Századok – 1999

Tanulmányok - Urbán Aladár: Agitáció a magyar köztársaságért 1848/49-ben II/221

AGITÁCIÓ A MAGYAR KÖZTÁRSASÁGÉRT X848/49-BEN 251 au 11 septembre, sous un drapeau de couleur noire-jaune. L'armée hongroise arrêta cette camnpagne, mais en persécutant les croates fuyants vers Vienne et en transgressant la frontière, elle subit une défaite. Non sans connection à cela le roi (et empereur autrichien) Férdinand V fut déposé au 2 octobre à Olmütz et le jeune Franois Joseph fut fait monter au trône. Malgré le milieu antimonarchiste renforcé le diète hongrois ne pouvait que s'agir autrement: il approuva roi légitime Ferdinand V à qui l'armée même prêta sermon. Le gouvernement hongrois (le Comité National de Défense) et la diète se décida au 31 décembre à se déménager à Debrecen devant l'approche de l'armée principale autrichienne. Les députés déménagés trouvaient naturel l'idée de continuer la lutte, la presse radicale voulait accélérer la détronisation des Habsbourgs et la proclamation de la république. La constitution de Kremsier, publiée au 4 mars 1849 abolit l'indépendance historique de l'état hongrois et llabsorba à l'empire unique autrichienne. En réponse on proclama au 14 avril la détronisation les Habsbourgs. La proclamation simultanée de la république fut annulée. Enfin l'étude présente affirme que les idées de Kossuth portant sur les affaires étrangères doivent être prise en considération car il ne voulait pas - d'après ces idées - mettre en connection la proclamation de l'indépendance et la déclaration de la république. Le régime n'a pas souffert de changements en avril de 1848, mais le forme du gouvernement - avec Kossuth, comme gouverneur à la tête - avait en fait d'aspect républicain. PROPAGANDA FOR A HUNGARIAN REPUBLIC IN 1848-49 by Urbán Aladár (Summary) Inspired by the French Revolution, Hungarian intellectuals of the nobility dissatisfied with the Austrian control of the countiy launched a republican (i.e., Jacobin) movement in 1794. The aim of the clandestine organization was to achieve independence and proclaim the republic. The narrow circle of conspirators was soon found by the Austrian secret police and their leaders were publicly beheaded in 1795. Until the 1830s the spread of republican ideas is not amply documented in Hungarian histoiy. It was the travel report of Bölöni Farkas Sándor about the United States that made the public acquainted with the democratic regime of that peacefully developing large republic. His book became the "handbook of democracy" and increased the interest of the Hungarians in the republican form of government. These were the antecendents of the Hungarian revolution that broke out in the wake of the French one in 1848. The young radicals leading the events of March 15 in the Hungarian capital considered it possible to proclaim the republic immediately, following the French example. Similarly to 1794, their aim was to get rid of the Austrian rule. The diet meeting at Pozsony (present-day Bratislava) intended to ensure constitutional transformation (i.e., the creation of a constitutional monarchy) by means of laws. When it became public in Pest that Vienna is reluctant to sanction the bill on an independent ministry of finance and ministry of war, the radicals in the capital wanted to proclaim the republic at once in late March. This finally did not take place as rumours spread about the royal assent. Consequently the republican claims subsided but the leaders of the radicals, Petőfi Sándor and Vasvári Pál expressed their unbroken belief in the republic. At the same time they admitted that conditions were not ripe for a Hungarian republic yet. Anti-monarchist opinions demanding a republic could be heard again in the autumn of 1848. One of its causes was that the Austrian government had officially declared that the emperor had had no right to sign the April Laws creating consitutional monarchy and Hungarian independence. Indignation was still increased by the fact that the Croat ban Jelai was going to attack the Hungarian capital under black and yellow banners. The attack was repelled by the Hungarian army but it was defeated as soon as it crossed the border pursuing the Croats retreating in the direction of Vienna. Also these events contributed to the fact that the emperor of Austria, Hungarian King Ferdinand V was forced to abdicate and the young Francis Joseph was elevated to the throne. Despite the ever stronger anti-monarchist sentiments, the Hungarian diet could do nothing but consider Ferdinand V the king. Also the army was sworn in. The Hungarian government (i.e., the Defence Commission) and the diet decided on December 31 to move to Debrecen to escape from the advancing main body of the Austrian army. Once in safety, the representatives found it natural to continue the fight. The radical press urged for the