The 13 Martyrs of Arad
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The 13 Martyrs of Arad were the thirteen Hungarian rebel honvéd generals who were executed on October 6, 1849 in the city of Arad, in Transylvania (presently in Romania), after the Hungarian Revolution (1848-1849) was ended by troops of the Austrian Empire and Imperial Russia, who reestablished Habsburg rule over the area. The execution was ordered by the Austrian general, Julius Freiherr von Haynau.
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[edit] Brief background
In a speech of surpassing power on March 3, 1848, shortly after news of the revolution in Paris had arrived, Lajos Kossuth demanded parliamentary government for Hungary and constitutional government for the rest of Austria. The Revolution started on March 15, 1848, and Kossuth declared independence on April 19. By May, the Hungarians had recaptured all of their country except Buda, which they won after a three-week bloody siege.
The hopes of ultimate success, however, were frustrated by the intervention of Russia. After all appeals to other European states failed, Kossuth abdicated on August 11, 1849 in favor of Artúr Görgey, whom he thought was the only general who was capable of saving the nation. Görgey capitulated at Şiria (then called Világos) to the Russians, who handed the army over to the Austrians. At the insistence of the Russians, Görgey was spared but reprisals were taken on the rest of the Hungarian army.
The thirteen Hungarian generals were executed on October 6, 1849. On the same day, Count Lajos Batthyány (1806–1849), the first Hungarian prime minister, was also executed. Kossuth steadfastly maintained until his death that Görgey alone was responsible for the humiliation, calling him "Hungary's Judas". [1]
One of the public squares contains a martyrs' monument, erected in their memory. It consists of a colossal figure of Hungary, with four allegorical groups, and medallions of the executed generals.
[edit] The generals
- Arisztid Dessewffy (1802 – 1849)
- Ernő Kiss (1799 – 1849)
- Ernő Poeltenberg (1814- 1849)
- György Lahner (1795 – 1849)
- Ignác Török (1795 – 1849)
- János Damjanich (1804 – 1849)
- József Nagy-Sándor (1804 - 1849)
- József Schweidel (1796- 1849)
- Károly Knezich (1808- 1849)
- Károly Leiningen-Westerburg (1819- 1849)
- Károly Vécsey (1807- 1849)
- Lajos Aulich (1793 – 1849)
- Vilmos Lázár (1815- 1849)
[edit] Legend
Legend has it that during the execution, the Austrian soldiers were drinking beer and clinking the glass celebrating the victory over the Hungarians. Since that time, Hungarians will not clink glasses when drinking beer (it is considered dishonoring to the 13 generals).
