Papers and Documents relating to the Foreign Relations of Hungary, Volume 2, 1921 (Budapest, 1946)

Documents

1921 731 "In answer to your telegram of to-day, I beg to inform you of the reasons which made the reinforcement of our gendarmerie necessary: Viennese Socialists sent a former lieutenant, named Charles Stephen Schura, to Sopron in order to organize and to arm the Socialists there. 8000 revolvers in two trucks were transported to the Styrian border (place unknown) ; ten machine guns, also intended for the Western Hungarian Socialists, are ready for transport. Workmen's battalions in Vienna and Styria are ready and prepared to march into Western Hungary on their own initiative at a given moment." The plans for the socializing of the factories of Western Hungary are ready. In this connection I note: X. Generals Hamelin and Ferrario have been notified of the reinforcement of the gendarmerie. 2. It is not only our right, but actually our duty to keep gendarmerie in these territories, for we are responsible for public order and safety. 3. We have not failed to call Chancellor Schober's attention to the arming of the Austrian workmen's battalions and at the same time to assure him that the increase of the Hungarian gendarmerie was neither demonstrative nor anti-Austrian, and merely intended to reassure the population and to secure their property.

1 4. These gendarmerie reinforcements will leave immediately as soon as the Austria^ gendarmerie arrives and takes over the ensurance of order in its own sphere of authority. In the present circumstances the gendarmerie troops cannot be withdrawn.

2 The Minister of Hungary in Vienna, Mr. Masirevich, to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Count Bánffy. [TRANSLATION] To-day I informed Mr. Scharfenberg, the German chargé d'affaires, of the status of the question of Western Hungary and 1 Cf. supra, Docs. Nos. 700 and 714. 2 Cf. infra, Doc. No. 723. No. 718. 4551/pol. Code telegram No. 321. VIENNA, August 16, 1921.