on private property. I have a lego Darth Vader over my tv at home.

[@oliver5976]

@@LazolTan well that is nowhere near Szabadság tér.

[@shaungordon9737]

Why is this a bad thing?? Every country should preserve their old architecture and traditions. Budapest is far more beautiful than most German cities

[@themagalanium9491]

As a German I have to humbly agree. These GLOBALISTS hate European nations who actually have a backbone and stand for their tradition and culture

[@HeadhuntexGamer]

@@themagalanium9491 They hate beauty, order, symmetry, they cant stand it.

[@sloweny2086]

Most of German cities were beautiful (like Frankfurt, Köln, München), and have an old downtown. Sadly these are destroyed and now they have a modernism style.

[@dzonnyblue3065]

Good work Hungary !

[@Profispojka]

I wish somebody would rebuild my city exactly like they did it in Budapest.

[@zsuzsannamarko9748]

Thanks!

[@PachinhoG2024]

Yeah, my city used to look really nice back then

[@sloweny2086]

Which is your city?

[@Profispojka]

@@sloweny2086 Ostrava

[@markmorrid8144]

As an Englishman I admire the hungarians .

[@Subject82]

So sad! The city looks more and more beautiful!!!!! What a tragedy :|

[@SuperClons]

What a tragedy indeed, I loved the bullet holes in the walls from WWII

[@mozartwolfgang4656]

Feel envy.

[@Subject82]

@@SuperClons No! Not the bullet holes!!! They give so much character!

[@hyperpassiveliberal1726]

So so sad that the gov't rebuild a historical building what was bombed down by germans, fight against soviets in Budapest... What the f do you guys thinks about yourself guys?

[@Ulbert86]

Put back the WW2 bombshells to the ground as well!

[@TheStreetMan]

They are reconstructing several historical buildings in Budapest, many of which predate WWII. It is a beautiful effort and it is a sad day when a government is lambasted for a "power play" when they are doing what generations of previous Hungarian (namely Soviet) administrations had not. DW does a disservice with this piece.

[@snkmkd]

Easy way to drain money from the national and city budget, into Orbans pocket. But you can be proud of buildings afterwards, good for you :P

[@buenaventuralosgrandes9266]

@@snkmkd bro, beautiful architectural building can attract tourism. Well if orban designated the renovated building into a, let say commercial or housing district, while tourist flocks there and paid money to see it then why tf not? A lot of people went on vacation to europe just to see the architectural building. You're just hating it base on hate, being blind by hate ain't good

[@madmax6827]

@@snkmkd Your new leftist mayor lies about the city budget. Get your news from more reputable sources.

[@kevhynaleks2631]

@@snkmkd Orbán's pocket? I see only rebuilt Várbazár, Lovarda and Testőrség - nothing landed in any other pocket, just in the phobias people outwashed br.... Ain.

[@ianhomerpura8937]

@@kevhynaleks2631 some of the worst corruption happens through public works projects :) although I admire how good Hungarian artisans are, it is hard to recreate statues without intact blueprints.

[@pianotutorial4U]

Those buidings that were lost to the war and communism, weren`t representing the 40s. Those were mainly built before the first world war. Those buildings are our architectural heritage, like Liszt or Bartók in music. How can anyone oppose rebuilding it? And the trains.. yeah.. :)) It`s amazing how far some people can go with their anti-Orban hysteria...

[@hannesH3]

I visited Budapest a few years ago. Architecturally one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

[@madmax6827]

Gastronomically too.

[@hannesH3]

@@madmax6827 I had some killer Gulasch for sure, but I think France, Spain, Italy and Greece has the best food in general.

[@gyorgybarka450]

Comes second after Rio de Janeiro.

[@rangsangsrgyas]

That's not because of the current govt

[@mozartwolfgang4656]

Hahaha what?

[@santi2683]

"beautiful buildings bad because past bad!" Lmao is that really her main point? The random dude concerned about spending had more arguments that the damn mayor

[@SuperClons]

The real problem is that the random dude is also a politician for the opposition.... sooo ye

[@kal_bewe1837]

congratulations Hungary ! In my country France we do the same thing as you but in the other direction, we destroy the old monument/building that was not destroyed during WWI and WWII to replace them with modern buildings hahahah 🥴🥴🥴

[@madmax6827]

Paris was wise to build skyscrapers far away from her beautiful center. Budapest has a law prohibiting buildings taller than the Basilica.

[@kal_bewe1837]

@@madmax6827 yes La Défense the skyscraper district of Paris is far from the historic center it was really a good decision but that will change in the future I think :/ It also seems to me that in Paris there is a law prohibiting towers higher than the Eiffel Tower

[@bogo_wanderlust3692]

@@kal_bewe1837 i think MODERNISM CAN COEXIST WITH PAST. Many exampes are present TOKYO,SHANGHAI MUMBAI ARE EXAMPLES WHERE THERE IS SO MUCH HISTORICAL MONUMENTS but also modernity linked to high economic growth

[@shaungordon9737]

Yuck. I hate modern buildings. Hungary has got it right

[@ffffuchs]

dont be fooled, the same is happning in hungary outside the castle district but it doesnt gets media attention. they demolish 19th century / early 20th century buildings to contruct contemporary offices and residential blocks.

[@imrelvi6695]

The buildings mentioned have been built around 1900 - nothing to do with Horthy, only Franz Joseph of house Habsburg

[@chriswanger284]

Wrong, around the 1860s

[@madmax6827]

@@DanyMcDonald How does classic world-class architecture reflect Horthy's ideology? You must suffer from ODS (Orbán Derangement Syndrome).

[@madmax6827]

@@DanyMcDonald You asserted that the architecture reflected a political ideology. I replied that such a position can only come from one who equates Orban's building boom is a like manner. It does not prove I have a partisan position (I do), but I know a [kihívás] when I see one.

[@zsoltlazar8418]

@@madmax6827 ODS :)

[@Laller1043]

@@DanyMcDonald jó nagy baromságot írtál ezeknek az épületeknek semmi köze Horthyhoz, építész vagyok ha megkérdőjeleznéd

[@BlazVeber69]

But if it would be a Lenin statue, you would praise him, wouldn't you?

[@gagetomerlin2497]

No. Cope harder, bootlicker

[@csabaspeter7183]

They would not have time to prais lenin. I would towe that statue to the lake with my crappy little 1.1L Peugeot 206

[@madmax6827]

Of course. That's what lefties do.

[@llieu5642]

No, think for yourself

[@SweetSmoke21]

@Blaz Veber Bingo! You nailed it.

[@lujikaralabe]

Weird how DW only interviewed whiners, I wonder why that is.

[@mortefin5101]

because hungary is right-wing

[@TheBigBirdx]

You think it's weird? Wake up man, they've been doing that for ages.

[@aligandaki6214]

"Liberalism is how to turn good men into whiners, weenies and wimps" (Burgess Owens)

[@joecrow7666]

Most pathetic first world problem I've ever seen: They're building castles on my street and renovating my city! Yikes! I need to move out of here!

[@fixiksz]

Akkor költözz!

[@TheBenLemonade]

Man you clearly have no clue the extent of corruption and xenophobia that exists in the ruling party here. The country is falling apart. There is a reason all of the intellectuals and graduates are leaving the country, and it isn't because they are 'renovating' the city. It's the exact opposite.

[@TheUstasha101]

@@TheBenLemonade What's the point in leaving, if you want to see Orban removed, stay and vote him out, by leaving you are virtually handing over the country on silver platter to him.

[@FenyvesViktor]

@@TheBenLemonade Sure sure, we're losing a lot of valuable gender studies professors. Please leave and deprive us your priceless contributions as well.

[@TheBenLemonade]

@@TheUstasha101 people have been trying to vote him out for decades now. It’s not the city that’s the problem, it’s the villages. Literally all Orbán has to do is give the villages firewood and they vote for him. They don’t think about the fact that they still need firewood to survive, and how the government should’ve made power instead of stadiums, but ya. On one hand I completely agree. On the other, what will make this election different from any of the previous one? Maybe this time the opposition will actually work together, just maybe.

[@nad0b0lS]

I don’t understand the hate over reconstructing architectural treasures of the city? Those buildings were built long before 1940s and were not damaged beyond repair in WWII, they were demolished for ideological reasons. If countries didn’t reconstruct damaged buildings and tore them down instead, every city in the world would look the same, a bunch of boxes. Look at what Russia did with Saint Petersburg (long before Putin). If they didn’t reconstruct those palaces, we wouldn’t have the Hermitage museum or the Amber room now, for example.

[@hannesH3]

If that’s what it takes to not turn every city into a ghetto with an imported underclass. Most Europeans would probably prefer this type of rule.

[@zsoltvarkonyi8940]

The German State Broadcast Company (Deutsche Welle) condemns efforts by the Hungarian government to re-build Budapest, that was destroyed by German, Russian, English and American troops in WWII. That you are not ashamed.

[@bbenjoe]

In the meantime, the former Imperial Palace in the center of Berlin has just been rebuilt.

[@alejandrosotomartin9720]

And it´s OK if the Berliners want that which makes this repport even more incomprehensible.

[@drharnsaft1005]

Only the facade.

[@Sylykyn]

Why stop it? This will be a major tourist attraction

[@Ulbert86]

If the finish it will attract tourist! How dare you! They will spend they money there ... Shamfull.

[@MattZaycYT]

They are rebuilding old buildings Woman: "This sends a dangerous social message" Me: Hahahahahahahahaha

[@ffffuchs]

And they are also demolishing many old buildings when their interests befits them so.

[@andrasbarkanyi7876]

@@ffffuchs ok just buy them to care for!

[@haraldkrausz]

Another video that preys on the ignorence of its Western audience. Budapest is a beautiful city that is getting only more beautiful with the restoration of these buildings. The video's argument is that by moving the ministries back to the Castle District Orbán is trying to return Budapest to 1944. But this is plain foolish. Most of the ministries were housed in the Castle District since the mid-19th century. After wwii when much of the city was destroyed, the Communists wanted to distance themselves from the aristocratic atmosphere of the Castle for ideological reasons and relocated the ministries to the Eastern side of the city, away from the Castle District. Similarily they did not restore a lot of the destroyed monuments for political reasons. The monument they mention in the video was also not built in 1944 but in 1934 as a memorial to a prime minister who was murdered in 1918 and in memory of the many Hungarians who died in WWI. So saying that by restoring it Orbán is bringing the country back to 1944 is ridiculous and highly misleading. Just like the claim that more than 100 000 people have fled Hungary for political reasons in recent years. The vast majority of these 100 000 are people who left for economic reasons and live in other EU countries. Which is not a unique thing to do for young people in the region. Edit: spelling

[@stukafaust]

The rebuilding of eastern and central European cities based on how they looked pre-war is quite common and nothing to be scared of. As the report indicates the projects often use historical plans and are researched carefully. It's not some sort of kitsch totalitarian Disneyland, but rather a genuine attempt at recalling buildings and monuments before they were bombed.

[@stukafaust]

@Charles White yeah there was a big rush towards modernism in the UK post-war which was often regrettable. Euston Station springs to mind

[@AyataHiragi]

@Charles White Sadly that is false, Dresden(and many other civilian Cities bombed by the allies) was never rebuilt to be how it was. Smaller buildings, yes, maybe a few big ones, but the architecture that made Dresden Dresden is simply gone. Ive recently come across a bunch of pictures of Dresden and todays is nothing like it. A good source for old style buildings pre ww2 is the tartar theory, whether you believe the many theories or not is up to you, but the pictures of the buildings that Ive never seen before makes me think that we've lvled down, not up.

[@AyataHiragi]

@Charles White Probably, Ive never been to England. I only know that England still has some of the prettiest and oldest Cathedrals in all of Europe aside from that. Regardless, letting these beautiful buildings go to waste is nothing but a crime against us and our ancestors. Kinda makes you wonder what motivation someone would have not to do so.

[@marcusgutenberg2696]

Buda Castle was one of the important and beautiful buildings in pre-war Budapest, representing hundreds of years of Hungarian history until it was badly damaged in World War Two. The 19th century construction by Alajos Hauszmann was outstanding in every aspect, and it was truly the centerpiece of the city, rivaling the most important royal residences in all of Europe. Its reconstruction after World War Two was entirely feasible, but the Soviet-backed communist regime chose to demolish the historical interiors and permanently deface the exterior of the castle purely for ideological reasons. The reconstruction of Buda Castle, and the surrounding buildings on Castle Hill like the Archduke's Palace, the Old Guardhouse, the Riding Hall, and the Old City Hall has NOTHING to do with "Orban relying on power of architecture from a bygone era to demonstrate power." These buildings were loved and cherished by Hungarians and the citizens of Budapest before they were wrongfully demolished, and the reconstruction effort is largely supported by the people. Not only is this a great project that will improve the architectural aesthetics of the area, but the reconstruction of these monuments will let Hungarians preserve and honor their history. These buildings and monuments have nothing to do with "1944" and fascist government that was in power at the time, and they are much older and more significant to Hungarian history than this sham of a news report claims them to be. It's a shame to see how the left-media frames things completely out of context in order to push their ideological agenda. The large-scale reconstruction effort in Budapest is comparable to of the reconstruction of the Old City in Warsaw in the 1960s-80s. Much like the reconstruction of Warsaw in Poland, this is an effort by Hungarians to preserve their history by rebuilding monuments like Buda Castle that were wrongfully destroyed by wars and oppressive regimes.

[@bbenjoe]

They're restoring the Castle District to it's prewar glory. The buildings sustained massive demage during WW II, and after the war most of them were either renovated in a cheap Stalin-baroque style, or they were outright demolished.

[@jorbennoten9536]

How can you be against historical buildings they look beautiful

[@horvathcsanad1084]

Because liberals hate every cultural things

[@SweetSmoke21]

..and, especially hate those who don't want give up themselves and don't want to support the strange death of Europe.

[@esztergrunhut7315]

To be fair they are not really historical buildings. Most were built late XIX, early XX century and were built to look old and historic but actually they were modern buildings. They were ~50 years old when they got damaged in ww2. The heritage preservation of Hungary didn't consider them historically important buildings, that is why they were not saved, but demolished later. They were treated like a 50 year old building would be treated today.

[@lacdirk]

It depends on what the historical buildings represent.

[@justj1393]

​@@esztergrunhut7315 Still why would you want block architecture? Why would anyone want block architecture when they could have style?

[@jacub-5133]

I'm really proud of comments section. Greetings to Hungary from Poland 🇭🇺🇵🇱

[@davidkovacs5432]

Sure... I dont like Orban, but why is building nice buildings bad? This is so over-exaggerated. Also, people mostly leave Hungary, because they can make more money in Western Europe.

[@SweetSmoke21]

Don't you think, it is because they want to create hate against Hungary, at least till we don't support all those crazy ideologies that they support? You know what I mean.. and I know many people who don't want to leave Hungary. Among them, me.

[@Llkc60]

DW choose your battles, picking this out is pathetic. Any report on the billions paid out on the constructions that were ultimately done by German companies? did you do a report on the corruption scandal about Metro 4 where Siemens was involved. Your double standards are getting tiring, just as Germany's lack of leadership, initiative and lack of action regarding the EU. Get your sh|t together!

[@tomaskourek8164]

Budapest is a beautiful city with great monuments, spas (Széchenyi fürdő), parks and markets. But not only Budapest whole Hungary - greetings from Czech republic - Hajrá Magyarország!!! 👍🏻🇭🇺🇨🇿

[@sloweny2086]

Thanks! :) Love 🇨🇿, greets from 🇭🇺!

[@lennartherix6872]

I like the architecture and think we should not intertwine it with politics.

[@91838072]

Everything is political. The architecture are constructed with political symbolism

[@mihalybormester8736]

​​@@91838072nope, and dont speak about our things

[@jeromelondon3609]

What horrible and cheap journalism!?! Do any of the buildings being rebuilt date from the 1930s and fascism? Absolutely not. The parallel being made is opportunistic. While I’m definitely not a fan of Orban, I tend to see the reconstruction of lost landmark buildings in a positive light. Modern architecture has just made all our cities look alike

[@gjermund8053]

It's seriously weird how putting a statue in a square, protecting borders and having responsible border control, promoting healthy familiy life is so horrible for some people..

[@Hungaro23]

I am enjoying the people's comments in the comments section as it reflects more about the reality than this biased false report🤭🤬👎

[@GeorgeTenev]

What an absurd video :D I am not aware of the political situation in Hungary and I do not wish to take sides, but how is the restoration of old and beautiful buildings going to harm the public? Those are architectural masterpieces, which deserve to be restored.

[@daveofcornwall563]

I would like to see, what the reactions would be in Germany if Hungarian National Television would make a similar film in Berlin and only AFD related historians and “public” would comment in that short film!?

[@coltonvank8768]

What’s the alternative? Build a bunch of modern brutalist buildings until Budapest looks like London or Los Angeles? No thanks!

[@rodolfogebhard3714]

Orban wants Hungary looks like Hungary. What´s the matter?

[@sandrolazio]

That's their problem exactly!

[@erdelyik]

Why do you think lying is good? Why didn't you ask any governmental figure at all? Why do you think buildings have sens ideologic? Why do you think Germany or Germans have right to horn in Hungarian affairs. Do you know when last time Germany spoke into the lives of Hungarians, these buildings were demolished?

[@h.b.7104]

Germany rebuilt an old Prussian palace with a gigantic cross on top right in the center of the city on Museum Island (Humboldt Forum). It will house the looted African and other colonial objects from the Ethnological Museum. Deutsche Welle should do a story on German colonialism and its endurance today.

[@zoltanperei4789]

Hungary: *rebuilds some buildings in Budapest* Leftists: *OMG holocaust! Holocaust! Its happening again. Help!*

[@nightcitydrive534]

Yeah it’s so overplayed at this point

[@stukafaust]

That was very below-the-belt reportage from DW.

[@szabobence8764]

The problem is not the reconstruction, problem starts at the governmental offices moving! Because in a real democracy, head of the government doesn't live in a seperate space in a castle!

[@Sylykyn]

@@szabobence8764 what’s the White House?

[@szabobence8764]

@@Sylykyn But Hungary isn't in US, Hungary is in Europe and in Europe the prime minister shouldn't move to a castle, while the majority of people has a very bad life, for example in Borsod, which is a former industrial region! I understand your arguement, but I think we (Hungarians) shouldn't follow America in this thing! And we shouldn't follow America in many other things, for example in wars! We should maintain a good relation with other countries!

[@dissidentright]

Hungary is for the Hungarians, they have every right to do whatever they feel is good to do.

[@Stux6-3]

Only the will of orban has nothing to do with the will of the hungarian people.

[@bulcsutoth1134]

@@Stux6-3 oh, than why did the vast majority elected him over and over again?

[@Siegbert85]

The report failed to show anything really problematic... just a bunch of hollow antifascist phrases.

[@sloweny2086]

What they will rebuild: 1. Buda Castle (palace, churches, houses) 2. Citadella on Gerald Hill (Gellért-hegy) 3. Chain Bridge (renovation) 4. The royal palace and castle of Visegrad

[@AdmiralKarlDonuts]

Would love to visit Budapest once the pandemic ends. My mother visited there when she was a college student, she told me its an amazing city with wonderful history and architecture.

[@zkf5448]

Let me get this right, they are mad cause they are building their beautiful traditional architecture? How dare they

[@robbanto98]

No, the problem is that they (the government) has basically dismentaled the "heritage conservation". Until nowadays the cities had the authority to decide which buildings are to be preserved or renovated accordingly to the past. But new legislations took this from cities and now some random state office decides somewhere else (of course accordingly to the corrupt government and their family and friends). So meanwhile they are rebuilding buildings that haven't been existing for 80 years, they let existing (sometimes even in good shape) historical building to be destroyed for their greedy developer oligarch friends. And they do it with taxpayers money.

[@pitonsti]

Why didn't dw ask more people about their opinions? Does that Tamas represent the views of the majority?

[@gagetomerlin2497]

Tamas? What do you mean?

[@oliver5976]

@@gagetomerlin2497 the guy who was interviewed is Tamas.

[@gagetomerlin2497]

@@oliver5976 What is the issue with what he said?

[@yossiperl7424]

Well, given the fact Orban was democratically elected, it's safe to say the majority, nationwide, sides with him. of course that doesn't mean that the majority of people in Budapest side with him.

[@gagetomerlin2497]

@@yossiperl7424 Doesn't excuse his bigotry or authotarianism. Bootlick somewhere else please.

[@szilardkatona1090]

So the opponents say that the ruins of these buildings would look better and Viktor Orbán builds these for his own desire. This is total nonsense because anyone can visit the castle quarter anytime of the year and it is obvious the aim of the renovations is to attract more tourists. In addition, they are also constantly renovating castles in the countryside such as Eger or Diósgyőr.

[@SweetSmoke21]

Azt hallottam, hogy az egy jó napnak számít, ha reggel 7 előtt semmi rosszat nem mondtak rólunk a német média remek szakemberei.

[@lyozsefmakk6160]

The Wermacht occupied Hungary 77 years ago (March 19th). German soldiers looted the castle in the autumn (1944). Budapest was turned into a battlefield, and the castle was destroyed in a German-Soviet collaboration. During the Soviet occupation, the Communists also destroyed the remaining parts of the castle. And now we get back the old castle, which is part of our history - and the Bolshevik grandchildren don’t like it.

[@friedrichwilhelmvonsteuben7952]

that mayor is wrong reject modernism embrace tradition

[@MattZaycYT]

Be proud of your country! No matter where you are from. Be proud of your culture and traditions! There is nothing wrong with that.

[@SweetSmoke21]

@@dissidentright Guess you mean, that in the west-european countries. Yes they are fallen. Strangely, the cultural marxist ideology attack us from the west since a few years.

[@pietdezwart2271]

i am and never have been a fan of Orbán, but this just goes off the mark. the castledistrict has always had governmentoffces and i am not surprised that they want to move there. the emperial palace is there and is mostly not used at all. the castle district is also much easier to control by securityforces in case of unrest. help, they spend money on them buildings? really? thats your argument?

[@robbanto98]

That's the problem. They are running away from the people into their fancy castle. The government shouldn't be hidden from the people. So they have to face the consequences of their actions.

[@pietdezwart2271]

@@robbanto98 and they will, but the castle district has always been different. with lots of extra rules and regulations. the parlement is in Pest, so not really in hiding

[@robbanto98]

@@pietdezwart2271 they've also bulit an underground tunnel between the parlament and the office building...

[@tekaklk928]

The buildings stood there beffore Horthy,shure the money can be put into smth better but this is just a face lift for a certain part of the city. These peopole are overdramatising it as if the city is being build from the ground up

[@madmax6827]

That's what the left does...over-dramatise.

[@barryleveson5895]

Respect for Hungary.

[@minecraftzocker272]

Good work Hungarybros, you do gods work by reconstructing and restoring all your beautiful architecture and as such your culture. I wish here in Germany they would to the same.

[@RosTravetera]

Long live Victor Orban. He chooses Hungarians where other countries' politicians choose the apparatchiks in Brussels, Frankfurt and the NGOs.

[@panicineurope]

Budapest is so beautiful. Glad they are preserving history.

[@gagetomerlin2497]

Orban is a dictator btw.

[@benisman354]

@@gagetomerlin2497 Is that a bad thing?

[@FifinatorKlon]

@@gagetomerlin2497 Elaborate.

[@gagetomerlin2497]

@@FifinatorKlon On what exactly?

[@FifinatorKlon]

@@gagetomerlin2497 You claim Orban is a dictator. That's a pretty hard accusation. Elaborate on that.

[@pedepano9406]

The DW bias against Orban is escandalous!!!

[@exstazius]

Budapest is beatiful ❤

[@ferenczsakay5415]

government no

[@mihalybormester8736]

​@@ferenczsakay5415palotáról beszélünk

[@papaszem44]

God bless Orban and Hungary!!!!

[@etammag2228]

great example of poor journalism

[@gibetax8477]

I don't get it what's the problem with rebuilding statue's?

[@gagetomerlin2497]

Orban is an authataroian

[@JG-rs9be]

From what I gather from the video ist is not the statues or the architecture themselves that are the problem but the time they represent. (I hope my point comes across. English is not my primary language. I also don't now much about Hungarian history I only watched the video)

[@pietdezwart2271]

@@JG-rs9be Hungarians like to portray themselves as the underdog. always have and it does not look like its gonna change. its part of hungarian heritage.

[@joefalkens9834]

@@JG-rs9be So the 19th and earlier centuries are not politically correct for you...

[@JG-rs9be]

​@@joefalkens9834I am pretty sure the video talks about the 20th century. I also did not express any opinion. I only wrote my comment based on the statements interviewed people.

[@dissidentright]

The Hungarian have my support, I don't care if they don't need it.

[@SweetSmoke21]

Thanks! We need every supports because our enemy, who is, by the way, the enemy of every national sovereign states, so the enemy is too much powerful.

[@admonster11]

10 years ago before Orban Budapest looked like graffiti town

[@TheTokkin]

Before Orban, there was so much potential in Hungary. Now its corruption, coercion and waste. Hungary needs to be expelled from the EU asap.

[@sandrolazio]

@@TheTokkin 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂😂🤣

[@el_naif]

Of course, let’s trash the only two European nations that rejected leftist axioms and are thriving or at least improving: Poland and Hungary.

[@kevhynaleks2631]

@@TheTokkin Corruption in your dreams - until in 100% western companies won all the tenders - like before Orban - there was no "corruption". Sorry guys, we retake our country from your colonialism, and EU will collapse earlier, then we leave it! But until that, they must pay back all, what they stoled!

[@mihalybormester8736]

​@@TheTokkincsak az eu csatlakozáshoz le kellett építenünk a gazdaságunk köszi eu

[@el_naif]

When big media cheers for art vandalism but vehemently denounces art restoration. Dystopia.

[@SweetSmoke21]

Well said!! (Y)

[@akosrez189]

Respect for Viktor Orban!

[@gio-uu2pt]

I dont understand what is bad about this?

[@martaszalka2738]

Wait a minute! Who destroyed Budapest in 1944

[@vintageb8]

Isn't this wonderful for Hungary? Why the hate?

[@szeannna]

Our hospitals are in ruins, our schools too, and they spend money on something we don't need. Sure, we'll have beautiful buildings and no people. Those who can survive try to leave. He wants to recreate a fascist age again.

[@gagetomerlin2497]

The Orban regime is authoritarian and bigoted.

[@megmurgyel]

@@szeannna dont lie pls , there are ,,,inthis city,,also 2 large hospitals here, both beautiful and modern, trained professionals, very overwhelmed by epidemics and free. push your stupidity into some facebook group. I'm glad people like you don't tell me what we need. for you think in one plane . -- I hope you know he's just trolling . like when Americans don’t know our country and we used to joke with them that there are public executions here and we live in huts etc.

[@pietdezwart2271]

@Africanus Exterminatus your question proves his point

[@pietdezwart2271]

@@megmurgyel are there no public executions? what a shame. best way to get rid of some politicians, if it was allowed

[@zoltankatona6828]

As a Hungarian I don't see the problem. I dislike Orbán and Fidesz, but rebuilding the Castle District is a good thing. A few years ago these building were mostly empty, unused and somewhat dilapidated, so renovating them makes sense.

[@NextStitch]

There is a "good" hungarian government and "bad" hungarian government. The "good" which sell out the country for multinational and german firms, didn't tax the banks and hold the hungarian population below subsistance level as the result of the austerity policy. The profit leave Hungary and it land in the Western part of Europe. = they calling it democracy to follow. The "bad" hungarian goernment is the opposite of this like Orban.

[@totibro7624]

What is this rubbish from DW news? Hungary is one of the best countries to live in Europe! DW you've got this report wrong, very wrong...shame on you

[@esztergrunhut7315]

The majority of buildings that are planed to be rebuilt in the castle district are not from to the Horthy era (1920-1944), but from the late Habsburg era (1867-1918). Nonetheless, this is hardly the most important task to be done in Budapest and Hungary. However, making it look like it is a sign of the reborn of the Horthy era's fascism and antisemitism is exaggerating and ridiculous.

[@zsuzsannavali1394]

Rebuilding historical buildings is a long-term investment, as turism is really important for the country. Of course, covid set back turism. But once it starts again, there will be huge competition among European countries, to attract tourists, as each country suffers a great loss of income now.

[@gjermund8053]

its hyperbolic for sure.

[@somasudar7605]

DW you live in an alternate present. You lie your alternate present. Ridiculous!

[@1vegyes]

This video is a complete joke.

[@Sofus.]

I like the architecture but not Orban It is also such a losing argument, to say you can not build as before or you are fascists.

[@madmax6827]

If you hatred of Orbán is based on leftist news sources, you are not getting a clear picture. His policies have been the reason I support him, not his so-called faults.

[@Sofus.]

@@madmax6827 Your Info says USA 🙄

[@madmax6827]

@@Sofus. So what?

[@SweetSmoke21]

@@madmax6827 I like your comments :-)

[@madmax6827]

@@SweetSmoke21 Thank you. I fight for truth against the insane leftists. They not only lie, but are clueless to reality.

[@rizzeh7444]

Much love from Romania, hopefully similar projects would start in Bucharest aswell, such shame communism destroyed the arhitectures of our beautiful country's cities

[@bogo_wanderlust3692]

maybe they were destroyed by NAZISM AS WELL

[@rizzeh7444]

@@bogo_wanderlust3692 No, they were not

[@qvida4614]

@@bogo_wanderlust3692 Ceausescu destroyed the Bucharest oldtown to make place for his palace.

[@kobusai]

The buildings were built around late 1800. Buildings destroyed in World War II are being restored.

[@vilmosgrooper3689]

Many buildings were built during the 1800s or rebuilt not under Horty October 1944 shortly after the resignation of Miklós Horthy, deportations began during Szálasi's rule. So now the building is also faulty?

[@Angela.o.b]

I don't even like Orbán, but this report is ridiculous.

[@tripjet]

I miss Budapest ! Can't wait to come back !

[@kotuc007]

Me too. ) It is my favorite EU city:)

[@martoncsaba2782]

A kommenteket olvasva azt gondolom, h a DW bakot lőtt.

[@stevenzalany6112]

Egy LIBSI SZAR TV a DW pont mint a BBC vagy a tobbiek !! Valaki kesziti mar a talajt a 2022 valasztasokra. Azt kenne megtudni ki van e video mogot !!

[@SweetSmoke21]

@@stevenzalany6112 Gondolom, a szokásos dolog történt. Az itteni ellenzék igen jó kapcsolatokat ápol bizonyos nyugati újságírókkal, akik nem tekintik feladatuknak a pártatlan tájékoztatást, aztán összebeszéltek, és ez itt az egyik "remekművűk". Minél jobban belejönnek, annál több ilyenre számíthatunk. Kíváncsi lennék, hány riport készül ezen újságírók által arról az őrületről, ami egyre inkább a hatalmába keríti a nyugatot és zárójelbe teszi a józan észt.. szerintem egy se.

[@andrasangyal5073]

ez viszont részben orbánnak is a hibája mert hadja az egészet. Nem beszélni kéne erről a hír tv-én hanem cselekedni

[@Vahur10]

@@SweetSmoke21 Persze. A deutsche welle nem magától jött ide, hanem ide hívták "Magyar" ellenzéki politikusok. Ők tálalták a storyt a saját szájuk íze szerint. Egyébként a deutsche welle cikke nem a Magyaroknak szól, hanem az Orbánt kedvelő nyugatiaknak. Őket akarják elfordítani Orbántól.

[@SweetSmoke21]

@@Vahur10 Úgy tudom, ők már elfordultak a fősodratú médiától, és milyen jól tették! De még mindig többen vannak, akiknek az agya gyöpös. Már csak a választásaik eredményéből is kiderül. Nagyon érdekes dolgott mondott egy nálunk élő német újságíró: hogy azért gyűlölnek minket, mert nálunk még megvan, ami náluk már elveszett. Nagyon érdekes, hogy sok külföldi hozzánk jön, mert itt még lehet normális életet élni, miközben sok magyar a hazája ellen dolgozik. Szorgos aktivisták, már nálunk is. Hazudnak, mint a vízfolyás. Áldozatnak tüntetik fel magukat, holott személyesen senki sem bántotta őket. Aki meg a fb-on súlyos megjegyzéseket kap, az valószínűleg meg is dolgozott érte. A Childfree oldalakról beszélek, magyar is van, csúfolódnak, ahogy az ott szokás, aztán valóban durván, de megkapják a magukét, majd előadják az ártatlan áldozatot, úgy, hogy közben minden magyarba belerúgnak, és a kommentszekcióban a többi kis aktivista még győzködi a külföldieket, hogy igenis rasszisták és homofóbok vagy valami ilyesmik vagyunk. Szóval mi nem csináltunk semmit, ha valaki nem akar gyereket, hát nem akar, és kész, az ő dolga. De most hirtelen előugrottak a sötétségből, és egy újabb kisebbségi csoportot képezve úgy mutatkoznak be, hogy rögtön támadnak. Ők nyugodtan csúfolódhatnak a gyerekeken meg a szüleiken a fb-on, ebben nem látnak semmi rosszat. Ha valaki beszól, akkor azt világgá kürtölik, olyan aljas módon.. Mert nem ezt az egy embert, vagy egy-két beszélik ki, hogy ez milyen bunkó, hanem általánosítanak. Azt a benyomást akarják kelteni, hogy na látjátok, ilyenek a magyarok, hogy itt valami üldözés folyik a lányok, nők ellen, hogy na szüljetek már, tegyétek a dolgotok, és persze hogy a kormány a hibás, mert itt üzenget, hogy a családot vállalók milyen támogatásra számíthat. Merthogy ettől ők rosszul érzik magukat. Kíváncsi vagyok, még mivel állnak elő, ez a sok szép nyugati média és az itteni kis szövetségeseik. MIndaddig, amíg nem sikerül minket is hasonlatossá tenni saját magukhoz, nem állnak le.

[@mariatischler3476]

Liberals filmed,and commented negatively about Budapest.. Hmmmm

[@patriotic_gaming5578]

I wish more country’s where like Hungary

[@belaszigeti4850]

DW never intended to correspond fairly. They are part of a political game as well as the participants of the interviews. No reason to fear from the fascism in Budapest. this is all bulls...