Egy református lelkész-tanító bűnhődése a forradalom után : Hajdú Lajos református lelkész fogsága : 1849-1856

Abstract

This study summarizes Lajos Hajdú's (1813-1901) years in prison. He was a Calvinist pastor and teacher, as well as an outstanding figure of public education in the 19 th century Hungary. After his studies he became the headmaster of the secondary school in Derecske, and later, while studying in Berlin, he founded the Hungarian library of the university. In 1847 he was ordained as a pastor. At the time of the Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence of 1848- 1849 he wrote several press reports. He supported the revolutionary system financially too. He made a speech in a rally in Szentes on 1 June 1849 in which he called the inhabitants of the city to arms so as to take revenge for their killed relatives, and to defend Hungary. He blamed the Kaiser and the Russian czar vehemently and called them as 'offspring of Hell'. After the war of independence he was sentenced to death by the military tribunal but they finally reprieved him. His punishment was changed for twenty years imprisonment in irons, and his property was confiscated. He was taken to Olomouc where he served his sentence from 13 January 1850 to 27 May 1852, and then he was taken to Josefstadt. The way from Pest to Olomouc was long and exhausting at that time. The prisoners arrived there at night. In the fortress prison the circumstances were very harsh, the air was bad and the heat was unbearable in summer. Hajdú applied for mercy but it was rejected. At the end of May and the beginning of June 1852 Hajdú with other 18 prisoners were transported to Josefstadt through Trubau, Pardubitz and Königgrátz. In Josefstadt the barracks were transformed into a prison. After a while they covered the prison windows with boards, and from 1 October 1852 they took away the prisoners' books, writing materials and even their clothes. They couldn't keep any money with them any more. A year later even their hair and beard was cut. Hajdú's descriptions about the prisons of the age count as a reliable source material of th 19th century history. It's a real curiosity that two pictures were made of him during his years in prison and his handmade prison souvenir has also remained. Finally, on 3 April 1856 Lajos Hajdú received pardon and he was released from prison. The Calvinist Church immediately appointed him as the teacher of religion of the secondary school in Kisújszállás, where later he taught Latin and Greek as well as Mathematics. He became the headmaster of the school several times. From his death in 1901 his memory has been kept fresh in Kisújszállás and Szentes.