Today is October 6th, a date etched into the soul of Hungary. On this solemn anniversary, it is a national day of mourning, a day when flags are lowered to half-mast as the nation remembers the brutal executions of its greatest leaders in 1849.
The story is most famous for the 13 Martyrs of Arad, but the Austrian Empire’s retribution was swift and merciless, targeting both the political and military heads of the failed Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence. On this single, dark day, the nation lost not only its generals but also its first Prime Minister. Their collective story is a testament to unwavering courage in the face of utter cruelty.
The Prime Minister’s Defiance: A Martyr in Pest
While thirteen generals faced their fate in the town of Arad, Hungary’s political leader, Count Batthyány Lajos, the country’s first constitutional Prime Minister, met his end in Pest. A statesman who had sought a peaceful compromise with the Habsburgs, he was nonetheless arrested and charged with treason.
Sentenced to be hanged—a punishment designed for maximum humiliation—Batthyány was determined to deny his executioners their triumph. The night before his execution, his wife smuggled a small dagger to him in a piece of bread. In his cell, he stabbed himself in the neck, attempting to take his own life. The attempt failed, but the severe wound made death by hanging impossible.
The next morning, wounded and weak but unbroken, he was led before a firing squad instead. He refused a blindfold. Raising his voice for all to hear, he shouted his final, powerful words: “Éljen a haza! Rajta, vadászok!” (“Long live the country! Go on, riflemen!”). His execution on the same day as the generals in Arad cemented October 6th as a day of unparalleled national tragedy.
The Heroes Before the Noose: The 13 of Arad
In the fortress of Arad, thirteen of the revolution’s most brilliant generals were led to their deaths. They came from diverse backgrounds—Hungarian, German, Austrian, Serbian, Croatian—but they were united by one cause: a free Hungary. Most were sentenced to the gallows, yet they faced their fate not with shame, but with a defiance that has echoed through generations.
- Aulich Lajos: A man of German-Austrian origin, his final words were a humble prayer for his homeland: „I have served and served, always served. I will serve with my death as well. My poor, beloved Hungary.”
- Damjanich János: A Serbian-born general and a fearsome leader. Having broken his leg, he had to be carried to the gallows. He defiantly shouted, „I believed I would be the last, because I was always the first in battle. My poor Emília! Long live Hungary!”
- Dessewffy Arisztid: A nobleman who sacrificed his wealth for the revolution. He was one of four „graciously” granted death by firing squad.
- Kiss Ernő: A wealthy Hungarian-Armenian aristocrat. The first volley of the firing squad only wounded him. He calmly walked towards his executioners and pointed to his heart, demanding they finish the job.
- Knézich Károly: A general of Croatian descent. His final words were a heartbreaking reflection: „It is quite strange that I have to hang by a rope. I was expecting a bullet.”
- Lahner György: A German-born officer who ran the army’s weapon manufacturing. He faced death with philosophical calm: „Christ’s cross and the gallows are so alike. The path to heaven leads close by to both.”
- Lázár Vilmos: A Hungarian nobleman also executed by firing squad. He lamented the tragic fate of his people.
- Leiningen-Westerburg Károly: A German count related to Britain’s Queen Victoria. He wrote a final, touching letter to his wife and declared, „The world will understand who the barbarians are.”
- Nagysándor József: Known for his exceptional bravery, he faced his death with scorn for his executioners and their „dog’s death” sentence.
- Poeltenberg Ernő: An Austrian-born nobleman who fully embraced the Hungarian cause, he shouted „Long live Hungary!” on his way to the gallows.
- Schweidel József: A Serbian-born officer, his final words were a condemnation of the injustice he faced: „Today’s world is Satan’s world, where honor gets you the gallows and betrayal gets you power.”
- Török Ignác: The oldest of the generals, he walked to the gallows first and said, „Soon I shall stand before God’s highest court. My life is but a small thing, but I know I have always served my country.”
- Vécsey Károly: As a final act of cruelty, he was executed last and forced to watch all his comrades die. Before his turn, he walked to the body of Damjanich János, with whom he’d had a feud, and kissed his cold hand in a sign of reconciliation.
The Shadow of the Gallows: More Heroes Remembered
The Austrian revenge did not begin on October 6th, nor did it end there. The shadow of the gallows fell upon Arad weeks earlier, and the executions continued long after. The memory of the martyrs also includes others who paid the ultimate price for their loyalty to Hungary.
- Ormai Norbert: A colonel in the Honvéd army, he was the very first officer executed in Arad on August 22, 1849. His death by hanging was a grim and terrifying prelude to the horror that would befall the thirteen generals just a few weeks later.
- Kazinczy Lajos: The son of the great Hungarian writer Kazinczy Ferenc, this young and talented colonel was executed in the same fortress of Arad, but a few weeks later on October 25th. He is often remembered as the „14th Martyr of Arad.”
- Lenkey János: A general who died a different, but no less tragic, death. He was imprisoned in Arad, but during his captivity, he went insane. Believing it a form of „divine punishment,” the Austrians refused to execute a madman. He died alone in his cell in 1850, his mind broken by the trauma of defeat and imprisonment.
- Hauk Ludwig: A major who was also held in Arad. The wave of executions continued long after the world’s attention had faded. He was executed months later, on February 19, 1850, a reminder of the prolonged and vindictive nature of the reprisals.
A Legacy Forged in Sacrifice
The executions of October 6th were meant to crush the Hungarian spirit forever. They did the opposite. They created a legend of heroes whose sacrifice became the foundation of modern Hungarian identity.
It is said that Austrian soldiers celebrated the executions by loudly clinking their beer 🍻 glasses. In response, Hungarians vowed not to clink beer glasses for 150 years. While that vow officially ended in 1999, the tradition largely remains (including me, I still refuse to do it!) It’s a small, quiet act of national remembrance—a silent tribute to the men who gave everything for their country. When you are in Hungary and see people raise their glasses without a „cheers,” you are witnessing the living echo of that heartbreaking day. 💔
