October 6. 1849 was a date still to be remembered and commemorated in Hungary. On that day 13 of the generals from the 1848-1849 revolution in Hungary against the Habsburgs were executed in Arad (in Romania today). At the same day Count Lajos Batthyány was executed as well, the first Hungarian Prime Minister. Today a square near the Liberty Square has an “eternal light” named after him (located at the placed where Count Lajos Batthyány was killed).
The famous Lajos Kossuth (whose statue can be seen at for example the Heroes Square and outside the Parliament) managed to escape to USA before they caught him as well.
It is said that after executing the 13 generals in Arad the Austrian generals clinked their beer mugs together celebrating and making fun of the Hungarians. Because of that a “promise” was made that the Hungarians would not clink their beer mugs for 150 years. Those years have passed away, but the people still don’t clink their mugs in Budapest or in Hungary.
It must be said that most historians claim this to be just a legend, and that written records do not support this theory!
The 13 Martyrs of Arad