What the Hungarian nation wants

On the morning of March 15th, 1848, thousands of revolutionaries marched around the city of Pest, declaring an end to all forms of censorship, while reading Sándor Petőfi’s National Song and the 12 points.

After they printed Petőfi’s poem together with the list, a mass demonstration was held in front of the newly built National Museum (where this year’s celebration will also take place).

When the crowd rallied in front of the Imperial Governing Council, the representatives of Emperor Ferdinand agreed to sign the 12 points.

Here you can read what the brave revolutionaries demanded:

“What the Hungarian nation wants.

Let there be peace, liberty and concord.

1. We demand the freedom of the press, the abolition of censorship.
2. Independent Hungarian government in Buda-Pest
3. Annual national assembly in Pest (by democratic parliamentary elections, the abolition of the old feudal parliament which based on the feudal estates)
4. Equality before the law in civic and religious terms (universal equality before the law)
5. National army
6. Taxes and public dues (universal and equal taxation)
7. Abolition of the Aviticum (Aviticium was an old feudal origin obsolete declared that only the nobility could own agricultural lands)
8. Juries and representation based on equality
9. National Bank
10. The army must take an oath on the Constitution, to send our soldiers home and take foreign soldiers away
11. Setting free political prisoners
12. Union (with Transylvania)

Equality, liberty, brotherhood!”