Hungarian Heritage Review, 1987 (16. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1987-08-01 / 8. szám
^feature of ®l?e JMontlj put Kossuth constantly on the defensive with regard to Rozsa and his men. And the actions of the “free corps” was, therefore, somewhat limited. In addition to this internal trouble, Rozsa found himself the particular target of the Austrian commander, General Heynau, who had earned the derogatory title of “Hyena of Brescia” because of his cruel and torturous treatment of prisoners taken at the capture of the Italian city of Brescia. And the capture of Rozsa became a special aim of Heynau. Most of his attempts, however, were doomed to failure because Rozsa was well hidden and well-warned by the people among whom he now lived. After the War When the War of Liberation had been fought and lost, Sándor Rozsa went into hiding for a period of eight years. During this time his name was mentioned as having been one of the conspirators in a plot to kidnap Emperor Franz Joseph. He was sought for in this connection, and several others whose names were associated with Rozsa’s were, indeed, captured and executed. It seemed unlikely that Rozsa was implicated in this plot; apparently it was just a justification to continue hounding him. For a long time after he had gone into hiding, Rozsa saw his name associated with every action against the Austrian occupying forces. Every time an Austrian soldier was slain, or there was some egregious violation of the new laws, Rozsa was suspected. And the troops of Austria were constantly pressing the search for their arch enemy. Usually, of course, in vain. It became routine for large units of Austrian soldiers to appear suddenly around one of Rozsa’s “hideouts” and to break in — following one or more tips from some traitorous people who were willing to sell their soul for money — and to find that the “bird had flown.” In the hysteria that followed, ordinary travellers along the country’s roads were often stopped and searched by Austrian troops who felt that Rozsa himself might be hiding in some disguise. These searches were first concentrated around Szeged, but soon they were being conducted throughout the country. Luck Runs Out As it always does, luck ran out for Sándor Rozsa on May 9, 1857. For it was then, in a house on the outskirts of Szeged, that the Betyár King was captured. It is felt that he was betrayed by his own landlord; when he knew that he was surrounded, Rozsa, instead of trying to escape, attacked his landlord, one Pal Katona, with great fury. Katona’s wife struck Rozsa with an axe, and he was carried out unconscious by the gendarmes. Rozsa was confined to the cellar of the fort of Szeged where he was held until two years later, 1859. Then his trial was held. The trial, which lasted seven days, witnessed the presentation of the testimony of some 40 persons. Because the international scene was such that Austria herself was undergoing severe trials, it was felt that making a martyr out of the King of Betyars would be a mistake. Nevertheless, the judges, acting on orders from Vienna, found Rozsa guilty “on all charges” and did sentence him to death. Despite the denial of an appeal, Rozsa was finally granted a reprieve, and, following the suggestions of Count Ferenc Haller, Deputy Governor of Hungary, he was “locked up in a solid fort under secure guard, (where it was hoped) his name and person would gradually slip into oblivion!” This rather than the martyrdom that execution would present. Thus Rozsa was taken to Kufstein, the notorious prison fortress in Tyrol. He spent seven burdensome years here, under the weight of heavy chains. But, as time went on, things became more bearable for him, and he had a fair number of lady-admirers who provided him regularly with tasty dishes and romantic sighs. 24 HUNGARIAN HERITAGE REVIEW AUGUST 1987
