March 15--The 1848 Revolution

People place flags around 1848 Revolutionaries statues.

The colors of red, white and green have been on display throughout the country since the weekend. Today the celebration of the 1848 Revolution Day took place. March 15, 1848 was the first day that Hungary proclaimed its desire and right for independence from the Austrian Empire. Today is known as "The Hungarian spring" - a bloodless fight for freedom against Habsburg domination which later led to war against Austria and its allies.

Kossuth was one of the main leaders of the
1848 Revolution.

The main demands of Hungarians were: freedom of the press, and the establishing of a Hungarian parliament in Pest with its government. Revolutionists also demanded freedom of religion, a jury, a national bank, a Hungarian army, and the withdrawal of foreign military presence from the country.

In 1849 Russia intervened on the side of Austria, and won. The Austrian retorsion included the execution of 13 generals of the Hungarian revolutionary army and of 5 civilian leaders of the short-lived independent Hungary. One of them was the first prime-minister, count Lajos Batthyany.

Hungary celebrates many holidays, but this one may be one of the most important. The Hungarians may have lost the Revolution of 1848, but the ideologies of freedom remained deeply ingrained. Like all countries who have struggled for liberty and then finally received it, Hungarians do not take their independence lightly. They will not soon forget the hardships they had to endure to get to this point in time.

A special small tram-car went around Debrecen today
in celebration of the holiday.

Here is a link to Hungarian Holidays where I got a very condensed version of the 1848 Revolution.