When visiting Hungary, one might be surprised to find out that people don’t clink glasses at the bar. This historical tradition comes from 1848 when Austria defeated the Hungarian revolution and celebrated by clinking glasses.
https://youtu.be/GAL47Gx8Ef8
As a result, Hungarians decided not to clink glasses for 150 years. The most mysterious custom in Hungary, for foreigners and Hungarians alike, is that they never clink glasses full of beer.
The most known explanation seems to be that the Austrians celebrated their victory over Hungary in 1849 with a few mugs of beer. This celebration marked the beginning of a long regime of terror and the vengeance against the rebel Hungarians. We have no information on how the Austrian army celebrated their victory.
There are no credible sources from that time, right after the executions in Arad. We only have a quite idealistic painting with the image of celebration, in which the triumphant Austrian officers are depicted with glasses of champagne.
Though the crushing of the Hungarian revolt provided a reason to celebrate, most of the Austrian officers were shocked by the hangings that came after the victory.
They knew many of the hanged generals as they fought together in the army of the Monarchy before. Most of the Austrian officers thought that though the martyrs of Arad fought on the wrong side, they did what honor and duty demanded. It was also inappropriate to execute people who surrendered.
So the events in Arad were not celebrated by the Imperial soldiers. Then what is the reason behind the prohibition of clinking glasses of beer? As history expert Róbert Hermann suggests, the habit originates from the depression and helplessness felt by Hungarians.
He was the Imperial commander of the fortress of Buda, which was emptied before the Austrian army conquered it in 1849. After the success of the Spring Campaign, Hungarian leadership debated about the next move. They decided to liberate Buda instead of advance in the West.
Artúr Görgei leads the siege, who requested the defenders to deliver the fort without fighting. He offered a deal to Hentzi: if the Austrian commander does not harm the civilians of Pest, the Hungarians will not attack from the direction of the Danube.
He also warned Hentzi not to damage the Chain Bridge or bombard Pest, or else he would have the entire Austrian leadership of the fortress executed after the siege.
The response was a rain of bombs on Pest. The Austrian cannons were fired every day during the 17-day-long siege. 70 civilians died and several precious buildings were demolished. When the Hungarians breached the stronghold, Hentzi fought until his death on Szent György Square.
The meaningless destruction done by Hentzi became the first known case of terror bombing in Hungarian history. His action provoked anger and hatred among the Hungarians.
The emperor of Austria, however, saw him as a hero. Franz Joseph personally participated in the revelation of Heinrich Hentzi’s statue on Szent György Square.
A feast was organized there, and that could be the moment when the celebration with clinging beer mugs and intimidation merged in the Hungarians’ minds. About the prescription after 150 years:
This legend was probably born in Hungary after the end of communism. There is no explanation of why it had to be 150 years. It does not seem logical to determine a period of time in a case like that.
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