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

Rebel Army. It became clear later that Sátori was executed in the place of
another rebel, based on erroneous or intentionally false testimony.
On the Austrian side, casualties came to a total of 30 soldiers, 13 gendarmes
and one civil servant.
On September 18, 1922, shortly after second insurrection, a memorial
plaque was unveiled in Szombathely for six of the men from Vas County who
gave their lives in the battle for Western Hungary / Borderland. Coincidentally,
it was the date of Hungary’s entry into the League of Nations. In the hallway,
beside the entry into the county’s council chamber, is a marble slab with their
names: Ákos Gubicza, Ferenc Károly Hanus, Imre Kalocsay, Ferenc Nemetz,
Kornél László Párvy and Ferenc Pehm. 454
Eight years after the Western Hungary insurrection, in 1929, Prónay had a
Lajta-Banate Commemorative Medal struck. The commemorative text read:
“The Lajta-Banate medal was struck by the high command on the eighth
anniversary of the insurrection in Western Hungary in the year 1921 for those
who took up arms and fought for the integrity of our country, saving the honor
of the Hungarian nation, and recovered Sopron for the mother country. This
medal, which must not only symbolize the intransigent patriotism of the past
but which, as a link, must hereafter unite the camp of the truly committed
Hungarians, can be claimed and given by the high command to all those:
Firstly, who can positively prove that, in the timeframe mentioned, were
serving under the command of Lajta-Banate and served the insurrection
selflessly and steadfastly to the end. Secondly, the commander-in-chief offers it
to all noble patriots who supported this exalted goal with self-sacrifice, even if
indirectly, and aided the work of the insurgents. Those who defiled and
thwarted the noble aims of the sacred ideal of irredentism, can have no claim on
the medal. In fact, the medal will be withdrawn from those who acquired them
without authorization or those who become unworthy to wear it. The medal,
designed by sculptor Hugó Keviczky (1879-1944), shows the rebel commander
in military regalia on one side and, on the other side, a relief of the coat-of-arms
of the independent and sovereign state of Lajta-Banate. The ribbon shows the
colors of Lajta-Banate: a white cross on a red field. The medals are numbered
on the back, 1-30 struck in silver for the commanders of the insurrection, the
rest bronze [approx. 3,000]. The recipients of the medal not only receive a
commendation scroll but have their information recorded in an official roll. The
commendations are only valid with the personal signature of the supreme
commander. (Budapest, 1929, June 1. Hq.)” 455 Prónay had the medals struck “in
secret” in the Royal Hungarian Mint.
Some collectors have always supposed that one of the Lajta-Banate
commemorative medal was minted in gold for Regent Horthy. However, the
Regent refused to accept it and Prónay kept it for himself. In truth, a gold
version was struck but with the variation that the front did not have Prónay’s
454 Ádám T., 1935, op. cit., p. 270.
455 Missuray-Krúg, 1935, op. cit., pp. 173–174.
178