Magyar News, 1992. szeptember-1993. augusztus (3. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1993-03-01 / 7. szám
Magyar News Monthly Publication in Cooperation of the local Hungarian Churches & Organization REFLECTIONS ON THE HUNGARIAN REVOLUTION OF 1848 Ever since the Idesof March of 1848, the fifteenth day of March remained, and still is, perhaps not the greatest but certainly the most popular national holiday of the Hungarian people. It was celebrated by generation after generation under diverse political systems, rightist or leftist governments, supported or discouraged by them, but always remained essentially a symbolic event, dominated primarily by the youth, writers, students, working class people, expressing their quest and demand for freedom. Around the mid-nineteenth century all over Europe, especially in the West, the nations were imbued with the atmosphere of liberalism echoing the ideas of theFrench Revolution: political freedom, popular representative government and personal freedom and equality of the individual. Direct target of the liberal movements everywhere was the oppressive absolute government, enemy of all liberal and revolutionary changes, and epitomized by the governmental system of the powerful Austrian chancellor, Prince Metternich. The liberal and revolutionary atmosphere was intensified with the new sentiment of nationalism, originated during the Napoleonic period in Germany, and spreading its philosophy all over Europe, emphasizing each nation’s right for its own government, cultural and economic development free from any foreign interference. In Hungary this period coincided with the culmination of a great reform-movement which started in the mid-1820s and gained strength in the 30s among progressive minded members of the aristocracy and nobility, as well as the middle class, with leaders like Count Széchenyi, Baron Eötvös, Francis Deák and the radical Lajos Kossuth. Their aim was to demolish the antiquated institutions of the old feudal system and bring about a total political, social and economic reconstruction and revival of the Hungarian society, based on the principles of liberalism. The explosive political atmosphere in Europe came to an eruption in February 1848, when the liberal and radical revolutionary groups in France toppled the monarchy of Louis Philippe and proclaimed the second French republic. At the news of the successful revolution in France, revolutions broke out simultaneously in Germany, in Italy, in the Austrian possessions of Lombardy and Venice, in Prague and on March 18 in Vienna itself, where students and workers erected barricades and in the suburbs occupied and pillaged factories. This sudden outburst of revolutionary crisis took the imperial court by surprise and in order to mitigate the revolutionary mood of the people, Emperor Ferdinand dismissed chancellor Metternich, promised to grant a constitutional government for the people of Austria, and as precautionary measure, the emperor and the court left Vienna to Innsbruck, temporarily placing themselves under the protection of the army... Meanwhile in Hungary the news of the revolutions in France and Italy galvanized the movement for reforms. Already on March 3, Louis Kossuth, leader of the radical opposition in the Hungarian Diet, which was in session in Pozsony, made a rousing speech, demanding new constitution, liberal reforms and a government responsible to the parliament for Hungary. As the news about Mettemich’s fall and the Viennese revolution reached the twin-cities, Budapest, the liberal and radical elements of the society, writers and students of the university, staged on the 15th of March a huge demonstration and rally in Pest, in the front of the National Museum, then the largest neo-classical public building in the city. Here, before a huge crowd where all segments of the population, middle and working class, were represented. Sándor Petőfi, the great poet and idol of the youth recited his famous poem, the “Talpra magyar” (Magyars arise!), a passionate call to arms and to fight for freedom, which was answered by the enthusiastic crowd repeating the poem’s refrain: “we swear.” Speakers read out the demands of the Hungarian nation, listed in 12 points, calling for new constitution, independent representative government, freedom of speech and of the press, and equality before the law. The 12 points and Petőfi’s poem were sent to the printer without presenting them to the obligatory censorship, in defiance to the authorities. On the whole, it was a great, enthusiastic but orderly demonstration, without violence, bloodshed, and without barricades. The actual revolutionary event occurred in the city of Pozsony (today Bratislava, capital of the Slovak republic), where the Hungarian Diet, the legislative body of the old feudal system, was holding its sessions. This essentially conservative assembly, after heated debates and under the impact of news of the Viennese revolution and impressed by the rhetoric of Kossuth, adopted the proposals of the liberal opposition and passed, within the short period of barely one month, a line of important laws which virtually demolished the old feudal system in Hungary. They abolished the privileged tax-free status of the nobility, declared total equality of all citizens regardless of nationality, religion or economic conditions, abolished certain services of the corvée, last remainders of serfdom; in fact the peasant became free proprietor of the parcel of land which he formerly used from the landlord’s estate, and in return he had to render certain services to the lord. The compensation of the owner of the land was decreed to be obligation of the state. Politically, the new legislation established a representative system of government, which was responsible to the elected parliament of the people, and declared complete independence and sovereignty of the Kingdom of the Crown of Saint Stephen, including Transylvania. The Court of Vienna was still confused and disorganized in the absence of Metternich and disturbed by the temporary success of the revolution in Vienna and Prague, and the open warfare in Italy. In order to avoid a similar conflict with Hungary, the emperor Ferdinand decided to give in, at least temporarily, to the Hungarian demands and on April 11,1848, sanctioned the laws of March. He accordingly appointed a new, constitutional government for Hungary, headed by Count Lajos Batthayányi as prime minister. The new constitution, however, left unsolved two vitally important problems. The first was Hungary’s situationas an independent, sov(continued on page 3)
