The Fate of Western Hungary 1918-1921 - Corvinus Library ...

the first clash of Ágfalva. This was the reason that the proclamation of Lajta-
Banate was delayed, although Viennese papers reported it as an event that had
happened. 306 Friedrich was, at this time, a parliamentary representative in the
opposition and it was not in the interest of the Bethlen government that he gain
notable political success and popularity through possible successful resistance
and proclamation of Lajta-Banate. Hence, he was soon removed from the scene
of the insurrection, which was also demanded by the Entente Mission. The
Mission had divided the territory earmarked for handover to Austria into two
zones which indicated its intention regarding the allocation between the two
countries. The definition of zones “A”, “B” and “C” have been noted earlier.
The customs and revenue units operating in the villages of Köpcsény,
Királyhida, Szarvkő, Savanyúkút, Sopron, Kabold, Pinkafő, Szentelek and
Gyanafalva were the first to be withdrawn on August 26 from the intended
handover area. On the following day, on the 27 th , it was the turn of the infantry
units and regimental command staff to vacate the Nezsider, Kismarton and
Sopron barracks and relocate to their new districts behind the Trianon border.
The garrison of Sopron left the city with a black shroud tied to their flag. The
gendarmes began their withdrawal on the 28 th and were to reach the line of the
mentioned zone “A” by the same noon. This order also covered the local
gendarme posts, the 1 st and 2 nd Gendarme Reserve Battalions and the Moson
and Sopron counties’ reserve gendarme companies, as well. Also forced to
comply were the police detachments in Köpcsény, Királyhida, Lajtaújfalu,
Savanyúkút, Lakompak, Pinkafő and Radafalva, the local garrison in Ruszt, as
well as the staff of the police command centers in Sopron and Kismarton. 307
On the morning of the same day, August 28, the Cabinet was in session in
which Foreign Minister Miklós Bánffy, also minister without portfolio for the
national minorities, made known the official communiqué of the Austrian
Foreign Committee. According to its August 13 decision, Austria is only
willing to resume negotiations after the handover of Western Hungary. At the
same time, the Kingdom of Serbs-Croats-Slovenes had not yet signed the
agreement covering its withdrawal from southern Trans-Danubia, forcing the
Hungarian government to form a new position in the matter. Prime Minister
Bethlen immediately remarked: “…the conditions for the handover of Western
Hungary do not exist.” The PM then went on to suggest that until assurances
are received from Vienna regarding financial and other interests, as well as
ownership of assets, zone “B”, including Sopron, will not be evacuated. It is
possible, he went on, that the Entente will send an ultimatum, which prevents
further resistance, but he saw hope that Paris would not reach for this option.
The Belgrade government can comply in short order with the evacuation of
southern Trans-Danubia but to satisfy Austrian demands would take much time.
306 Fogarassy, László: A nyugat-magyarországi kérdés katonai története. II. rész: 1921.
augusztus – szeptember [The military history of the Western Hungary question. Part II:
1921 Aug.-Sept.]. In: Soproni Szemle, year XXVII, 1972, issue 1, pp. 26, 28.
307 Ibid, pp. 28–29.
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