User:Vauia Rex/Bruck an der Leitha raid

The Bruck an der Leitha raid, or Bruck coup (Bruck-i puccs) was a failed attempt by right-wing militias to invade the Hungarian Soviet Republic in May 1919.

Background
At the end of World War I, Austria-Hungary collapsed into multiple successor states, including the short-lived Hungarian People's Republic lead by Mihály Károlyi. By mid-January 1919, Hungary lost control of Transylvania and today's Slovakia. Unable to cope with crises internal and external, and the threat of further territorial concessions, power was ceded to a coalition of Social Democrats and Communist, hoping that an orientation towards Soviet Russia could save the country. Thus, on 21 March 1919, the Hungarian Soviet Republic was declared.

After the rejection of allied demands, Soviet Hungary was invaded by first Romania (16 April), then Czechoslovakia(27 April). The soviets lost the agricultural lands of Tiszánúl, and the industrial city of Miskolc. In late-April and early May, the collapse of the commune appeared iminent.

Different right-wing emigré groups formed against the Soviet Republic, one of them the Antibolsevista Comité (ABC) in Vienna,headed by István Bethlen.

Rus'ka Krajina
Rus'ka Krajina (Hungarian: Ruszka Krajna) was an autonomus province of the First Hungarian Republic and the Hungarian Soviet Republic in Carpathian Ruthenia. It existed between 25 December 1918 and April 1919 a

background
During the initial collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire the Ruthenians, as all nationalities, formed a National Council. It was declared in Uzhhorod (Ungvár), on 9 November 1918. Its president was Oreszt Szabó, its secretary Ágoston Volosin. Their declaration however defended Hungar's territorial integrity, only demanding autonomy, particularly for the Greek Catholic Church. In fact, one of the council's main supporter, Antal Pap, bishop of the Ruthenian Catholic Eparchy of Mukacheve, intented it as a counterbalance against seccessionist agitation.

On 19 November, the council issued a memorandum to Minister for National Minorities Oszkár Jászi.

In response, a commission to establish Ruthenian autonomy was created, headed by Oreszt Szabó, former secretary to the ispán of Bereg county.

Establishment

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The autonomus are was declared on 25 December 1918, by People's Law No. 10 of 1918. Its territory was defined as the Ruthenian inhabited areas of Ung, Bereg, Ugocsa and Máramaros counties, however a precise border was never drawn. A ruthenian lawyer, Augustin Stefan was made governor of the territory, while Oreszt Szabó's commission was elevated to a ministry.

It was meant to be a demonstration of goodwill towards the Entente, that their advocated policy of national autonomy was sincere.

Throughout its existance, the area seen chaotic fighting between pro-Hungarian, pro-Czech, pro-Ukrainian, and pro-Independence factions.

West Ukrainian Intervention
By January 1919, the Czechslovak advance through Slovakia, and the Romanian advance in Transylvania threatened Ruszka Krajna from two sides. On 12 January, Czeslovak forces entered Uzhhorod (Ungvár), while Romanians reached Sighetu Marmației (Máramarossziget) on 19 January. Thus only Bereg county remained under Hungarian administration.

The Hungarian government still prefered Ukrainian occupation over Czech or Romanian one, given the WUPR was in a similarly tenuous situation as them.

Budapest's Ukrainian orientation reached its zenith in February

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Elections for the region's assembly, the Seim, was held on 4 March, on the basis of universal suffrage. Although it could only be held in the unoccupied fraction of the area, it is notable as the only election held under the First Republic, and such the only electon in which their progressive election law was used in practice.

In the Soviet Republic
On 21 March 1919 the Hungarian Soviet Republic was declared in Budapest. The evening of the same day, the news reached Munkács.

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Much like the first republic considered Ruszka Krajna a goodwill gesture to the Entente, so did the Soviets considered it one for Soviet Russia. Therefore they continued to develop the autonomous administration along soviet principles.

However, the post of Comissar of Ruthenian affairs was designated to the former analogous minister Oreszt Szabó, who then quickly passed it down to the fromer governor, Augustin Stefan, despite the fact that he was in no way a communist.

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Under his rule, he nominated other anti-communists into leading positions, such as József Kaminszky as political commissar of Bereg County. This lead to conflict with the Bereg County Council, but their complaints to Budapest only lead to an inconclusive investigation. Stefan also didn't comply with communist policies: factories were not nationalised, and religion remained part of school curriculums.

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There was a Ukranian language newspaper published in Budapest called Rus'ka Pravda. A total of 13 issues of it were published.

Ruszka Krajna's new constitution was published in Rus'ka Pravda on April 2. Compared to the Károlyi regime's framework, it was complemented with the establishment of local and district councils, and a corresponding appointed commissar for each.

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The Seim however also persisted, despite being elected before the Soviet takeover and filled with non-communists. They conviened on April 17 in Munkács.

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Subcarpathian Counterrevolution
On April 15, conflict between Soviet Hungary and Romania escalated into a full-scale war, with the Romanians quickly gaining the upper hand, threatening, and eventually capturing Hungarian positions in Subcarpathia. In the last weeks of Hungarian controll, there was increased counter-revolutionary activity, as József Kaminszky attempted to break the region away from Soviet controll.

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Munkács was the epicenter of this insurrection, and on 19 April they marched on Beregszász. In response, the Bereg County Council called in the Red Army garrison stationed in Nyíregyháza. This forced the counter-revolutionaries to retreat, but on 21 April, another uprising chased the reds out of the city yet again. The soviets returned with a special regiment, finally puting down the uprising on 24 April. The area was placed under martial law, and around 170 people were arrested and trialed in Budapest and Sátoraljaújhely.

However soviet rule could only be re-established for a few days. Hungarian troops were soon widthrawn from the advancing Romanians. They entered Beregszász on 26 April, and Munkács on 27 April. Soon after, the occupation was handed over to Czech troops.

Union with Czechoslovakia
Under Czechslovak occupation, a new Central Ruthenian National Council was formed headed by Ágoston Volosin, includung members of the former National Council, as well as councils in Huszt and Eperjes. This new council proclaimed Carpathian Ruthenia's union with Czechoslovakia on 8 May 1919. This was later approved by the Paris Peace Conference in the Treaty of Saint-Germain