in the darkest of night, I stood amongst the bronze shoes of those who had fallen, for the freedom they cannot choose, nor gained, fall dead in the cold River Danube.
I also thought of many others who fought tremendously for the price of their freedom and sovereignty, while I was still standing amongst countless shoes, ashamed of the freedom I have and I taste, that I did not gain or choose.
– faa, 23 Nov 2012: Shoes Memorial along the River Danube, Budapest
*it was quite dark when I was finally there, at the bank of River Danube. Nobody was around as the temperature dipped to 10°C. The silence was too prominent with the glittering Chainsbridge not far away from me and the distance rumbled of traffic behind me. I was all alone by myself with only the shoes as companions. The Memorial was built in a memory of once-real shoes scattered on the same place many years ago. The shoes belonged to Jews who were executed cold bloodedly with close range shots from the Arrow Cross Militiamen back in 1944-45 when Jews were persecuted for just being Jews.
thisisfaa 