Banska Stiavnica Miner Unrest

Banska Stiavnica Miner Unrest Between March and June in Banska Stiavnica, 4,000 Slovak and German miners who initial ly supported Hungarians against Austrian authorities, demanded wage increases and health insurance from the Hungarian government. Citing Louis Blanc, they called for control of the mines' administration and threatened violence. Fearing the spread of disorder and association with the Slovak national movement, the Hungarian government acquiesced to some of the miners' demands and sent Lajos Beniczky to Banska Stiavnica to pacify the movement. Seeking support of the local national guard, he brought in a military unit, and banned meetings. Beniczky justified his action in pacifing the area by accusing the miners of panslavism and high treason. Although a few Slovak intellectuals advised the miners, most distanced themselves from the miners' radicalism.
Dusan Skarvna