33.3 Europe: a.d. 1801 to 1900  (Page 10/27)

Hungary (part of austro-hungarian empire, and the previous paragraphs must also be read to get a complete picture of hungary at this period)

After 1790 the chief demand of the Hungarian Diet, whenever the Austrian emperor allowed it to meet, was for wider use of the Magyar language in administration, courts and education. Lexicographers re-fashioned and enriched the native tongue and the cult of language was accompanied by similar dedication to national costumes, dances and the like. The Croats in the empire fought the switch to the Magyar language and began to develop their own tongue, along with a sense of Pan-Slavism. Count Istvan Szechenyi was a great Hungarian nationalist whose books Kitel and Vilag started the "Reform Era" in Hungary in 1830. He desired Magyarism and reform, but under the blessings of the emperor. His contemporary and eventual opponent, Lajos Kossuth, wanted progress and complete liberty from Austria. In 1840 the government passed a law making Magyar the official language of all institutions of Great Hungary. The Croats were given 6 years to conform. The reaction of the non-Magyars, including the immigrant Saxons and Slavs and the Romanians in Transylvania, was strong. Revolution broke out in Austria in 1848, along with that in much of Europe, and Kossuth took advantage to reform Hungary as a limited monarchy subject to the Austrian monarch, but in many internal respects, almost free. But the Serbs and Croats rebelled against Hungary under their leader, Jellacic.

At first he had Austrian help, but as further revolt occurred in Austria itself, this help soon dwindled and in the end Hungary triumphed, even temporarily breaking away from Austria. Franz-Joseph called on Russia for help and two Russian armies entered Hungary, forcing Kossuth to surrender and he personally fled to Turkey. By 1867 Hungary had re- covered her integrity under Deak, by the Ausgleich (compromise) of 1867, under which Hungarians won equal status with the German speaking population. The situation had in part been promoted by the Empress Elizabeth, who had a real and compassionate interest in Hungary. Thus began the "Age of Dualism" and one might then truly speak of "Austria-Hungary". Magyarization of all the people then followed, with changes of individual names and places to conform with the Magyar language.

By 1900 Hungary had over a million workers in mining and industry. There were two universities in Hungary proper, one in Croatia. There were a large number of colleges of law, theology, mining, etc. This was the time of the physicist Lorand Eotvds and the physician Semmelweiss, who was actually Hungarian, although part of his work was done in Vienna. Budapest was 79.8% Magyar speaking, but other ethnic frontiers remained on the east, north and west. Jews made up 4.9% of the overall population, 25% in Budapest and they had almost a monopoly in banking and finance. (Ref. 126 , 8 )

Czechoslovakia

This area continued restlessly under the rule of the Austria-Hungarian Empire. Moravia was an important battle ground for Napoleon's rout of the Russian and Austrian forces, in the first decade of the century. After 1840 to 1850 the rapid growth of cities in the Habsburg domains, together with the ravages of cholera resulted in peasant migration into the towns of Bohemia and Hungary to such an extent that the previous pattern of those people learning to speak German and being "Germanized" was changed and a nationalistic ideal appeared. The result was that Prague became a Czech-speaking city within one-half century, just as Budapest had become a Magyar-speaking capital.