Endre Csapó : Peace to end Peace

One out of every three Hungarians lives outside the present borders of Hungary. How did this come about? At the end of World War I the victorious powers reorganized Central Europe, creating new states ("Successor States") with new borders. This happened 75 years ago, on the 4th June, 1920, when Hungary, under duress, signed the Treaty of Trianon (a palace near Paris).

Hungary's agreeing to sign this treaty was the condition imposed by the Allies for recognizing her sovereignty, albeit over just one third of its pre-war territory. Although the West-ern leaders who drew up this peace treaty maintained the importance of the principle of national self-determination, when the new borders were drawn up the populations in the areas concerned were not consulted, there were no plebiscites and no bargaining in Paris. Therefore, Hungary was faced with the choice of accepting humiliating losses of territory or complete annihilation as a state.

At the time of the peace settlement the treatment meted out to Hungary was justified on the following grounds: first, that the idea of self-determination of all nations had to be adhered to; second, that the nation states established in place of the Habsburg Empire had to be economically viable; third, that boundaries in that part of Europe had to be militarily defensible and lastly, that the future stability of the area had to be assured as far as possible.

It seems, however, that the peacemakers used these principles only when they worked to the disadvantage of Hungary.

The doctrine of the self-determination of nations was only applied to make sure that as few non-Magyars were left to Hungary as possible. Many important regions were taken away from Hungary to assure the economic viability of the successor states, while no one cared if these losses permanently disrupted the Hungarian economy. Strategically defensible borders were drawn only where their establishement served as a justification for detaching additional Magyar populated regions from the country. The argument for the need to assure future stability in East Central Europe was adhered to only when it resulted in the further weakening and disarming of Hungary. At the same time the prospect of internal peace within the successor states was dangerously prejudiced by the inclusion of large Magyar and other minorities in each of them.

The Peace Treaty was imposed on the Hungarian people under conditions which, in fact, meant the continuation of the state of war. Indeed, as Clémenceau put it, "...another means to continue war". However, this type of war differed from the one the Peace Treaty terminated. For Hungary, the war ended with unconditional surrender. Then the second stage of war began by "another means". This second stage has been in force for 75 years with some variations. One third of the Hungarian nation lives almost as prisoners of war on their land of birth, which the successor states received as spoils of war, and they treat them accordingly. In order to perpetuate the splendid historical experience they regard the liquidation of their Hungarian minority populations as a patriotic commit-ment.

The quotations given in the following pages are only a small part of all that is available concerning this very unusual peace treaty. However, these quotations fully reveal the sort of settlement the Treaty of Trianon is, following which there can be no reconciliation even after 75 years.

Endre Csapó : Peace to end Peace