The Tradition of Inauguration of Military Officers in Hungary

Abstract

Throughout history, many Hungarian symbols have emerged that unite the nation in ways that are not clearly stated. Many national symbols and emblems have a stronger hold on the lives of soldiers serving in the Hungarian Defence Forces than they might have on the average person, as they swear an oath to defend their homeland by pushing their own demands into the background when taking a military (officer) oath. In my study, I examine the system of symbols of military officer training and perhaps the most prominent moment of the Hungarian Defence Forces, the inauguration. I intend to present the sublime event through an examination of memory, traditions, symbols, and protocol elements in order to try to decipher what contributes to the value of the military profession.