Shoes on the Danube

The weather has been absolutely lovely in Budapest for the last week or so, which has given me a chance to do some more exploring. On the edge of the Danube, there's a famous monument called Shoes on the Danube. I had heard of it before coming to Budapest, but I didn't know what it stood for. In all honesty, it's probably one of the most moving and eerie statues I've ever seen. When Hungary was occupied by Germany at the end of WW2, from 1944-1945, the Jews in Budapest were rigorously hunted. Budapest had not really deported many Jews to concentration camps during the war, but once German soldiers occupied the city, Jewish people were deported in thousands to camps, sent on death marches, or just shot outright on the streets or in their homes. 

On one of the last days before Budapest was liberated by the Soviets, the Arrow Cross Party [Hungary's version of the Nazi Party] forced dozens of Jews to the edge of the Danube and shot them point blank into the river. Men, women, and children alike. This monument is a permanent marker to remind citizens and visitors of what took place on the banks of the Danube. The metal shoes are modeled after actual shoes that would have been worn in the 1940s.

Budapest is full of history and absolutely beautiful and moving monuments, and I hope that I continue to discover them throughout my time here. 

On a different note, stay tuned for a recap of my past weekend.. a road trip that was spontaneous and unexpected in all the right ways.