PhD Theses Krisztina Kurdi Galicia and the Jewry of Galicia with Special Regard to Sámuel Bredeczky’s Reisebemerkungen über Ungern und Galizien ELTE BTK 2008 Choosing Field – Galicia As Historical Problem Galicia was and still is handled adversely by Hungarian history and pub- lic opinion until today, however, Habsburgs legitimated their occupation as be- ing Hungarian kings. Nevertheless, I consider as a more signi¿ cant and grave problem that the notion of Galician Jewry is accompanied by false statetment and misunderstandings in present day Hungarian public opinion and public talk. It is a tragic phenomenon that the notion of “Galician” re-emerged as pejorative in the rhetorics of extreme rightist, which is applied to the entire Hungarian Jewry. Besides their declaration is unacceptable from both political and moral perspectives, it is also erroneous from historical point of view, since the majority of the present day Hungarian Jews is not from Galicia. The main objective of this dissertation is to introduce who are and who were the Jewry of Galicia and how they lived and how they live today. We may consider Galicia as individual geographical and historical unit between 1772-1918. From this 146 years, my paper focuses on 40 years: from the beginning of Austrian rule to 1812, which includes the life of main char- acter, Sámuel Bredeczky. His oeuvre and personality may not be compared to also hungarus predeccesors such as Mátyás, Bél Sámuel Tessedik, Károly Windisch Gottlieb, János Mátyás Korabinszky vagy János SzászkyTomka , however, they are adequate to view and understand the spirit and behaviour of contemporary intellectual elite. The personality of Sámuel Bredeczky carries the characteristic features and typical roles of Hungarian hungarus intellectuals of the Enlightenment. He was such a hungarus identity German who was loyal dependant and patriot at the same time, and he could not or could hardly speak Hungarian. Despite this fact, he confessed as being Zipser and from Hungary. His life may called as service in the noble meaning of the term, that, on the one hand, it was the service of Evangelical Church and adherents, and, on the other hand, service of Monarchy, the Emperor; he regarded his being German and patriotism to the Hungarian homeland as compatible. 1 Sámuel Bredeczky evangelical minister was sent to Galicia to supervise in the discordance for the throne in Halych and lead expeditions against and reorganise the protestant settlements and evangelical religious life. He car- the Kingdom. He was the ¿ rst Hungarian king to receive “rex Galiciae et ried out more than the above. Besides his assigned tasks, he carried out stud- Lodomeriae” title. The two ex-Polish territories (Red Russia and Small Po- ies in state economy, folklore, geography, mineralogy and all ¿ elds that could land) formed the core of Galicia. This not only meant tow separate country be necessary for the state, the monarchy. The years in Galicia were fertile parts but also two distinct Slavic population and cultures: the Byzantine from both literary and scienti¿ c perspective: he published numerous articles, and German-Roman. Red Russia became a part of Polish Kingdom during preaches and books, and the experience of his of¿ cial travellings was recorded the reign of Louis the Great. Small Poland to which Western Galicia was in the work titled Reisebemerkungen über Ungern und Galizien. His travel attached later, was not liable to Mongol intrusions from the end of 13th cen- notes introduced the ¿ rst decades of the Austrian rule in Galicia, the ethnical tury, therefore the population was more dense and chieÀ y German settlers relations of the province, and its natural and economical capabilities from a established towns. Whereas the (Ukrainian) territories known as Eastern particular point of view. Galicia were subject to wars and Mongol then Turkish invasions, thus the density of population remained low; settlement could develop gradually during the centuries as they were re-established frequently. Historical Background of the Formation of Galicia The princes of of the Middle Ages had ties principally with the Polish and they could hardly resist against the Mongol intrusions. During the 14th Galicia was established subsequent to the various partitions of Kingdom century, the history of Principality of Halych – Volhinia developed different- of Lodomeria and Poland. In the 17th century, the territory of the polish noble ly : Volhinia became Lithuanian territory and Halych went under Polish rule republic was 990.000 km², however, it was reduced to 730.000 km² prior to in 1340. The claim of Hungarian kings remained subsequent to the anteced- 1772. The most developed areas belonged to Prussia after the ¿ rst division ents in the 13th century, and the present day Ukrainian history books regard (East Pomerania and the northern part of Great Poland), a total of 36.300 the personal union of 1370-1382 as Hungarian reign. After termination of km² and 580.000 inhabitants. Russia was given 93.000 km² with 1.300.000 personal union, the territory was the part of Polish Kingdom until 1772. people. Austria was granted the most populated territory: 81.900 km²-t and At the ¿ rst partition of 1772, Austria was granted three areas: the 2.650.000 inhabitants during the ¿ rst partition in 1772. erstwhile Red Russia, Duchy of Auschwitz and Zator, and the Zipser cit- From historical perspective, the Galicia geographical name covers ies. This territory was most populated among the areas partitioned by the the area between the rivers Zbrucs and Wisáok where the Principality of three great powers: territory of approximately 81.000 km² 83.000 km² Halych-Volhynia was between 1087 and 1200. In the 13th century, the its with 2.130.000-2.650.000 inhabitants. In 1786, Bukovina was attached to history was characterised by conÀ icts for the throne and external attacks. Galicia, which meant an additional 10.456 km². Austria was left out from The Hungarian kings took advantage of the internal insecurity and lead the second partition in 1793, however is was given further territories in various expeditions to Halych that were sometimes successful, however, the third partition of 1796. Krakow that was under Prussian reign was they could not establish a temporary rule. In 1205, Andrew II intervened granted to the Austrians. On January 16, 1797, the partition of Poland 2 3 was terminated by the Treaty of Saint Petersburg. Austria received six Policy of Habsburgs Regarding Galicia new districts: Krakow, Kielce, Lublin, Biala, Radom, Siedlce – voivod- ships bordered by Rivers Pilica, Visztula and Bug that were united under Prior to August of 1772, Galicia legitimately was not a Habsburg prov- a joint regency with Galicia in 1803. This territory was called as Western ince. Therefore, it seemed rational to place under the administration of chan- Galicia to distinguish from areas granted earlier to Austria, which were cellery of court. Until the legal status of the territory was not settled, no designated as Eastern Galicia. During this period, Galicia was the great- civilian public administration could be introduced. est regarding size: nearly 129.000 km². The new power deeply changed the life of Galicia. The historical capi- The Habsburgs could not take advantage of Western Galicia, since Na- tal of Halych was replaced by Lemberg only with the population of 24.000. poleon, after having won over the Prussians and Austrians, established the Lemberg was a major trading centre during the Middle Ages as it lies in the Duchy of Warsaw in 1807. Therefore, Austria had to give upon the territories junction of various important trading routes from the Black Sea, Asia, and to it was granted in 1796-1797. However, subsequent to death of Napoleon, the the Baltic Sea and Western Europe. This why the town was diverse in ethni- Austrians could gain back parts of the lost areas. cal, language and cultural terms that was preserved until the 20th century. The borders of Galicia changed various times until the mid 19th Thus, we may declare that the decision of the Austrian was correct. century: the Duchy of Auschwitz – Zator that belongs to Wadowicze The period between 1772-1815 may be considered as transitory; the District (1900 km²) was attached to the Austrian Silezia, however, it Austrian public administration was established that remained until 1918. remained the part of Galicia regarding public administration. In 1846, after the uprising in Krakow, the city, which was under the joint rule of In spite of apparent hesitation, Maria Theresa and her son was in- three powers, and an additional 1.100 km² became a part of Galicia. In terested in the partition of Poland, since they intended to compensate the 1849, Galicia suffered a new territorial loss and Bukovina became auto- lost Silesia to re-establish the Central European status quo. However, the nomic province. The last territorial modification was carried out in 1866 Habsburgs was not interested in Galicia as a new territory, they solely needed when Duchy of Auschwitz – Zator returned to Galicia. The territory of a particular compensation for Silesia, which they never gave upon and the the province was then 80.200 km² that was not varied until the collapse court in Vienna always speculated that Galicia should be switched for a dif- of the Habsburg Empire. ferent territory. However, they integrated Galicia to the Habsburg Empire by The new province was given back its old historical name and became establishing Austrian public administration with a great effort. Moreover, it under Austrian administration as “Königreich Galizien und Lodomerien”. was regarded as ¿ eld of an experiment where the new “Einrichtungswerk” More problems occur regarding the denomination: on the one hand, we re- could be introduced. The term is derived from the contemporary language of gard the erstwhile Grand Duchy of Halych and Vladimir under the historical the Austrian clerks.