4 September
Reburial of Miklós Horthy,
Regent, in Kenderes

September 4, 1993
Reburial of Miklós Horthy, the Regent of Hungary, in Kenderes

On September 4, 1993, the remains of Admiral Miklós Horthy, the former Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary, were reburied in Kenderes, alongside his wife, Magdolna Purgli, from Józsahely, and their younger son, Miklós Horthy Jr., who had passed away earlier that year. The remains of the former head of state, brought from Portugal, were laid to rest in the family chapel in Kenderes, Hungary.

The reburial ceremony was initiated by the Hungarian Naval Association, in accordance with Horthy's last will, which expressed his desire to be buried in Hungarian soil. Over fifty thousand people gathered in Kenderes for the memorial service. Members of the Horthy family, 56 in total, were present to pay their respects.

The farewell ceremony saw the participation of many figures from Hungarian public life. Kálmán Kéri, a retired general, spoke on behalf of the diminishing number of former officers who had sworn allegiance to Horthy. Memorial speeches were also delivered by Lóránt Hegedűs, bishop of the Reformed Church of Hungary, and Countess Ilona Edelsheim-Gyulai, the widow of Horthy's deputy, Governor István Horthy. She thanked all those who had made the reburial possible and honoured the memory of the deceased. Miklós Horthy Jr. also recalled the memory of his grandfather at the coffin.

The ecumenical church service was led by Elemér Kocsis, Bishop of the Tiszántúl Reformed Church District, along with Pál Szalai, the pastor of Kenderes, and István Seregély, Archbishop of Eger and President of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference. In the crypt, sailors bid their final farewell to their former commander.

As the closing act of the reburial, wreaths were placed at the chapel – one of which was sent by Prime Minister József Antall – and the congregation sang the Himnusz, Hungary's national anthem, as a tribute.

A bronze bust of Horthy in his naval uniform was unveiled in the park of the former Horthy estate in Kenderes, as a lasting tribute to the man who had once served as the country’s head of state.