AranÂka KoÂcsis: A HunÂgarÂiÂan LowÂland vilÂlage and power between 1945–1948
SpeÂcialÂist think it is genÂerÂalÂly charÂacÂterÂisÂtic for the HunÂgarÂiÂan peasÂantry that was freed from class subÂorÂdiÂnaÂtion in the secÂond part of the 19th cenÂtuÂry that it could not and did not want to idenÂtiÂfy itself with the ciÂvil ideas, and did not want to be part of the sociÂeÂty as a citÂiÂzen. As a legalÂly freed indiÂvidÂual remained closed in its vilÂlage comÂmuÂniÂty, since feuÂdal indeÂpendÂence was altered by a new type sub-ÂorÂdiÂnaÂtion – supeÂriÂorÂiÂty origÂiÂnatÂing from ownÂerÂship relaÂtion. His new-Âtype rights and liaÂbilÂiÂties were mediÂatÂed to him by the repÂreÂsenÂtaÂtives of powÂer. ThereÂfore, there was no reaÂson to give up the preÂviÂous proÂtecÂtion mechÂaÂnisms – like the appearÂance of outÂwitÂting, silent resisÂtance, sabÂoÂtagÂing, adapÂtaÂtion, humilÂiÂty – and to be idenÂtiÂfied with the new sitÂuÂaÂtion.
Those HunÂgarÂiÂan peasÂants many times expeÂriÂenced subÂorÂdiÂnaÂtion to the powÂers who after the First World War by definÂing TriÂaÂnon state borÂderÂs, found themÂselves in sub-ÂorÂdiÂnate posiÂtion from lanÂguage and culÂturÂal point of view, as HunÂgarÂiÂan minorÂiÂty peoÂple.
How did the vilÂlage dwellers „anÂswer“ to these changes in these years? What proÂtecÂtion mechÂaÂnisms did they have in order to restore their self-ÂiÂdenÂtiÂty? How did they adapt to restore the preÂviÂous states, or on behalf of mere remainÂing or surÂvival? And: behind their selecÂtions what kind of drivÂing forces funcÂtioned, what valÂues influÂenced their deciÂsionÂs? – the research tried to answer such quesÂtions that examÂined the changes of the peasÂants’ valÂues in the 20th cenÂtuÂry. This study sumÂmaÂrizes some of the parÂtial results of a moÂre extenÂsive work.
ParÂtialÂly, the research was based in terÂrain work, durÂing which the obserÂvaÂtion known in ethnoÂgraphÂic- and/or anthroÂpoÂlogÂic research and by the quesÂtionÂing method, and telling hisÂtoÂries, rememÂbrance and makÂing interÂviews (life-Âpath, events) the author colÂlectÂed data in the vilÂlage of MarÂtos between 1999–2002. Besides the posÂsiÂbilÂiÂties of terÂrain work sevÂerÂal writÂten docÂuÂmenÂtaÂtionÂs, recordÂs, chronÂiÂcles were used as sources from the mateÂriÂals of the SloÂvak NationÂal Archive, Bratislava, and Komárno DisÂtrict Archive, and of the archive of the local vilÂlage office.