About this user
The aftermath of WWI, was extremely harsh on Hungary and unjustifiably one-sided. In the resulting "treaty" Hungary lost an unprecedented 232,000 Sq. Kilometers (89,600 Sq. Miles) of her territory, and 13,321,000 of her total population. To put it in perspective 93,000 Sq. Kilometers (35.900 Sq. Miles) and 7,516,000 population remained in the "New Hungary". Add to this the loss of up to 90% of vast natural resources, industry, railways, and other infrastructure. This was done to a nation whose borders were established in 896 A.D. and one who lost countless lives defending the rest of Europe from numerous invasions from the likes of the Mongolian Tatars and the Ottoman Turks. Hungary experienced phenomenal economic growth during the latter part of the 19th century and into the 20th. It's alignment with another economic powerhouse Germany, alarmed France and Russia. Each needed a way to stave off German-Hungarian economic competition. With the advent of WWI, France had her chance and began fostering anti-Hungarian sentiment among non-Magyar speaking Hungarian nationals. It is important to note that for over a thousand years, Hungary never experienced ethnic civil war. One thousand years of nation building successfully delineated groups based on culture, religion and other attributes to create the countries with which we are so familiar. While some Western European nations would continue power struggles and princely battles and civil wars, Hungary was a peaceful multi-ethnic state for those 1000 years and her borders were unchanged. The West, in its infinite wisdom, created out of Hungary the unlikely "nations" of Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. The treaty also doubled the size of a new country called Romania which was created only some 60 years earlier. Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia, the signatories of the treaty, have since ceased to exist, yet the borders remain unchanged. The dictators in these successor states began to foster nationalism and teach a less-than-accurate history to help bring legitimacy to their regimes. These claims are based on some seriously unfortunate state propaganda-cum-history about an ancient Roman province called Dacia. In Romania, this revised history, accelerated by Ceausescu, has become the accepted state historical doctrine even today, making the process of reconciliation much more difficult. In the newly formed Czechoslovakia, Eduard Benes and his infamous "Benes Decrees" forcibly expelled thousands and confiscated personal and church properties. Today, the Slovaks, in what was Northern Hungary, with their "Language Law" which sounds like something out of Nazi Germany, forbid the use of Hungarian in official places. Perhaps more unbelievably, the original bill, which was later amended, also forbade Hungarian (or any other language) in church. Oddly enough, although Austria was also a loser in the war, she also received a part of Hungary. The Hungarians tried to resist, but the French moved troops into Upper Hungary (now Slovakia) in defiance of the armistice agreement.
The Hungarian delegation at Trianon signed the "treaty" in protest. The dismemberment and instability brought economic collapse and governmental crisis. A mini-communist takeover, a republican government, finally gave way to Admiral Miklos Horthy who took over as "Regent" of Hungary and brought stability back to the country. The new government got to work on trying to revise the unjust treaty. Sadly, the US with its growing isolationist stance, pulled out of the League of Nations and Western Europe wanted no part in re-opening the case. France was focused on making sure Germany was punished and paid its "reparations" even though it was France who declared war on Germany! The Hungarians got a sympathetic ear from only Italy and Germany. This tragic alliance initially gained Hungary part of her northern territory from Czechoslovakia and Northern Transylvania from Romania. This alliance plunged Hungary into another disaster and occupations by first Nazis and later Soviet communists. Her land was again taken. One part of northern Hungary was then transferred from Czechoslovakia and became part of the Soviet Union and is today part of the Ukraine.
It is important to remember that the regions transferred were not part of the Austrian "Empire" and "deserving" of liquidation, but rather integral parts of Hungary who was herself part of the Austrian Empire and fought two bloody revolutions to free her self. PLUS, THERE WAS NO VOTE, except in a town called Sopron who voted to remain part of Hungary despite the turmoil facing the nation in 1920. Today, these "minorities" in their own lands are calling for autonomy and restitution of properties illegally seized. As expected, their actions are called radical and revisionist and these governments do what they can to prevent justice. When will this end?
I am calling for FREEDOM in Erdely (Tansylvania)!!!
Country
United States
Occupation
Defender of Europe
Schools
Life
Interests
Politics, History, Travel, Movies, Sports, Horsback riding, Hiking, Swimming, Powerboating, Diving, Driving, Flying and Shooting. I love to take pictures and video. I travel to historical places to learn history first hand. I also like to listen to older People's stories, because you can learn a great deal from them. Any subject regarding history interests me. One of my biggest hobbies is to FREE ERDELY (Transylvania) from the roma-nian opression. The stopping of the beating of Hungarian Nationals by roma-nias just because they are Hungarian. Than when Erdely is FREE my hobbi is going to be to go to Erdely, and talk to Magyars about their stories and document the roma-nian brutality that accured over the years.
TrianonTruth
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