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

every attempt aimed at forcibly splitting them from Hungary.” 201
Meanwhile, the Austrian military preparations for the occupation of the
Borderland continued. Also on February 17, the Hungarian National Army’s
High Command notified the Prime minister and other affected ministries in a
report (11 593 / I. a.) that, according to information received from the Chief
District Magistrate of the Németújvár district, 2,000 well-armed soldiers were
transported by rail from the Styrian town of Feldbach, close to the Austrian-
Hungarian border. 202
The Soproni Hírlap (Sopron Gazette) published a special edition at the end
of March in which it addressed – in French, German and Hungarian – a
Proclamation to the members of the Entente Military Mission in Sopron. The
proclamation drew the Mission’s attention to the fact that, during the time of
the Hungarian Red Terror, “the Austrian socialist government (…) showed
scant regard for the troubles of their ‘German brothers’ [of Western Hungary]
but rather showed at every turn their sympathy towards the Bolsheviks. (…)
With the end of Bolshevism, Austria suddenly changed into the guardian angel
of Western Hungary, to free our people from Christian terror and persecution of
Germans, which do not exist. Nobody here knows anything about German
persecution. The punishment of Bolshevik misdeeds can only be interpreted as
persecution of Germans through malicious slander. The cultural and political
rights of Germans are guaranteed by Hungarian minority laws, which have been
broadened recently in the most liberal spirit.” The Proclamation then points out
that, through almost four centuries, Austria “has done everything to destroy
Hungary’s ancient constitution and force German language and German law on
the Hungarians. Vienna was not particular in its methods when it came to
crushing national resistance.” 203
The leaders of the Hungarian freedom fights died in exile (Ferenc Rákóczi
II, prince of Hungary and Transylvania, Governor and President Lajos
Kossuth), 13 Hungarian generals were executed on October 6, 1849 in Arad,
and hundreds more executed. “Our lands make a perfect historical, cultural and
economic unit with the mother country, the breaking of which is pointless for
Austria, ignominious for Hungary, and would be ominous for our little rural
area. (…) No, gentlemen, the people of Western Hungary are not willing to
sacrifice themselves for a sick neighbor. (…) You will not shove us around on a
map like chess pieces, hither and yon, we demand our right to self
determination, a plebiscite. (…) Your mission, gentlemen, is to enlighten the
powerful of the world and draw the attention of the peace conference to a small
but determined people who demand that their voice be heard before decisions
are made of their fate. Do this, gentlemen, without prejudgment and the thanks
of three hundred thousand people will follow you back to your country.”
The editors added the following comment, in bold typeface, to the
201 MOL. K 26. 1920. csomó. 1920 – XLII–2035. szám, 33. old.
202 Ibid, 1920 – XXII–1511. szám, 1. old.
203 Soproni Hírlap, (year VII, issue 73) March 30, 1920, p. 3.
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