The Bethlen Home Messenger, 1992-1993 (1-4. szám)

1993-03-01 / 2. szám

the youngest and the most brilliant. He was the comet shooting across the sky, with the radiance of his powerful poetry. Never were his words delivered with more dramatic effect than, on March 15,1848, when they became the overture to revolution. Beside Sándor PetÓífi, Lajos (Louis) KOSSUTH, the son of an old Reformed noble family, was one of the great leaders of the Independence War. He remained, in fact, the actual leader of the nation during the ensuing struggle. No other Hungarian has ever achieved worldwidefamesuch as his, and probably none ever will. In his time, he was dubbed “the torch of liberty”, the hero of freedom. The French called him: “Kossuth, la Revolution”, and in America, a memorial coin was issued in his honor, imprinted with the legend: KOSSUTH, THE WASHINGTON OF HUNGARY. The Magyar peoplecalled him KOSSUTH APANK (Ourfather, Kossuth), and practically every Hungarian agrees that he was the most famous of all the Magyars.

Everything begins so peacefully on that significant morning. What does the Magyar nation want? Impatient for radical reforms and stirred by news of the revolution in Paris and Vienna, a youngful group led by poets, writers and other middle class intellectuals staged a demonstration, on March 15, 1848, introducing a twelve point platform titled: What does the Magyar nation want?

While storm clouds gathered all over the horizon, Kossuth delivered the most dramatic speech to his people, he summoned his nation to arms, beginning his oration with these words: “In ascending the platform to demand of you the saving of our country, the awesome magnificence of the moment weighs oppressively on my bosom. I feel that God has placed into my hands the trumpetforarousingthedead, who may relapse into eternal death if they still be sinners and weak, but who, if the vigor of life is still within them, may waken to eternity. Gentlemen! The fate of the nation at this moment is in your hands. With your decision on my motion, God has placed you in the position of arbiter over the life or death of Hungary.”

After innumerable battles, the independence war was crushed. The Habsburg House asked for the Russians’ help to crush the Hungarian uprising.TheHungarians had no chance to win. On the 13th of August, 1849, the remaining Hungarian troops in Transylvania at Világos capitulated before the Russian and Austrian commanders. The sadistic Austrian general Haynau, nicknamed “Hyena” for his cruelty, vented his wrath upon a defenseless people. After the collapse of the freedom struggle, Kossuth sought refuge abroad, accompanied by several political and military leaders. After a triumphal welcome in New York, he was invited to address a session of the U.S. House of Representatives. He said: “Freedom has never been given to nations as a gift, but only as a reward, bravely earned by one’s own exertions, own sacrifices, and toil; and it neverwill, nevershall be attained otherwise...” During

these years, he managed to gain worldwide sympathy forthe oppressed Hungarian nation. The elderly Kossuth retired in Italy, where he died.

The tragic fate of the 1848 freedom fight, though it was crushed — is not forgotten. The martyrs' spirits are so alive. Their faithfulness influenced the revolution in 1956, and it is so influential, so relevant to the Magyars all over the world even today. We must nurture the flame of 1848. May our commemoration in this year of 1993 be a memorable one.

Rev. Joseph Posta Chaplain of the Bethlen Nursing Home

Sándor Petőfi. The foremost poet in Hungarian literature. Killed in action against the Russians in the battle of Segesvár at the age of 26.

“Liberty and love These two ! must have.

For my love Til sacrifice My life.

For liberty, I’ll sacrifice My love. "

(transi, by G.F. Cushing)