The last sentences of the 13 Martyrs of Arad

The 6^th of October marks a sorrowful day in Hungarian history. In 1849, the thirteen generals of the revolution were executed in Arad, while Count Lajos Batthyány, the first Hungarian prime minister was executed in Pest. All executions were ordered by Austrian General Julius Jacob von Haynau. The 6^th of October is the day of the 13 Martyrs of Arad, a national day of bereavement.

Last year we published a historic overview of the day in a detailed article and we recommend reading it before getting down to this article, which is a compilation of the last words, sentences of the 13 Martyrs of Arad. We want to commemorate the historic generals with the last sentences, collected by ilovehungary.eu, they said before their execution.

Károly Leiningen-Westerburg: “The world will come to its senses when it sees the work of hangmen.”

János Damjanich: “We overcame death because we were ready to cope with it anytime.”

Ignác Török: “I’m soon going to be standing in front of the most divine tribune of God. My life is only a tiny burden, but I know that I’ve always served Him.”

Lajos Aulich: “I’ve served and served, always served. I’m going to serve with my death as well. My beloved Hungarian nation and home, I know you understand this service.”

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Károly Vécsey: “God gave me my heart and soul which always burned for the service of my nation and home.”

Vilmos Lázár: “Who is responsible for the fate of the Hungarians? The soul of apostles became Apostles at the feet of Christ’s cross and Hungarian souls have to become revolutionaries at the feet of gallows.”

Arisztrid Dessewffy: “Yesterday heroes, today martyrs… This is what the service of my home commands.”

Jószef Nagy-Sándor: “How awful it would be to think of evanescence now if I hadn’t done anything in my life. I submissively curtsey in front of my God for making me a hero, a true person, and a good soldier.”

General Vécsey kisses the hand of the executed Damjanich

Károly Knézich: “How interesting it is that Judge Haynau and I are both Christians. Only the devil could’ve mixed the cards this way.”

József Schweidel: “Today’s world is the world of the Satan, where honour is rewarded with gallows and betrayal is rewarded with power. Only a real revolution, the world’s new revolutionary humanity could sweep away this damn, maladjusted world.”

Ernő Kiss: “My God, will the youth of the modern age be true humans? Glorious saints of the Árpáds, watch over the Hungarian youth so that their hearts will be Christ’s and their life will be their homeland’s.”