Horváth M. Ferenc (szerk.): Vác The heart of the Danube Bend. A historical guide for residents and globetrotters (Vác, 2009)
Tartalom
142 THE 19TH CENTURY - THE CENTURY OF GREAT CHANGES THE EVENTS OF THE REVOLUTION AND WAR OF INDEPENDENCE OF 1848/49 The Battle ofVác in 1849 In October 1847 the inhabitants of Vác experienced something that they had never seen before. Canvassers came to the town in order to win over the voters so that the candidate of the opposition, Lajos Kossuth, become a member of the General Assembly. On the 15th March 1848 the news of the revolution in Pest was delivered by the "commuters” who travelled to Vác by train - just like a hundred years later in 1956. Two days later the demands of the revolutionaries were declared at a public meeting: the abolition of feudal burdens and the independence of Hungary from Austria. The town took an enthusiastic stand for the revolution. Four national The Hungarian coat of arms Memorial plaque of the Revolution of 1848 outside the episcopal palace Pál Hajnik, Member of Parliament for Vác in 1848 The cross of Emerich von Offenberg czarist Cadre Cavalry guard companies were organized, and ardent patriotic women sewed flags for the national guard. The two towns provided 1347 volunteers for the national guard and several men joined the Hungarian revolutionary army as well. After the beginning of the war of independence the town offered its church bells, and the seminary, the Franciscan Monastery and the old priests'home in the Main Square were turned into temporary hospitals. In January 1849 Vác was occupied by the Austrian army, and the town yielded to the imperial two-headed eagle. The army passing through or staying in the town, demanding medical attendance and, on top of all this, commandeering laid a heavy burden on the town. During the spring the town became the centre of military operations. In April the Austrian Commander-in-Chief, Alfred Windischgraetz focused on the defence of Pest and made his armies join south of the capital city. The Hungarian national army was led by Artur Görgei. Some of the units under the command of János Damjanich and György Klapka tried to take a bypass northwards in the direction ofVác with the aim of liberating the Castle of Komárom. On 10 April the Austrians discovered the Hungarian legion marching near Vác at the bridge of the Gombás Stream, and the two armies clashed. The Austrian divisional commander, General Christian Götz was mortally wounded in this battle. The death of General Christian Götz
