Petercsák Tivadar - Berecz Mátyás (szerk.): Tudomány és hagyományőrzés - Studia Agriensia 26. (Eger, 2008)
KATONAI HAGYOMÁNYŐRZÉS A 21. SZÁZADBAN - BARTÓK BÉLA: Hatvanasok Hatvanban - A cs. és kir. 60. gyalogezred hagyományainak ápolása Egerben
Béla Bartók THE SIXTIETH INFANTRY REGIMENT IN HATVAN Upholding the Traditions of the 60th Infantry Regiment in Eger On September 11th 1938 the veterans of the one-time Imperial and Royal 60th Infantry Regiment organized a regimental day in Hatvan. That year it was an event with special significance for a number of reasons. It was at this time that Hungary won the right to arm on a par with its neighbours, opening the way to Hungarian rearmament. While the material means to arm were made possible by the investment plan known as the Győr Programme in 1938, the need to man the army led to calls for renewed conscription. September 1938 saw an escalation in the conflict in Czechslovakia between the state and the German ethnic minorities. Attention also turned to the Hungarian minority there, causing increased revisionist activity in Hungary and a greater likelihood of military intervention in Czechoslovakia. It was in these circumstances therefore that the assembly of the one-time Hatvan infantrymen took place, turning it into something of a military parade in front of the state and military leadership, in which the uniformed men demonstrated their willingness and ability to fight. Much of the organization was carried out by the 60th Infantry Servicemen’s Association, which was made up primarily of veteran and active officers and regimental sergeant- majors, who enjoyed excellent relations with the local government, both at municipal and county level. Apart from less than efficient communication and authoritarian leadership, the veterans association was characterized by a great feeling of solidarity, Christian and nationalistic fervour and close ties with the local government in Eger. In 1938, the upholding of military traditions by the 60th Infantry Servicemen’s Association was essentially military and political and not cultural in nature. 200
