15th March Revolution Day in Hungary

I quoted the above line from the famous Nemzeti Dal (National Song) by poetist Sándor Petőfi (1823-1849).

On 15th March in 1848 he recited the poem from the stairs of the Hungarian National Museum (Múzeum körút 14-16., M3 (blue) metro, Ferenciek tere station) for thousand of people. Petőfi's passionate recitation marks the beginning of the revolution agaisnt the Habsburg regime. He was killed in one of the last battles of the war in 1849.

No Revolution day goes by without reciting the national song on the celebrations at national monuments especially from the stairs of the National Museum.

Recital on March 15 in Budapest

Budapest is dressed up in red, white and green, the national tricolours of Hungary. People also wear tricolor cockades pinned to their clothes.

March 15 Hungarian national Museum

Many other events accompany the celebrations including musical and theatrical performances. Kids can go a round on horse' back with the help of hussars dressed in traditional uniforms.

Hungarian Hussar

Kids on Horse's back on 15th March in Budapets

Other Venues in Budapest for Commemorating 15th March

Besides the National Museum other places where official celebarions will take place include Petőfi Statue (Petőfi tér, near Elizabeth bridge, tram 2)) and Batthyány Eternal Flame (Batthyány Örökmécses, Báthori utca, district V., M2 metro Kossuth tér station).

Count Lajos Batthyány was the prime minister of the first responsible Hungarian goverment in 1848-49. He was executed by a firing squad during the Habsburg's retaliations following their victory over the Hungarian army. The eternal flame has been burning in memory of him since 1926.

Brief Historical Background on 15th March

The Habsburg and their allies liberated Buda and from 150-year Turkish occupation in 1686. However Hungary did not become a free country but a province of the Austro-Habsburg Empire.

Hungarians fought against the Habsburg oppression throughout the coming centuries. The most important anti-Habsburg movements include the Thököly movement, the War of Independence in 1703-11 lead by Ferenc Rákóczi. The Austrians beat down these movements.

The first half of the 18th century was a period of compromise between the Austrian rulers and Hungary.

Influenced by the events of French revolution a new resistance movement , the Jacobin, emerged in Hungary toward the end of the 18th century. Lead by Ignác Martinovics the Jacobin's main objecties were the independence of Hungary and tranforming the country to a bourgeois society. The Jacobin movement failed too; the Habsburgs arrested and executed the leaders of the organisation.

The Hungarian Reform Era started in 1825 when at the diet Count István Széchenyi (1791-1860) offered his 1-year income to establish the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Széchenyi become a prominent figure of this era facilitating great developments in Budapest and the country. The other outstanding personality of this era was Lajos Kossuth.

The spirit of nationalism arose in other European countries and capitals and they only heightened the enthusiasm of Hungarian reformers. On political level Lajos Kossuth's fiery speeches provoked anti-Habsburgs feelings while Sándor Petőfi roused common people through his uplifting poems.

The revolutionary wave that had swept over Europe in spring 1848 resulted in a bloodless revolution in Hungary on 15th March. A bunch of Hungarian poets and writers formed the core of the radicals.

They were preparing for a demonstration on 19th March at their regular meeting place, the Café Pilvax. They heard the news of the revolution in Vienna on the evening of 14th March so they decided to bring forward the demonstration.

The revolutionaries started to gather people while reciting Petőfi's National Song and reading their demands worded in the 12 points (kids at school had to learn it by heart when they learn about the Revolution).

The mass lead by Petőfi in the pouring rain occupied a press and printed out the poem and the 12-points. The Habsburgs didn't dare to intervene.

Despite the rain an even bigger crowd gathered in the garden of the National Museum by afternoon.

Following the events on 15th March a Hungarain delegation went to Vienna to tell their demands to Ferdinand V. After several discussions the Habsburgs accepted an independent Hungarian ministry lead by Count Lajos Batthyány.

In summer 1848 Vienna decided to take action against the Hungarian revolution. The ethnic minorities living in Hungary weren't happy with the Hungarian's victory. The Croats allied with Austria and their troops attacked and invaded Hungary.

Despite the Habsburgs' more power and larger army they weren't strong enaough to defeat Hungarians so Austria convinced Russia provide support to breakdown Hungarian War of Independence. Despite being a small country, Hungary humiliated Austria by fighting tooth and nail and she emphasized this by surrendering not to the Emperor but to the Russian Czar in August 1849.

Following the defeat retribution began. Fourteen generals were executed at Arad on 6th October 1849, Count Batthyány Lajos, Hungary's first prime-minister was shot at Pest, thousands were sentenced to death and to prison. The Habsburgs built the Citadel fortress on Gellert Hill at that time with cannons directed at the town below.

15th March - Revolution Day and a National Holiday in Hungary

"Rise Up Magyar the Country Calls!"

Other Venues in Budapest for Commemorating 15th March

Brief Historical Background on 15th March

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