US returns Táncsics prison to Hungary in property swap

At the ceremony, the US and Hungary signed the deeds of conveyance to transfer three US-owned properties to the government of Hungary: the historic Táncsics Mihály utca compound, a residential single-family home in District XII and a residential apartment building on Széchenyi rakpart.
They were bought by the US government in 1948. The US Embassy in Budapest said that over the past 66 years the US has invested in their renovation and maintenance in a manner that respects their unique historic character while ensuring their fitness for modern use.
In return for receiving the three historic properties, the Hungarian government is conveying the renovated properties at Szabadság tér 10-11 to the US, which has its embassy in the square at number 12. Szabadság tér 10-11 have been renovated under the leadership of the Hungarian National Asset Management Inc. (MNV), with DVM design group acting as the lead contractor for the project.
The transfer agreement was signed by MNV director Péter Márton and US Chargé d’affaires M. André Goodfriend. The event was the culmination of several years of negotiations and work on behalf of the two governments to conclude a mutually beneficial property transfer arrangement. In September 2007 US and Hungarian representatives of the two governments signed an agreement that laid out the responsibilities on the part of both governments to renovate and to maintain the buildings before the transfer.
Mihály Táncsics (1799-1884) was a Hungarian writer, teacher, journalist and politician. He was incarcerated in Budapest in 1846 for his radical political convictions. His pamphlet The Word of the People Is God’s Word led to his arrest. He was freed from the Habsburgs’ prison on 15 March 1848, the very day the Hungarian revolution broke out.
Goodfriend said: “Both parties are receiving good value in this exchange and we believe that this is a win/win situation. Over the decades that we have owned and maintained this Táncsics Mihály property and the others to be conveyed today, the United States has always appreciated our responsibility to maintain these buildings with respect for their historic and cultural importance.
“As Americans we appreciate the sacrifice of the Hungarian fighters for freedom in 1848 – we share the values that inspired them, the sense that individuals, separate from government, play an important role in shaping their society. Their values have inspired us, too.
“We have been honoured to be the caretakers and stewards of this historic property, and we are pleased that these properties will be used by the Hungarian government for the benefit of the Hungarian people.  We look forward to continuing this legacy of responsible stewardship with our new property in Szabadság tér.”
Dr. János Fónagy, State Secretary of the Ministry of National Development, said: “According to our plans the properties will partly be utilised as public buildings, while we’ll make the József Barracks — known as the Táncsics jail — accessible for the visiting public.” He said Hungarian experts had renovated the buildings on Szabadság tér in exceptionally good quality.