Whose National Holiday is it?

National holidays are important elements of national identity. They provide an opportunity for everyone to feel part of the nation, regardless of the daily political situation and personal beliefs.

However, nowadays, Hungarian national holidays do not serve the purpose of expressing national unity. Instead, they are used by political actors to mobilize their supporters and promote their own narratives.

It is harmful for any nation when even on national holidays, they emphasize that only those who stand on their side are considered part of the nation, regardless of the policies they pursue.

March 15th:

We commemorate the outbreak of the 1848-49 Revolution and War of Independence on this day. The revolution took place in the fight against the Habsburg Empire and was a defining event in Hungarian history.

The key players in the outbreak of the revolution were the “March Youth”, who gathered at the Pilvax Café on March 15, 1848, led by Sándor Petőfi. Here they formulated the 12 Points, which contained the demands of the revolution, and Petőfi first recited the National Song here.

The demands of the 12 Points can also be considered the Hungarian Declaration of Independence. Even today, reading the text, we see a topical text. The text of the 12 points was as follows:

What does the Hungarian nation want? Let there be peace, freedom, and concord.

1. Freedom of the press with the abolition of censorship.
2. A responsible ministry in Budapest.
3. Annual parliament in Pest.
4. Equality before the law in civil and religious matters.
5. National Guard.
6. Joint burden sharing.
7. Abolition of feudal relations.
8. Jury, representation based on equality.
9. National Bank.
10. The military shall swear an oath to the constitution, Hungarian soldiers shall not be taken abroad, foreign soldiers shall be taken away from us.
11. Political prisoners shall be released.
12. Union with Transylvania. (Transylvania was an administrative part of the Habsburg Empire in 1848)

As a result of the revolution, Hungary became independent from the Habsburg Empire and the first Hungarian responsible government was formed under the leadership of Lajos Batthyány. The achievements of the revolution included freedom of the press, the liberation of the serfs, the officialization of the Hungarian language and the establishment of the National Guard.

The Habsburg Empire did not accept Hungary’s independence and in September 1848 sent its troops to Hungary under the leadership of Prince Windisch-Grätz. Russia participated in the 1848-49 Revolution and War of Independence as an ally of the Habsburg Empire. At the request of the Habsburgs, Tsar Nicholas I sent a 200,000-strong army to Hungary in April 1849 to suppress the revolution. The Hungarians fought heroically for their homeland in the war of independence, but were defeated by the superior forces of the Habsburg Empire and the Russian Tsar. The war of independence ended on August 22, 1849, with the surrender of General Artúr Görgei in Arad.

According to the message of 1848, we should still strive to create real national unity, to maintain complete freedom of the press and to ensure equality before the law for all citizens.

It is not right for the political class to adjust the interpretation of historical events to daily political battles. It is not right to single out a single historical figure who we sympathize with, suggesting that our historical fate always depends on a strong leader.