A Hajdú-Bihar Megyei Levéltár évkönyve 25. 1998 (Debrecen, 1998)

Tanulmányok - Bényei Miklós: A függetlenség napja: 1849. április 14.

történelmi igazságnak megfelelően - önkéntelenül is odakívánkozik egy kérdőjel.

(A Hajdú-Bihar Megyei Levéltári Napokon, 1999. április 14-én elhangzott előadás bővített és jegyzetekkel ellátott szövege.)

Haj dú-B ihar Megyei Levéltár Évkönyve XXV 161

Independence Day: April 14,1849

Miklós Bényei

The news about the Olomutz Constitution issued by the new Austrian Emperor Francis Joseph got to Debrecen in the middle of March. The National Assembly, which had held its sessions in this city since early January, as well as the members of National Defense Commission were appalled to hear about the plan of dissecting the territory of Hungary and the abolition of Hungary as a state. The majority were unsure about what counteraction was to be taken, the disheartened “moderates”, members of the so-called Peace Party were hoping in a lucky change of fortune. Among the left-wingers, the radicals, endeavours towards independence and the republic were strengthening. The actual “motor” of the events, the organizer of the national self-defence fight, was Lajos Kossuth.

After a whole week of contemplation he came to the decisive conclusion, the necessity of dethronization. The declaration of independence, he expected, would solve the accumulating internal problems and result in the strengthening of the international conditions of the Hungarian War of Independence. After the success of the Spring Military Campaign he had urged the immediate declaration of independence: He handed in the proposition to the 12th April session of the Government, then to the 13th April joint closed session of the Lower and Upper Houses. On 14lh April 1949, the Parliament held in the Reformed Great Church an open session, which was actually broadened into a mass meeting. On this occasion, after Kossuth’s oration the independence of the Hungarian state was solemnly announced and Kossuth was elected Governing Chairman. The April 14 session was the culmination of the national fight for independence and one of the most glorious days in the history of Debrecen. The massive, active participation of the Debrecen citizens elevated the city, in this decisive moment, out of the everyday course of events.