Prohászka László: Polish Monuments - Our Budapest (Budapest, 2001)

secret military organisation in Hungary under the code-name “Barski” from 1942. Pesthidegkút, now part of District II of Budapest, was an independent locality at the time. Its military internment camp was a unique institution, primarily because it was practically unguarded. Two persons constituted the entire guard: a Hungarian officer and a sergeant. CIntil the German occupation of 19 March 1944, the 100-120 Polish officers were free to move as they pleased.

With the tacit approval of the Hungarian military authorities responsible for the camp a Hungarian branch of the headquarters of the Polish Home Army, also called the Base, was active in the internment camp of Pesthidegkút. Cinder the code-names “Ro- mek”, “Liszt” and “Pestka” it belonged to Department VI of the London general staff from late 1940, receiving orders and instructions from London until 1943 and later from the general headquarters of the Home Army. Besides securing connections by air and messengers, Korkozowicz made efforts to organise Polish soldiers into a force capable of engaging in military operations. His aim was to keep well-trained soldiers deployable anywhere by the Home Army. The marble plaque in the porch of the church is a reminder of those times. (It is worth noting that the ex-refugees of the famous Pesthidegkút Base placed a bilingual plaque in the coronation cathedral of Gniezno and the Basilica of Esztergom, in honour of the Hungarian nation which gave help to thousands of Polish civilian refugees and soldiers during World War II.)

Also commemorated in the triptych of the leftside chapel of the Church of the Holy Spirit are the daughters of Béla IV. The central figure of Saint Margaret is flanked by 31essed Kinga, who was canonised in 1999, and Blessed Yolanda.

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