Memorial Uses an Empty Silhouette To Honor Soldiers Who Fought in WWI and WWII

September 19, 2021

World War Memorial by Bojte Horvath Istvan

Böjte Horváth István, WWI and WWII Memorial, Vácrátót, Hungary, 2014. (Photo via Köztérkép)

War leaves scars in families which never truly fade away. A memorial in the Hungarian village of Vácrátót pays homage to soldiers who fought and died in WWI and WWII with a moving statue. It depicts a family of four in traditional Hungarian folk clothing, only the father figure is missing from the portrait. Instead, there is a cutout silhouette of where the soldier is supposed to be—alive, in the company of his family.

Made by Hungarian sculptor Böjte Horváth István, this poignant monument reminds us of the sacrifice these soldiers made and that their presence is never forgotten by their loved ones. In the relief, the wife has her arm extended to wrap around her husband’s shoulder and the youngest child is propped up on the invisible knee of their father. Similarly, the daughter leans her body into the empty space where her dad should be. These little actions illustrate the unimaginable loss of thousands of families from these two catastrophic events.

Below the sculpture is a large stone plaque with dozens of names inscribed into it. They list the names of Hungarian soldiers from Vácrátót who served and died in WWI and WWII. Tourists and inhabitants of the village can come to the memorial to reflect on the lives lost as well as pay their respects.