Female tourist poses for photos in shoes lying on Budapest’s riverbank – unaware they are a monument to hundreds of Jews shot there in the war
- The 60 pairs of shoes serve as a memorial to the victims on the banks of the Danube
- The tourist can be seen among the flowers and candles left in honor of the deceased
An oblivious tourist tried to snap a photo while standing on a memorial to hundreds of Jews who died in Budapest during World War II.
People have been dumbfounded by one Reddit video of a woman screaming on the cemented iron shoes next to the river Danube, while a man tries to take a ‘perfect’ picture of her.
Usually, visitors leave flowers in the iron shoes that adorn the promenade or light candles as a sign of respect for the hundreds of Jews who died in the tragedy.
But this tourist can be seen, in her black and white polka dot dress, among the flowers and candles scattered among the 60 pairs of 1940s-style shoes.
The memorial serves as a stark reminder of the events that took place nearly 70 years ago.
The oblivious tourist (pictured) may notice the shoes, which stand as a memorial to Jews who died on the wharf during World War II
Also known as ‘The Shoes on the Danube Bank’, stands in memory of Jews who were shot by members of the Arrow Cross Party.
Each pair of shoes stands as a poignant reminder of their missing owner.
Stunned by the woman’s actions, one Reddit user commented, “Some people walk around here with no idea in their heads and it’s scary.”
Another chimed in, “I’ve been there and just can’t understand how anyone doesn’t know exactly what it is. 1930s-1940s bronzed shoes overlooking the river?
“Even the most basic knowledge of world history should help one fill in the blanks.”
In 1944, the Nazis overthrew Miklós Horthy’s government in Hungary, bringing the anti-Semitic and fascist leader Ferenc Szálazi to power.
He and the Arrow Cross Party brought fear into Hungarian society during the war.
Sometimes they tied their Jewish victims, both adults and children, together with shoelaces. They would then kill one person, while the other victims fell helplessly into the river with the deceased.
Shoes were a precious item during the war, and if not worn in excess, members of the Inhuman party would steal the victims’ shoes and sell them on the black market.
They often killed Jews next to the river Danube – a stone’s throw from the Hungarian parliament – so that the river would take their bodies with it.
Most whose lives were taken away, especially children, would die instantly if they fell into the river due to the frigid temperatures.
However, those seen still breathing by the barbarian Arrow Cross members would be used for target practice.
During the winter of 1944-1945, many Jews were murdered by the Arrow Cross Party. They tied adults and children together with shoelaces and then killed one person, while the other victims fell helplessly into the river with the deceased.
Zsuzsanna Ozsváth, a Hungarian survivor told Yad VashemThe World Holocaust Remembrance Center:
“What I saw was worse than anything I had ever seen before, worse than the most terrifying stories I had ever seen.
“Two Arrow Cross men stood on the river bank, aiming and firing at a group of men, women and children in the Danube.
‘One after the other, on their coats the Yellow Star. I looked at the Danube. It wasn’t blue or gray but red.’
The monument was erected in 2005 by Can Togay and Gyula Pauer.
There are three separate signs in Hebrew, Hungarian and English at ‘The Shoes on the Danube Bank’ that read: ‘In memory of the victims shot in the Danube by Arrow Cross militiamen in 1944-45.’