Attila Simon: With Pipe, Drum, Double Bass – or Experiment on „the Re-occupation of the Upper Land” on 5th October 1938
Due to the strained foreign and home policy situation in Czechoslovakia, September and October 1938 was rich in armed incidents, street demonstrations, ethnic conflicts. These were firstly characteristic for the Czech-German border section, where they began even sooner before the decision in Munich, but they continued even after the border changes.
Despite of this, on the Slovak-Hungarian border section there was silence and peacefulness, although in the first days of October, the situation in South Slovakia sharpened. In many places – mainly in the territory of Sub-Carpathia – there were minor border collissions that were made mostly by free groups gathering in Hungary. Although in the territory of the Slovak-Hungarian border section the number of such conflicts was minimal. On 5th October by Kacagópuszta belonging to the district of Feledi, on 7th October by Párkány, and on 13th October in Perbenyik belonging to the Királyhelmec distric there were border incidents. In this study from the three incidents we intend to introduce the one that happened in Kacagópuszta on 5th October that before the first Vienna decision can be considered not only the most important indicident, but also the most documented one.
The most important border incident of fall 1938 was in the Feledi district on 5th October, during which the units of the Hungarian border insuring company in Hangony broke to the territory of Czechoslovakia. Consequently they broke the first line of the Czechoslovak border guard and occupied some territories lived by Hungarians. Although the Czechoslovak border defence – that were activated and put into action even armoured troops – stopped them. After the attack was defeated, and their superior units more strongly insisted on their withdrawal, the attackers after 1 day of fight, on 5th October in evening hours drew back behind the state borders.
The settling down of the diplomatic storm that was caused by the evening incident took place at the meeting in Komárom. After the commencement of the plenary meeting on 10th October the leader of the Slovak delegation, Jozef Tiso required explanation from the Hungarian party concerning the attack on 5th October. Consequently Kánya explained that there was individual initiative behind the attack and that the examination of the case is in process. Teleki indicated that the soldier in custody would be bring to military justice.