Cernová tragedy
Encyclopedia
The Černová massacre was a shooting that happened in Csernova (then in the Hungarian part
of Austria-Hungary
, today Černová, part of Ružomberok
, Slovakia
) on 27 October 1907 in which 15 people were killed and many were wounded after gendarmes fired into a crowd of people gathering for the consecration of a church. The shootings sparked protests in the Europe
an and US press and turned world's attention to the minorities in the Hungarian part of Austria-Hungary.
, the Slovak inhabitants of Černová decided to build their own Catholic church, financed in part with Slovak Americans' money. Construction started in April 1907 and by the autumn, the church was ready for consecration.
At that time, Hlinka was suspended by his bishop Sándor Párvy because he supported the opponent (also known for his anti-clericalism
) of the Catholic People's Party in the election campaign. Moreover, Hlinka was sentenced for two years in jail because his campaign speeches were considered incitement
according to §172 of the 1878 Penal Code. However, the inhabitants requested that Hlinka should consecrate the church; otherwise' they requested to delay the consecration. So the people of Černová requested the consecration of the church in a letter (worded by Hlinka). Párvy gave his consent to that. In a second letter (also worded by Hlinka), the people requested that Hlinka be present at the consecration and in a third one, that he himself consecrates the church. Párvy—according to the canon law
—refused to cancel Hlinka' suspension. Instead, he appointed canon
Anton Kurimsky, the former parish priest of Ružomberok
.
Hlinka was getting prepared for a lecture tour in Moravia
. Before he left, the people of Černová once again wrote a letter to bishop Párvy. He delayed the consecration with a few days, but appointed Kurimsky again. When Hlinka left, he told to the people: "If you want, consecrate the church, if not, well, not!". The people were not aware of the canon law, and Hlinka took no effort to tell them that he had no right to consecrate the church. Instead of explaining that, he left his worshipers with the belief that they had the right to review the bishop's decision. This lack of disclosure was one of the main factors leading to the tragedy.
Dean Pazúrik, Hlinka's superior upon learning the new date, asked for a further delay so Hlinka could return to take part. The bishop agreed, but Hlinka wrote in his response (24 October): "I won't participate on the consecration on any conditions.... Try to dissuade Kurimsky if you can and you yourself consecrate the church. I also don't want to be present because I don't want to be responsible for any possible events." This letter makes clear that Hlinka was aware of the risk of "possible events" (though probably not a massacre
), but he refused to return to calm down his people. (Although he was suspended as a parish priest, he was welcome to participate as a worshiper but seemed to be too offended to do so.)
The people of Černová knew nothing about this letter and kept on organizing in favor of Hlinka.
Martin Pazúrik came to sanctify the church on 27 October in a coach
with 15 Hungarian gendarmes (according to Roman Holec, the majority of them was of Slovak origin according to some sources, others list their ethnicity as Magyar). When the coach turned into the narrow street leading to the church, the crowd (some 400 local people) obstructed the path and started to scrum. After being attacked by the mob throwing stones, the gendarmes lost control and sergeant
Ján Ladiczky, an ethnic Slovak gave the order to open fire. The gendarmes fired four times, killing 15 people, seriously injuring 12 and lightly injuring 40.
. On the other hand, Hlinka appealed with success his suspension at the Holy See, so it was cancelled on 8 April 1909. When Hlinka left the prison, bishop Párvy appointed him again to his Ružomberok parish, and Hlinka consecrated the church in Černová with Párvy's consent.
The tragedy sparked huge protests in the Europe
an and US press and it turned world's attention to the attitude to the minorities in Hungary. Important protesting European personalities included the Norwegian Nobel Prize holder Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
, the Oxford historian Robert William Seton-Watson
, the speaker of the Austrian parliament etc.
Today's Slovak politicians—especially the members of the Slovak National Party—even though all perpetrators were Slovaks, interpret the event as "Hungarian gendarmes shooting at innocent Slovaks" (during the legal actions after the massacre, some gendarmes refused to testify as witnesses, because the victims were their relatives). With many of their claims regarding the events, the Slovak National Party continues to perpetuate a "false myth of Černová". Some Slovak sources claim that the gendarmes were ethnic Hungarian even though there were very small number of ethnic Hungarians in the region where the gendarmes were recruited According to Slovak historian Roman Holec, professor at the Komenský University the majority of the gendarmes had Slovak origin and were from Liptó county. (According to the official 1910 census, over 90% of the population were ethnic Slovaks in that county.) They were nevertheless honored for the deed, because they were in the service of Hungarian state and in that time it was the decisive factor (regardless of their ethnic origin). Yet both the rioters and the gendarmes can be held responsible for the massacre. The rioters were violent due to the lack of fear from getting shot at (i.e. that the sergeant would refrain from giving an order of fire or use blanks). The gendarmes on the other hand were shooting in all directions instead of aiming for feet or into the air (most victims died due to their head and chest injuries).
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
of Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, today Černová, part of Ružomberok
Ružomberok
Ružomberok is a town in northern Slovakia, in the historical Liptov region. It has a population of around 30,000-Geography:...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
) on 27 October 1907 in which 15 people were killed and many were wounded after gendarmes fired into a crowd of people gathering for the consecration of a church. The shootings sparked protests in the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an and US press and turned world's attention to the minorities in the Hungarian part of Austria-Hungary.
Outline of the events
On the initiative of the native priest Andrej HlinkaAndrej Hlinka
Andrej Hlinka was a Slovak politician and Catholic priest, one of the most important Slovak public activists in Czechoslovakia before Second World War...
, the Slovak inhabitants of Černová decided to build their own Catholic church, financed in part with Slovak Americans' money. Construction started in April 1907 and by the autumn, the church was ready for consecration.
At that time, Hlinka was suspended by his bishop Sándor Párvy because he supported the opponent (also known for his anti-clericalism
Anti-clericalism
Anti-clericalism is a historical movement that opposes religious institutional power and influence, real or alleged, in all aspects of public and political life, and the involvement of religion in the everyday life of the citizen...
) of the Catholic People's Party in the election campaign. Moreover, Hlinka was sentenced for two years in jail because his campaign speeches were considered incitement
Incitement
In English criminal law, incitement was an anticipatory common law offence and was the act of persuading, encouraging, instigating, pressuring, or threatening so as to cause another to commit a crime....
according to §172 of the 1878 Penal Code. However, the inhabitants requested that Hlinka should consecrate the church; otherwise' they requested to delay the consecration. So the people of Černová requested the consecration of the church in a letter (worded by Hlinka). Párvy gave his consent to that. In a second letter (also worded by Hlinka), the people requested that Hlinka be present at the consecration and in a third one, that he himself consecrates the church. Párvy—according to the canon law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
—refused to cancel Hlinka' suspension. Instead, he appointed canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
Anton Kurimsky, the former parish priest of Ružomberok
Ružomberok
Ružomberok is a town in northern Slovakia, in the historical Liptov region. It has a population of around 30,000-Geography:...
.
Hlinka was getting prepared for a lecture tour in Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
. Before he left, the people of Černová once again wrote a letter to bishop Párvy. He delayed the consecration with a few days, but appointed Kurimsky again. When Hlinka left, he told to the people: "If you want, consecrate the church, if not, well, not!". The people were not aware of the canon law, and Hlinka took no effort to tell them that he had no right to consecrate the church. Instead of explaining that, he left his worshipers with the belief that they had the right to review the bishop's decision. This lack of disclosure was one of the main factors leading to the tragedy.
Dean Pazúrik, Hlinka's superior upon learning the new date, asked for a further delay so Hlinka could return to take part. The bishop agreed, but Hlinka wrote in his response (24 October): "I won't participate on the consecration on any conditions.... Try to dissuade Kurimsky if you can and you yourself consecrate the church. I also don't want to be present because I don't want to be responsible for any possible events." This letter makes clear that Hlinka was aware of the risk of "possible events" (though probably not a massacre
Massacre
A massacre is an event with a heavy death toll.Massacre may also refer to:-Entertainment:*Massacre , a DC Comics villain*Massacre , a 1932 drama film starring Richard Barthelmess*Massacre, a 1956 Western starring Dane Clark...
), but he refused to return to calm down his people. (Although he was suspended as a parish priest, he was welcome to participate as a worshiper but seemed to be too offended to do so.)
The people of Černová knew nothing about this letter and kept on organizing in favor of Hlinka.
Martin Pazúrik came to sanctify the church on 27 October in a coach
Coach (carriage)
A coach was originally a large, usually closed, four-wheeled carriage with two or more horses harnessed as a team, controlled by a coachman and/or one or more postilions. It had doors in the sides, with generally a front and a back seat inside and, for the driver, a small, usually elevated seat in...
with 15 Hungarian gendarmes (according to Roman Holec, the majority of them was of Slovak origin according to some sources, others list their ethnicity as Magyar). When the coach turned into the narrow street leading to the church, the crowd (some 400 local people) obstructed the path and started to scrum. After being attacked by the mob throwing stones, the gendarmes lost control and sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
Ján Ladiczky, an ethnic Slovak gave the order to open fire. The gendarmes fired four times, killing 15 people, seriously injuring 12 and lightly injuring 40.
Consequences
Many could politically capitalize on the events, Czech and Slovak nationalists in general, and Hlinka himself in particular. On the one hand, Hlinka's appeal against his 1906 verdict was rejected, thus, on November 30, 1907 Hlinka started to serve his jail term in the Csillagbörtön (Star Prison), SzegedSzeged
' is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county town of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary....
. On the other hand, Hlinka appealed with success his suspension at the Holy See, so it was cancelled on 8 April 1909. When Hlinka left the prison, bishop Párvy appointed him again to his Ružomberok parish, and Hlinka consecrated the church in Černová with Párvy's consent.
The tragedy sparked huge protests in the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an and US press and it turned world's attention to the attitude to the minorities in Hungary. Important protesting European personalities included the Norwegian Nobel Prize holder Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson was a Norwegian writer and the 1903 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. Bjørnson is considered as one of The Four Greats Norwegian writers; the others being Henrik Ibsen, Jonas Lie, and Alexander Kielland...
, the Oxford historian Robert William Seton-Watson
Robert William Seton-Watson
Robert William Seton-Watson , commonly referred to as R.W. Seton-Watson, and also known by the pseudonym Scotus Viator, was a British political activist and historian who played an active role in encouraging the breakup of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the emergence of Czechoslovakia and...
, the speaker of the Austrian parliament etc.
Today's Slovak politicians—especially the members of the Slovak National Party—even though all perpetrators were Slovaks, interpret the event as "Hungarian gendarmes shooting at innocent Slovaks" (during the legal actions after the massacre, some gendarmes refused to testify as witnesses, because the victims were their relatives). With many of their claims regarding the events, the Slovak National Party continues to perpetuate a "false myth of Černová". Some Slovak sources claim that the gendarmes were ethnic Hungarian even though there were very small number of ethnic Hungarians in the region where the gendarmes were recruited According to Slovak historian Roman Holec, professor at the Komenský University the majority of the gendarmes had Slovak origin and were from Liptó county. (According to the official 1910 census, over 90% of the population were ethnic Slovaks in that county.) They were nevertheless honored for the deed, because they were in the service of Hungarian state and in that time it was the decisive factor (regardless of their ethnic origin). Yet both the rioters and the gendarmes can be held responsible for the massacre. The rioters were violent due to the lack of fear from getting shot at (i.e. that the sergeant would refrain from giving an order of fire or use blanks). The gendarmes on the other hand were shooting in all directions instead of aiming for feet or into the air (most victims died due to their head and chest injuries).