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

August 16, stating that every armed incursion before the Entente’s decision will
be met with armed force. German Austria was not, at this time, prepared for an
armed confrontation with Hungary, which is why it made the decision to send
‘free irregular’ troops to occupy Westungarn, seemingly independent of the
Vienna government, as they already planned to do in May. The territory of the
Borderland earmarked for annexation soon saw Austrian units cross the border.
A public meeting was called in Németújvár on August 17 with the pretext that
the use of the Hungarian Socialist Republic’s currency, the so-called white
money, still in circulation had to be discussed. In the second half of the
meeting, they announced that 251 Western Hungarian settlements intend to join
Styria and petitioned the Austrian government to assume public administration
of the area. The Hungarian border guards and gendarmes broke up the meeting.
Colonel Baron Antal Lehár 136 (1876-1962), commander of the Szombathely
military command, dispatched an armored train and an armed company of
officers to Németújvár to restore order. Hungarian authorities also broke up an
Austria-friendly meeting in Rábafüzes, which had passed a resolution that those
in attendance will no longer pay taxes to Hungary.
Colonel Lehár notified the War Ministry by telegram that the Austrians
intend to occupy Western Hungary with four armored trains and volunteer
irregular battalions, even though they officially proposed a plebiscite. Hence, he
suggested that Austria be held responsible for the actions of the irregulars,
recall the Hungarian ambassador from Vienna and put the prospect of
beginning military action on the table. Colonel Lehár also indicated his
intention to gather all available forces (the Szekler Brigade, the battalion
brought back by him from Feldbach in Styria, the reserves in the county and the
106 th battalion) on the right bank of the Danube along the line of Petronell –
Királyhida/Bruckneudorf, southwest of Hainburg, and possibly attack towards
Vienna. 137 The colonel also sent a note to Pozsony, to the commander of the
Czech-Slovak forces in western Czechoslovakia, French General Eugene
Mittelhauser, requesting that, in case of a possible action with Austrian troops,
his forces remain neutral. Lehár’s plan was not approved by the Hungarian
government since Budapest was already under Romanian occupation. The
Romanian military command now threatened the Hungarian government: if it
does not sign a separate armistice with it, hostilities will resume. This
agreement was only finalized on August 27.
Austria, in the meantime, sent notes to the Paris Peace Conference, without
avail, regarding its goal of occupying the Borderlands. The Entente Powers
remained mute, or at least were in no hurry to hand the territory over to
Austria. In fact, the Supreme Council of the Peace Conference decided on
August 18 not to answer the notes of the Austrian delegation regarding the
handing over of Westungarn. Georges Clemenceau, in his last note of
136
Baron Antal Lehár, younger brother of the world famous composer and conductor
Franz Lehár (1870–1948).
137
Fogarassy, 1971, op. cit., pp. 295–296.
59