Századok – 2015
2015 / 6. szám - TANULMÁNYOK - Kiss Dávid: A Munkásőrség utolsó hónapjai
A MUNKÁSŐRSÉG UTOLSÓ HÓNAPJAI 1443 na. A négyigenes népszavazással az ellenzék több pártja nem csak a népszerűségét tudta növelni, hanem nyomást tudott a hatalomra gyakorolni, hogy oszlassa fel a Munkásőrséget. Ugyanakkor a szovjet csapatok ittléte, és az MSZMP hatalmi pozíciói miatt többen joggal tarthatták kockázatosnak a népszavazást, bár ez 26 éves távlatból visszatekintve helyes lépésnek bizonyult. THE LAST MONTHS OF THE WORKMEN’S GUARD by Dávid Kiss (Summary) One of the key points during the change of regime in 1989-90 was the suppression of the Workmen’s Guard (Hung. Munkásőrség), as its personnel consisted of members of the Communist Party or persons loyal to it. Although this did not mean that all its members would have been ready to take arms in defence of the “people’s authority”, even the mobilisation of only a part of the some sixty thousand members for an extreme leftish coup could have had serious consequences. From all this followed that the complete dissolution of the Guard became a question of crucial importance, for not even a transformation of this body would have meant a solution to the problems it represented, as more than two hundred thousand people had served there in the course of its existence. Nor was it indifferent for the Communist Party, preparing itself for the democratic transition, how the serving and retired personnel, and the members of their families would vote during the forthcoming elections. On the other hand, the reformist circles of the ruling party were aware that a standing party army would be incompatible with the conception of a modern leftish political force. In opposition to them, some played on the transition of the Guard into the new era. The tug of war around the Guard was eventually decided by the success of the collection of signatures which preceded the referendum proposed by the political opposition on four questions. Then, before voting on fundamental legislation, the parliament passed act XXX of 1989 on the abolition of the Workmen’s Guard. As the subsequent referendum was regarded as confirmatory, the Guard could not be reorganised under any pretext thereafter.
