Țigani clash

Battle of Salgótarján
Part of the Hungarian-Romanian War
Date 1 – 14 January 1919 Location Romania Result The clash lasted until the Hungarian regiment finished evacuating the city
Belligerents
Kingdom of Hungary	Romania
Commanders and leaders
Gyurotsik	Gheorghe Rozin
Casualties and losses
19 killed and wounded

The armed incident at Țigani (currently Crișeni) of January 14, 1919 was a military incident that took place in the Sălajului area, during the Romanian Army Operation to occupy the line line of demarcation in Transylvania (1918) occupation operation of a Line of demarcation in Transylvania (1918-1919) Third line of demarcation new alignment of the line of demarcation in Transylvania between the troops Romanian and Hungarian. Hungarian troops of the "24 Honvezi Infantry Regiment" from the '"Secuia Division"' and Romanian troops from the 16 Infantry Regiment (1918-1920) were involved in the incident. The 16th Infantry Regiment of the 7th Infantry Division (1918-1920)

The collision in question took place in the area of the town of Țigani in the area of the railway deviation triangle leading to Zalău and had still unclear causes. It occurred both in the context of preliminary ultimative notes exchanged between the local Hungarian and Romanian military commanders, regarding the movement of their own troops in the nearby area, and of an apparent prior understanding regarding the subject in question (negotiated, however, from positions of strength).

In that event, which resulted in 6 dead, 13 wounded and 7 missing on the part of the Romanians, military forces the size of a battalion were involved on both sides.

During the Operation of the Romanian Army to occupy the line of demarcation in Transylvania (1918) of the Line of demarcation in Transylvania (1918-1919) between the Romanian and Hungarian troops, to ensure a new alignment, the "13th Infantry Brigade (1918-1920) and 14th Infantry Brigade (1918-1920) from 7th Infantry Division (1918-1920), respectively Regiments 14th Infantry Regiment (1918-1920) for Baia Mare and Sighetu Marmatiei and 16th Infantry Regiment (1918-1920) for Jibou and Zalău.^[1] The occupation of the Baia Mare – Jibou – Zalău region ensured Romanian Army control of the Someșului Valley middle and of the railway in this valley. It also ensured control of the communications node represented by Jibou, which ensured the connection between the railway from the Someșului valley and the one leading to Carei.^[2]

Reduced military forces were to be deployed on the new alignment intended to be occupied by the Romanian troops. As such, the hot-headed spirits of the Hungarian troops stationed in Zalău, among whom Major Mihály Gyurotsik (whose family lived in the city itself),^[3] were predisposed to a bellicose attitude.^[4]

On January 1/14, two companies and two Romanian machine gun sections set out for Zalău to take the city under control.^[5] According to the Hungarian historian Gottfried Barna, what happened was an act of force on the part of the Romanian troops. According to Barna, the sources are unclear, however, not explaining why, despite the agreement, the clash took place. In his opinion, the desire of the Romanians to take possession of the locality before it was evacuated by the Hungarian troops, was in this case the motive that triggered the conflict. According to the Romanian historian Cornel Grad, the Romanian troops waited boarded the train in Gârceiu station, the withdrawal of the last Hungarian troops, after which they set off for Șigani station.

In the deviation triangle of the railway leading to Zalău, the line had been mined by the Hungarian troops, who stopped the train with Romanian soldiers in near the Țigani railway station (5 km north of Zalău)^[2] and they stormed it. In return the rest of the "2nd Battalion" ' of the "16th Infantry Regiment" regrouped coming from Jibou,^[2] on the hills of Ortelec and counterattacked. The fight continued until the Hungarian regiment left the city.

The Romanian troops recovered the train on January 1/14, 1919 and occupied the territory up to the demarcation line - beyond which the Hungarian troops retreated. On January 2/15, 1919, the Romanian soldiers entered Zalău.^[5]

The incident resulted in 6 dead, 13 wounded and 7 missing from the Romanian side. Of the dead, one was killed during the attack and the other 5 who were wagon drivers, after being captured. All were buried with military honors in the city cemetery. The injured were taken to the City Hospital in Zalău for treatment.

An investigation into the incident took place under the leadership of the Romanian generals Neculcea – commander of the "7th Infantry Division" and the French Henry Patey. The conclusion of the investigation was that the guilt belongs to the Hungarian authorities. the protection of Eastern Hungary from Cluj,^[6] Professor István Apáthy, by which the Hungarian troops were urged to resist. General Neculcea ordered that Apáthy be arrested and tried, and the municipality of Cluj was obliged to pay 900,000 Austro-Hungarian Crowns to the families of those who died in the incident and to financially support the payment of funeral expenses, as well as the raising of a monument dedicated to the victims of the attack. Also, notables from Zalău and neighboring towns were arrested.^[E] In 1920, the monument whose erection was decided by General Neculcea, was inaugurated in the presence of general Petal.

After what happened in Șigani, Gyurotsik's subunit (the officer directly involved in the events), was transferred to Hajdúszoboszló, near Debrecen. In a short time he returned to Sălaj, being deployed to Nușfalău and Șimleu Silvaniei.^[5] Gyurotsik's family, however, remained in Zalău, which will prove important later. ^[F][7]

• Grad, Cornel; Contribuția armatei române la preluarea puterii politico-administrative în Transilvania. Primele măsuri (noiembrie 1918-aprilie 1919);
• Revista de Administrație Publică și Politici Sociale, An II, Nr. 4(5)/Decembrie 2010; p. 71-72