Sebő (Sebastian) Vukovics de Beregszo was born into a Serbian Orthodox landowning family in Temes County and learned to speak Hungarian as a second language in his adolescence, which reflected the assimilation process that sometimes took place particularly among those incorporated into Hungarian nobility.[2][3] As a young lawyer, he was a member of Laszló Lovassy's Social Society.[3]
At the age of 20, he commented that "our religion is a very dumb religion", signifying his preference for Protestantism. He also supported the voluntary conversion of Romanians into Protestantism. A proponent of Hungarian liberalism, Vukovics became a government commissioner of Banat, and then minister of justice in Bertalan Szemere's government.[2] He was an ardent follower of Lajos Kossuth until the end of his life.[2] Vukovics is considered to have been a pragmatic politician who understood the techniques of county and state bureaucracy. He also knew how to take a person to task—even though he always tried to avoid internal conflicts.[2]
After the 1848 Revolution, the Hungarian commander of Serbian nationality General János Damjanich, with a dozen other high-ranking officers, was hanged by the Austrians, and Vukovics, rightfully, feared for his life. He was hiding from the authorities at the homes of the Menyhért Lónyay and Ervin Vladár families immediately after the Surrender at Világos. Vukovics and the Polish general, Józef Bem, fled into exile, first in France where he accompanied other exiles. Vukovics was sentenced to death in absentia by the Austrian crown.[3]
In 1851 he emigrated to the United Kingdom, but maintained contact with all the revolutionaries, particularly Kossuth to whom he wrote many letters, outlining two basic principles for the near future: independence of Hungary, and "complete democratic freedom with respect to politics, nationality, and religion."[2] Vukovics insisted on the unity of historical Hungary. Therefore he did not give up Transylvania but did acknowledge the independence of Croatia, and recognized the establishment of the Voivodeship of Serbia and Banat of Temeschwar.[2] Instead of a confederation he proposed an alliance with the neighbouring Danubian states,vis-à-vis Austria. Vukovics subordinated the nationality question to the issue of universal suffrage while "not keeping up any supremacy for the Hungarian nationality." Since the "central power" would decide only in national affairs, county autonomy could satisfy nationalities claims. The official languages in national affairs would be decided by the state, in county affairs by the county, and municipal affairs by the community.[2]
