Site designed and created by Razvan Paraianu.

© Created in January 2001, Last revised: January 3, 2004

The Magyar society

The societies of Magyarization.

During the last few years a number of societies have been formed in Hungary and in Transylvania, which under the pretext of education, tend to the magyarization of the nationalities.

In the same way that the celebrated panslavist association of Saint-Petersburg takes the name of Benevolent Society, so the panmagyar association takes that of Literary Society.

Certainly no one would object if these societies were formed for the purpose of cultivating a taste for literature among the middle and lower classes of the Magyars.

But the statutes of these societies make no mention of such a purpose.

What they wish to arrive at is, the magyarization of the nationalities, and to this end the State authorizes in the Roumanian, German and Slav districts, the establishment of Magyar Refuges for children, and Magyar Fröbel schools. These societies give public rewards to those professors of the non-magyar schools, who can prove the most success in magyarization, etc.

In short, it is nothing but a question here of aggressive societies.

It is natural that this should have stirred up in the hearts of the nationalities a bitter feeling, and should have inspired them'with a resolution to struggle in their own lawful defence.

And the Magyar government, wilh the spirit of chivalry which ever characterizes this nation, forbids the formation of similar Roumanian societies, whose action should be confined exclusively to the Roumanians.

From the following statement of the most fanatic agitator[1] of the pan-magyar Utopias, the infamous aim of these Magyar Literary Societies may be easily seen.

We shall content ourselves with remarking that this revolting article has been re-printed with evident satisfaction by the greater part of the Magyar papers.

« The denomination of Dealul-Craiului[2] is not simply a geographical expression. »

« Notwithstanding the political union, this name unfortunately signifies that Hungary ends there and Transylvania commences. It means that the continuity of the Magyar nation ends there. »

« But the Dealul-Craiului is more than this, it is a line of separation also of language. »

« The woody peaks which rise majestically towards the heavens announce to the social world that here the Magyar'nation ends. »

« From Dealul-Craiului to the territory of the Saxons, the Magyar language forms but so many little islands. «

« It is only on political not on national grounds that we are the masters of Transylvania. »

« In this uninterrupted tract of country inhabited by the Roumanians and the the Saxons, not one little corner is to be found where the Magyar language predominates. »

« We perish in Transylvania, although we hold the power in our own hands!...»

« The Magyars ought to be scattered not only in the towns but in the villages. The Magyar society ought to occupy more place. »

« We ought to weigh like a stone upon the elements (Roumanian and Slave) which are antagonistic to us. »

« As water flowing continually will undermine a rock, so should we also undermine the Roumanian members: »

« It is to this end that the whole of the powerfully organized Magyar Society tends. »

« The Szeklers and the Magyars ought already to have met in their common undertaking, as workmen who from opposite sides of a mountvin meet in the making of a tunnel. »

« The Roumanian mountain ought to have fallen to pieces long ago, »

« The Magyars living between the Szeklers and Dealul-Craiului ought to be organized like an army . . . . »

« The official organization does not suffice; the committee and the school inspection do not suffice. »

« Transylvania must be covered with a network of Literary Societies... »

« But these associations alone will not be sufficient. It requires a systematic or consistent politic on the part of the State, it wants a movement emanating from the society, etc. etc. »[3]

Proofs of Magyar civilization.

The University of Cluj which is situated in the centre of a territory inhabited by a compact mass of 3 millions of Roumanians is, as we have seen, Magyar, although on this territory the Magyars form but a small minority.

The Roumanian students forced to attend the classes of this University, had, in 1876, instituted a literary academical society,[4] with a view to familiarize themselves witji the Roumanian literature and to cultivate collegiate feeling, etc.

Who could find anything reprehensible in this?

And yet our Magyars, such lovers of liberty, are not only astonished at so much audacity, but they have even found that the existence of this society is a crime, and, in consequence,, have treated it as such.

The signal of persecution against this peaceable society was given by the worse than mad press of the Magyars of Cluj.

Here is a specimen of the infamy with which this press excited the Magyar public against the afore-said society:

« It is time to put an end to the tumults provoked by the Roumanian rioters (!)

» Sooner or later, we shall have the whole country ruined by these disturbances among the different nationalities; should an international conflict arise, all this combustible matter will burst out everywhere into flames and set fire to the whole country.

» We take for example the town of Cluj. .... This Magyar centre of learning (!!) and social life in Transylvania.

» Notwithstanding which, this town is a veritable nest of turbulence provoked by the Roumanian insurgents. .... Not even in Bucharest perhaps, nor in the clandestine High School[5] of Nasaud, do they bring up the Roumanian students in a greater hatred of the state and language of the Magyars than they do in the town which possesses the second Magyar university. The proof of it is, that although there exist enough academical magyar societies, yet the Roumanian students of the university have formed a separate society, the « Julia. »

The paper terminates by the following notice: « The Magyar students of our university will hold a large meeting in the Banify garden, and will demand the competent authorities to give orders for the closing of this society. [6]

I. Demonstration of the Magyar university students against the Roumanian society the « Julia ».

The Magyar students meet in a public garden.

The speakers immediately begin to rail against the Roumanians.

In this statement we are careful to borrow only from the Magyar papers, the account of these tumultuous scenes.

« The first speaker », says a Magyar paper, « explains the object of the meeting. ....

» He speaks of the malignant attacks of the Roumanian papers the « Gazeta » the « Tribuna », the « Observatorul », the « Luminatorul «, etc.

» He observes that Horia, Glosca,[7] Janeu and Balint[8] are daily proclaimed martyrs and heroes, who have died for the deliverance of the Roumanians from « iobagie ».

» Their memory is ostentatiously celebrated.

» One of these anniversaries is on the 15^th of May.

» He then exhorts his colleagues, if they cannot re-act against these papers, to take measures against those who declare themselves jointly liable for their contents and against whom consequently they can bring an action.

»... A law student remarked that the literary society the « Julia » propagated the sentiments of the above mentioned papers. . . . and that therefore all measures should be taken to bring about the closing of the society.

» Szentkiraly Kaiman then proposed that his colleagues should pass a resolution worthy of the Magyar nation.

» Let our one thought be to do honour to the Magyar name, and to that end, let us persuade the Roumanians to make themselves Magyars. Do not let us repulse them, but rather let us assimilate them.[9]

» The society « Julia » pursues an aim contrary to that of the Magyar nation, for at its formation the members courageously submitted to the government to obtain its approbation the statutes of the society written exclusively in Magyar. ... [10]

» The members of this society quite ignore the Magyar academical society and several of them sent a telegram of congratulations to the editor Mr Muresianu, on the occasion of the transformation of the « Gazeta » into a daily paper.

» We must get booted and spurred, and sword in hand must rise up against the opinca and the false Roumanian .... »[11]

From this description embellished by the Magyars it is easy to be seen what frenzy dominated this assembly of University students.

In fact, the speakers one and all, treated the Roumanians as »savages, brigands, offensive opincas, traitors, etc. »

Finally the assembly adopted unanimously the following propositions:

1. The Magyar University students express their indignation against the Roumanian students for lending their aid to a movement contrary to the Magyar element and contrary to the national Magyar State.

2. As the nest of this sedition is the Society the « Julia » (!) an address will be sent to the government to demand its dissolution.

3. A petition will also be made to the government to oblige Dr Silasi, professor of the Roumanian language at the University, to hold his classes in Magyar.

4. The Roumanian students incriminated to be expelled from all the societies of the University.

5. A demonstration «en masse» to be made this evening at the residences of the traitors to the country.

II. Brutalities of the Magyar University students towards the Roumanians.

Let us take up again the Magyar paper of May 16^th.

This is what we find: « The Magyar students forming an important cortege took Manastur street. . . .

» Suddenly such a demonstration was made that we ourselves (!) regret it.

» The students broke the windows of the building where the society of the » Julia « held its meetings, and those of the houses of two Roumanian lawyers, Coroianu and Dr. Isacu.

» Then they halted before the residence of the professor Dr Silasi, and made a demonstration of an extreme violence.

» Finally the Magyar students hearing that the Roumanian students were. assembled in the Biazini hall to commemorate the anniversary of the 15^th May, and that there were besides many lawyers and peaceful Roumanian citizens assembled there, entered the hall and to their great indignation found the Roumanian students audaciously (!!!!) singing Roumanian songs. . . .

» The Magyar students immediately struck up their national anthem.

» The Roumanian lawyer, Mr Coroianu, addressed them, begging them to remark, that the Roumanians were commemorating the anniversary of the 15^th of May 1848.

» He then spoke of the rights of the Roumanian nation, and the Magyar students were patient enough[12] to listen to him for a quarter of an hour.

» But at length, losing patience, they created such a fearful uproar that the speaker's voice was entirely drowned.

» The police requested the Magyar students to leave the hall; they in their turn refused to do so, unless the Roumanian students should be compelled to leave it as well, etc. »[13]

We find it unnecessary to comment upon these events.

Every one can see that it was the work of a set of scoundrels who, in their ungovernable rage broke the windows of the peaceful citizens, threatened their lives, and that without any hindrance from the police.

The following morning the same Crowd assembled and burnt the Roumanian papers on the market place.

The police, as usual, remained impassive.

The same evening the University students after having dispersed the May meeting of the Roumanians, created a terrible riot.[14]

On this occasion, as on every other, the Roumanians were greeted with a torrent of abuse.

We will not tire the attention of our readers, neither will we dishonour our pages by recounting these exploits of « magyar civilization ».

As was to be expected, the Magyar press applauded this cowardly behaviour and went so far as openly to encourage it.

It was in its nature to do so.

The students and the Roumanian Society kept wonderfully calm, knowing that diseased minds require time to get healed.

And what was the pretext put forward for having committed such vandalisms?

Because a Roumanian paper, the « Gazeta Transylvaniei », after 47 years of existence had become a daily paper.

On this occasion the editor had received numerous congratulations from the Roumanian public.

Several Roumanian students of Cluj had also sent a congratulatory address.

This took place in August during the long vacation.

During the holidays no meeting took place of the « Julia ».

The students who sent these congratulations sent them personally in their own name, and not as the representatives of the said societyi which in accordance with its literary character and upon principle never occupies itself with politics.

Inquest upon inquest was held, but all to no purpose; not the smallest transgression of the statutes of the society was to be found.

Nevertheless the Magyar government presented a vote of thanks to its brave compatriots of Cluj, and dissolved the society of tha Roumanian students who were perfectly blameless.

Moreover, the professor of the Roumanian language and literature, Dr Silasi, a man of rare capacity, was dismissed and replaced by a political agent of pan-magyarism.[15]

The Roumanian students have tried at different times to form another literary society, but the Magyar government has constantly refused to grant them the necessary authorization!

So that at the present day in a University which exists in the very heart of the Roumanian people, the sons of that race not only have no classes held in their national tongue, but are forbidden tu found any Roumanian Society whatever!

And these Magyar students who have employed every brutal means in their power against us, have still the face to write manifests to exalt and glorify the liberty enjoyed in Hungary!!