The Fate of Western Hungary 1918-1921 - Corvinus Library ...
The Fate of Western Hungary 1918-1921 - Corvinus Library ... The Fate of Western Hungary 1918-1921 - Corvinus Library ...
Later, in 1921, a large proportion of the students did not go home for their summer break. They did not want to leave in case they would be unable to return. They stayed in Sopron to protect their school and city, if necessary. They met continuously, preparing for something. They established contact with the students of the Theological Academy, picking trusted students from among the middle schoolers. They included in their organizing the Boy Scouts under the leadership of Benedictine teacher, Detre Horváth, but kept their activities a secret in the city. The only thing that seeped out was that they swore an oath to each other that, whatever may happen, they would take care of traitors. 284 When the Western Hungary insurrection broke out in August of 1921, the disarmament and reorganization of the Hungarian army to the 35,000 permitted under the Trianon treaty was under way for months. This, of course, touched the Szombathely district command, whose strength shrank to 423 officers, 221 civilian staff, 269 NCOs, and 3,913 men (from January’s 846 officers, 666 NCOs and 14,624 men). As seen, the number of privates shrank to about a quarter of its former strength. As a result, the former Szombathely division shrank to become only a mixed brigade under the command of Gen. László Horváth, the district commander appointed was Gen. Árpád Guilleaume (1868- 1951). The district gendarmerie consisted of 39 gendarme and 60 army officers, 881 professional gendarmes and a further 2,431 NCOs and men. 285 This does not include the two national gendarme reserve battalions, under Gyula Ostenburg 286 and Viktor Ranzenberger, which arrived in Western Hungary in the middle of August (142 officers and 2,291 gendarmes). Also, the district had an 800-strong unit (officers and men) of customs and revenue officers. As a result of the terms of the Trianon Decree, Hungary was forced to close all military training institutions, with the exception of the Ludovika Academy in Budapest. After twenty-three years of existence, the Royal Hungarian Military Middle School of Sopron was forced to close its doors at the end of the 1920-1921 school year (closed by Law XLIV of 1921). “What happened next is the saddest event in the life of a military institution. They collected the rifles from the students; they took away all their military gear, even their belts.” 287 The students were amalgamated into the commercial middle school of Sopron, along with the institution’s equipment and assets. 284 Träger, 1925, op. cit., p. 82. 285 Fogarassy, 1994, op. cit., pp. 311-312. 286 Gyula Ostenburg-Moravek (1884-1944), politician, army officer. Served in WWI, reaching the rank of major. During the era of the Hungarian Soviet Republic, he joined the Hungarian National Army organized in Szeged. He sided with Charles IV in his October 1921 second attempt to reclaim the throne and was arrested on October 23 after the losing battle of Budaörs. He was sent into retirement after his release in 1922. 287 Péterfy, Károly: A soproni M. Kir. Honvéd Főreáliskola története 1898–1921 [The history of the Royal Hungarian Military Middle School of Sopron 1898-1921]. Sopron, 1934, p. 106. 116
Chapter 6: The Western Hungary insurrection August 28 – October 4, 1921 To direct the Western Hungary insurrection, an 11-member Military Committee 288 was organized in the second half of August, under Baron Zsigmond Perényi (1870-1946), national president of the Hungarian National Alliance. Its members, among others: former prime minister István Friedrich, 289 National Assembly representative and staff captain Gyula Gömbös, NA representative Albin Lingauer, politician and former NA representative Nándor Urmánczy, 290 one of the leaders of the Etelköz Association Captain Doctor Dezső Wein, NA representative Prince Lajos Windisgräetz (1882-1968), and military bishop István Zadravecz. 291 The task of the Military Committee was to exercise full power over the command of the Western Hungary insurrection with the knowledge of the Hungarian government and even, if necessary, without it. Gyula Gömbös requested unlimited power from the government to assure uniform leadership. To filter out undesirable elements, he encouraged the surveillance of train stations, allowing only those travelers to proceed to the western border zone who possessed a “Feltámadás” (Resurrection) identity card. It was the aim of the Bethlen government to gather the leadership of already-begun clandestine organizations and oversee them under the “Resurrection” cover name of the Etelköz Association. As a result, after August 21, the police picked up, or interrogated as witnesses, numerous people with intention to travel to Western Hungary. According to the summarized situation report of the Royal Hungarian Defense Ministry for August 25-26: “the atmosphere in Sopron and its surroundings is calm, almost depressed.” 292 On August 27, PM Bethlen instructed Chief Government Commissioner Sigray that if subsequent to the withdrawal of the Hungarian soldiers “it may be possible that during the night 288 Páter Zadravecz titkos naplója [Secret diary of Father Zadravecz]. Szerk/ed: Borsányi, György. Magyar Történelmi Társulat, Budapest, 1967, p. 161. 289 István Friedrich, one of the Secretaries of State for War in the Károlyi government between Nov. 1, 1918 and Feb. 8, 1919, then prime minister from Aug. 7 to Nov. 24, 1919. 290 Nándor Urmánczy (1868-1940), politician, newspaper reporter, representative of the city of Szászrégen (1902-1918). After the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, he organized a volunteer unit in Transylvania in the Fall of 1918 to hold up the advancing Romanian units. Between the wars, he lived in Budapest and dedicated himself to the revision of the Trianon Decree. From 1920 to 1940, he was the leading publicist for the Budapest publication, Pesti Hírlap. 291 Fr. István Zadravecz OFM (1884-1965). Entered the Franciscan order and was ordained in 1907, founding member of the Etelköz Association (March 1919), then military chaplain of the Prónay detachment. Elevated by Pope Benedict XV to a bishop in 1920, ordained on Aug. 24. Organized and led the Royal Hungarian Army’s Roman Catholic chaplaincy. Retired from the army in 1927 with the rank of Major General. 292 MOL. K 26. 1264. csomó. 1921–XLII–6959. szám, p. 29. 117
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Chapter 6: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Western</strong> <strong>Hungary</strong> insurrection<br />
August 28 – October 4, <strong>1921</strong><br />
To direct the <strong>Western</strong> <strong>Hungary</strong> insurrection, an 11-member Military<br />
Committee 288 was organized in the second half <strong>of</strong> August, under Baron<br />
Zsigmond Perényi (1870-1946), national president <strong>of</strong> the Hungarian National<br />
Alliance. Its members, among others: former prime minister István Friedrich, 289<br />
National Assembly representative and staff captain Gyula Gömbös, NA<br />
representative Albin Lingauer, politician and former NA representative Nándor<br />
Urmánczy, 290 one <strong>of</strong> the leaders <strong>of</strong> the Etelköz Association Captain Doctor<br />
Dezső Wein, NA representative Prince Lajos Windisgräetz (1882-1968), and<br />
military bishop István Zadravecz. 291 <strong>The</strong> task <strong>of</strong> the Military Committee was to<br />
exercise full power over the command <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Western</strong> <strong>Hungary</strong> insurrection<br />
with the knowledge <strong>of</strong> the Hungarian government and even, if necessary,<br />
without it. Gyula Gömbös requested unlimited power from the government to<br />
assure uniform leadership. To filter out undesirable elements, he encouraged<br />
the surveillance <strong>of</strong> train stations, allowing only those travelers to proceed to the<br />
western border zone who possessed a “Feltámadás” (Resurrection) identity<br />
card. It was the aim <strong>of</strong> the Bethlen government to gather the leadership <strong>of</strong><br />
already-begun clandestine organizations and oversee them under the<br />
“Resurrection” cover name <strong>of</strong> the Etelköz Association. As a result, after August<br />
21, the police picked up, or interrogated as witnesses, numerous people with<br />
intention to travel to <strong>Western</strong> <strong>Hungary</strong>.<br />
According to the summarized situation report <strong>of</strong> the Royal Hungarian<br />
Defense Ministry for August 25-26: “the atmosphere in Sopron and its<br />
surroundings is calm, almost depressed.” 292 On August 27, PM Bethlen<br />
instructed Chief Government Commissioner Sigray that if subsequent to the<br />
withdrawal <strong>of</strong> the Hungarian soldiers “it may be possible that during the night<br />
288 Páter Zadravecz titkos naplója [Secret diary <strong>of</strong> Father Zadravecz]. Szerk/ed:<br />
Borsányi, György. Magyar Történelmi Társulat, Budapest, 1967, p. 161.<br />
289 István Friedrich, one <strong>of</strong> the Secretaries <strong>of</strong> State for War in the Károlyi government<br />
between Nov. 1, <strong>1918</strong> and Feb. 8, 1919, then prime minister from Aug. 7 to Nov. 24,<br />
1919.<br />
290 Nándor Urmánczy (1868-1940), politician, newspaper reporter, representative <strong>of</strong> the<br />
city <strong>of</strong> Szászrégen (1902-<strong>1918</strong>). After the dissolution <strong>of</strong> the Austro-Hungarian<br />
Monarchy, he organized a volunteer unit in Transylvania in the Fall <strong>of</strong> <strong>1918</strong> to hold up<br />
the advancing Romanian units. Between the wars, he lived in Budapest and dedicated<br />
himself to the revision <strong>of</strong> the Trianon Decree. From 1920 to 1940, he was the leading<br />
publicist for the Budapest publication, Pesti Hírlap.<br />
291 Fr. István Zadravecz OFM (1884-1965). Entered the Franciscan order and was<br />
ordained in 1907, founding member <strong>of</strong> the Etelköz Association (March 1919), then<br />
military chaplain <strong>of</strong> the Prónay detachment. Elevated by Pope Benedict XV to a bishop<br />
in 1920, ordained on Aug. 24. Organized and led the Royal Hungarian Army’s Roman<br />
Catholic chaplaincy. Retired from the army in 1927 with the rank <strong>of</strong> Major General.<br />
292 MOL. K 26. 1264. csomó. <strong>1921</strong>–XLII–6959. szám, p. 29.<br />
117
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