Hungary -- History -- Revolution, 1918-1919 -- Personal narratives; Tormay, Cécile, 1876-1937 -- Diaries
So he confessed that it was not the people who wanted his institutions,
but that his institutions wanted the people. And as he went on he
admitted that the men of the future were not to be Hungarians. “Every
place in this country must be filled by individuals who are inspired
by the spirit of the new revolution, of this new Hungary, of this new
world.” ... His words died away in a last sentence which, if it is
understood by the nation, ought to rouse it to desperate resistance,
for it is the proclamation of world-Bolshevism: “Every slave-nation
stands this day with reddening cheeks on the stage of the world, and one
after the other the peoples will rise with red flags and will sing in a
powerful symphony the hymn of the world’s freedom....”
[Illustration: SIGISMUND KUNFI _alias_ KUNSTÄTTER, LENIN’S EMISSARY.
PEOPLES COMMISSARY FOR EDUCATION.
(_To face p. 140._)]
It is to our everlasting shame that no single Hungarian rose to choke
these words. In the Hall of Hungary’s parliament Lenin’s agent could
unfurl at his ease the flag of Bolshevism, could blow the clarion of
social revolution and announce the advent of a world-revolution, while
outside, in Parliament Square, Lovászy and Bokányi, accompanied by
Jászi, informed the people that the National Council had proclaimed the
republic. On the staircase, Michael Károlyi made another oration. Down
in the square, Landler, Welter, Preusz and other Jews glorified the
republic—there was not a single Hungarian among them. That was the secret
of the whole revolution. Above: the mask, Michael Károlyi; below: the
foreign race which has proclaimed its mastery.
And bands of Hungarian workmen and gypsies played the National Anthem and
the Marseillaise, and Gallileists sang the Internationale. Humiliated,
with bitter anger, I read in the newspapers of hundreds of thousands of
people, furious cheers, and the frenzied happiness of the multitude. Thus
is the news spread over the country, while those who were present say
that the people were shivering in the icy north wind that blew across the
square, that they took everything with indifference, and only cheered
when ordered to do so by their leaders.
Only when the National Anthem was played and a few Gallileists refused to
uncover did the crowd knock their hats off. That was all that was done
for the sake of Hungary’s honour. Nobody proclaimed Michael Károlyi the
president of the republic. The Socialists would not have it. Is he of no
more use? Do they not need him any more? As a compensation, Kunfi ordered
the National Guards to carry him shoulder high. So Károlyi was carried
between the ranks of the commandeered trade unions across the square.
The white canvasses with the inscription: “Let us proclaim Károlyi
President of the Republic,” were rolled up in silence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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