Budapest, Hungary: Shoes on the Danube Promenade

In October 1944, Adolf Hitler changed leaders of Hungary, putting someone in charge (Ferenc Szalasi) who was even closer to his philosophy than the predecessor. Szalasi formed the Arrow Cross Party, a very fascist and anti-Semitic organization that immediately went to work on its horrible agenda.

The Jews in Budapest were quickly beaten and killed. About 80,000 people were expelled from the country via a death march to Austria. About 20,000 Jews were brought to the banks of the Danube River, where they were forced to remove their shoes (footwear was in high demand during World War II), and then shot without mercy. They fell into the freezing waters below. 

The Shoes on the Danube Promenade is a haunting, simple tribute to the victims of those actions. There are 60 pairs of shoes on the sidewalk near the Parliamentary building along the Danube. The shoes are designed to look like those from all ages and sexes, and they are sculpted out of iron. A variety of occupations are covered within the shoes. 

There are small signs of explanation in Hungarian, Hebrew and English. The monument was dedicated in 2005. 

Heart-breaking.