Szekler Freedom Day Encourages Fight for Autonomy

MTI-Hungary Today 2025.03.10.

The Szekler martyrs are heroes of all Hungarians, who set an example of the Hungarian people’s patriotism, courage, and respect for their language, culture, and identity – emphasized the Ministerial Commissioner for Hungary’s Neighborhood Policy at a commemoration held on Sunday in Budapest on the occasion of Szekler Freedom Day.

Ferenc Kalmár recalled that the Szekler National Council declared March 10th as Szekler Freedom Day in 2012. On this day, János Török, Mihály Gálffy and Károly Horváth were executed in 1854 in Târgu Mureș (Marosvásárhely). Together with their comrades they took on the mission of overthrowing the Habsburg rule and making Hungary independent.

According to the Ministerial Commissioner, for the Szekler people living today, this day is not only a day of common remembrance, but also of belonging, conscious, joint action, and national self-determination. Ferenc Kalmár said that the date of the Szekler leaders’ execution was most likely no coincidence.

It could have been a threatening message that the same thing would happen to anyone who, recalling March 15th, wants to rekindle the flame of the freedom struggle and goes against the existing power,”

he emphasized.

This is what the 1848-49 War of Independence and the example of the Szekler martyrs and their companions show. Their goal was to achieve national self-determination, for which they gave their lives, setting an example of courage and loyalty to posterity. He added, that “they say that one of the characteristics of our nation is disunity. However, our revolutions refute this”.

According to Ferenc Kalmár the autonomy of Szeklerland is the pledge of survival, therefore this “demand” cannot be given up.

The Szekler people have the right to solve their own problems, to live in peace and security in their homeland, to use their language freely, to maintain and cherish their culture, identity and traditions.”

He declared that the most important strategic goals set by the motherland should not be abandoned for the Szekler community or any other Hungarian communities beyond the borders. He emphasized that their interests, representation, and rights need to be presented and reinforced in the broadest possible ways and forms.

Fact

Szeklerland is a historic and ethnographic area in present-day Romania, inhabited mainly by Szeklers, a subgroup of Hungarians. Its cultural center is the city of Târgu Mureș (Marosvásárhely), the largest settlement in the region. Originally, the name Szeklerland denoted the territories of a number of autonomous Szekler seats within Transylvania. The self-governing Szekler seats had their own administrative system, and existed as legal entities from medieval times until the 1870s. The privileges of the seats were abolished and seats were replaced with counties in 1876. Along with Transylvania, Szeklerland became a part of Romania in 1920, in accordance with the Treaty of Trianon.

Region in Szeklerland Receives Gastronomy Award

Harghita County will be the European Region of Gastronomy in 2027.Continue reading

Via MTI; Featured picture: MTI/Kátai Edit