The Slovak Nation‘s Memorandum was a key document that outlined the demands of Slovaks within Hungary. It became an important milestone in the country’s history and shaped Slovak identity.
This was stated by President Peter Pellegrini on the 164th anniversary of the memorandum's adoption.
The memorandum, passed at a gathering in Martin, presented a comprehensive program of national, political, and cultural rights. Pellegrini emphasized that, although many demands were not immediately met, the document became the foundation for future national efforts and played a crucial role in shaping Slovak identity.
On June 6-7, 1861, representatives of the Slovak national awakening movement gathered in Martin and formulated demands to achieve national self-determination within the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. In the document, autonomy within the Kingdom of Hungary was mentioned along with education in Slovak language at all school levels and Slovak as the official language on the territory of what is now the Slovak Republic. The Declaration also asked for the establishment of Matica slovenská as a central cultural institution.
Source: TASR, SME
