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Political Development of the Hungarian Opposition Parties in the Interwar Czechoslovak Republic

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Political Development of the Hungarian Opposition Parties in the Interwar Czechoslovak Republic Political development of the Hungarian opposition parties in the interwar Czechoslovak Republic Milan Olejník, Centrum spoločenských a psychologických vied SAV, Spoločenskovedný ústav Košice, [email protected] OLEJNÍK, Milan. Political development of theHungarian opposition parties in the interwar Czechoslovak Republic. Individualand Society, 2016, Vol. 19, No. 2. The paper dealswith the basic issues of political development of Hungarian opposition partiesduring the period of the First Czechoslovak Republic (CSR). Within the frame ofa parliamentary democracy in CSR the whole array of political parties was active,including political associations based on the ethnic principle. Among theHungarian community the primary role was played by the Provincial ChristianSocial Party (PChSP) and the Hungarian National Party (HNP). Eventually, eventhough they were representing primarily interests of the Hungarian population,they differed in their confessional orientation, but also in their ability togain support of voters outside the Hungarian community. PChSP, whichrepresented itself as the strictly Catholic Party, was able to attractpreferences of a segment of Slovak Catholics. On the other side, the HungarianNational Party could count on votes of certain number of members of the Jewishminority. The both parties differentiated also in their approach to rulingcoalition. Whereas MNS was pursuing a policy of opposition in somecircumstances it was open to cooperation with government if its demands aimedat improvement of the status of Hungarian community would be met, the PChSP wasa priori against any cooperation with government. Till their unification bothHungarian opposition parties were active as autonomous political associations.A dramatic development of political situation at the close of 1938 resulted ina radical change of the status of the Hungarian political opposition as well asHungarian population. On the basis of Vienna Arbitrage from 2 November 1938, asizeable part of the Southern Slovakia, where the majority of members of theHungarian minority lived was annexed by Hungary. Hungarian minority. Hungarian oposition parties. Political relations. Czechoslovakian Republic. After demise of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Hungarian Kingdom became a victim of an internal dissentions and geopolitical changes which resulted in loss of two thirds of its territory. As a result of these developments, a region of the Southern Slovakia became an integral part of the newly established state – the Czechoslovak Republic (CSR). A sizeable part of dwellers of the Southern Slovakia were ethnic Hungarians. A majority of Hungarians viewed inclusion of this territory into Czechoslovakia as an injustice, which was done without their consent and against their will. Furthermore, there were several consequences, which in judgement of Hungarian minority members resulted in worsening of their status in political, economic, cultural and social spheres. The Czechoslovakian Republic was built as a national state, in which Czechs and Slovaks had in many aspects a privileged position. Consequently, this arrangement left ethnic minorities in a secondary position and limit their minority rights. This became a constant source of complaints by Hungarian politicians and cultural activists. However, due to the Czechoslovak Constitution adopted on February 29 1929, a broad array of political parties could be founded, including political subjects established on ethnic basis. In a relatively short time period, several Hungarian political subjects were formed, among which a two parties assumed a leading role in the Hungarian community – the Provincial Christian Socialist Party (PChSP) and the Hungarian National Party (HNP). Although both parties were representing Hungarian community, they differentiated in 1 Človek a spoločnosť - Individual and Society, 2016, 19(2) several significant aspects. The leadership of the Christian Socialists aspired to be a political representative also of non-Hungarian segments of population living in Slovakia. PChSP comprised predominantly of adherents to the Catholic Christian Church and an influential position in its hierarchy was held by the Catholic clerisy. Ideologically, a program of Hungarian Christian Socialists was based on Vatican encyclics Rerum Novarum and Quadragesimo Anno, which accentuated principles of a Christian solidarity in an economic life of society. In regard to the political establishment of CSR, the Christian Socialists were pronouncedly critical to it and during existence of CSR stayed in an opposition. Even though, as its name indicates, the Hungarian National Party was a political subject, representing primarily the Hungarian community, it attracted also a number of Jewish voters. HNP had also a close ties with the Sepes German Party (SGP) which had a dominant political influence among the German population living in the region of Sepes. The Sepes Germans, who were thoroughly magyarized during the last decades of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, persisted in their pro-Hungarian orientation and SGP during existence of CSR was closely allied with Hungarian opposition parties.[1] As was noted, the Provincial Christian Socialist Party endeavored to broaden its political influence into Slovak society, arguing that all Catholics living in Slovakia should be united regardless of their ethnic origin. With an aim to overcome a language barrier and atract also Slovaks who did not speak Hungarian, the Christian Socialists published a periodical in Slovak language named the Vôľa ľudu (Will of People).[2] This strategy was partly successful and approximately 10 % of PChSP organizations were composed of Slovak members.[3] The Czechoslovak state and security organs were viewing the Christian Socialists with suspicion. Members of PChSP were perceived by state agencies as hostile to the Czechoslovak Republic and were under constant monitoring. Paradoxically, the main source of information about activities of Hungarian opposition is derived from situational reports, analysis and elaborations prepared by security agencies.[4] Despite fact that both Hungarian opposition parties were predominantly oriented on representation of Hungarian minority, they differed in several important aspects and relations between them were occassionally stormy. The main divide was an approach to government which was composed of Czechoslovak and German activistic[5] political subjects in dependence on results of election to the National Assembly. Whereas the Hungarian Christian Socialists were staunch critics of a ruling regime, arguing that policies of the Czechoslovak government are pernicious to well being of Hungarian minority, representatives of the Hungarian National Party were willing to cooperate with ruling coalition on condition that its demands will be met. However, in its attitude to anti-government opposition, even leadership of the Provincial Christian Socialist Party was not always unanimous. In the middle of twenties a fraction led by Jenő Lelley was convinced that the Christian Socialists should consider a rapprochement with a ruling coalition. Lelley´s policy of less stringent approach to ruling coalition resulted in an infighting between his adherents and strictly anti-government fraction. According to a pro-government periodical the Slovenský deník (Slovak Daily) crisis in PChSP was becoming highly dangerous to its unity.[6] Also the Vôľa ľudu admitted that a sizeable segment of local organizations was revolting against Jenő Lelley.[7] The dissention in the Provincial Christian Socialist Party led to a clash between Jenő Lelley and Géza Szüllő, who strictly refused any accommodation with Czechoslovak parties. Because a majority of the Christian Socialists sided with Szüllő, Lelley´s supporters founded a new political subject – the West-Slovak Christian Social Party. The Police Directory (PD) in Košice reported, wrongly, that Leleys´s fraction had a good chance to gain supporters also in the Eastern Slovakia.[8] If had Hungarian opposition any chance to make a mark in a complex political scene of the Czechoslovak Republic, it must gain a trust of Hungarian electorate and secure its votes. Therefore, as the elections to the National Assembly in year 1925 were approaching, Hungarian opposition was focusing on issues vital to the well-being of Hungarian population – on improvement of its economic situation and on respect for minority rights in sphere of education and use of Hungarian language in an official conduct. For the Christian Socialists it was a singularly important to overcome dissention caused by Lelley and his supporters. As the election results showed, the National Christan Socialist Party was successful in overcoming crisis and attracting votes of the Hungarian minority members.[9] The West-Slovakian Christian Social Party led by J. Lelley suffered a grievous defeat and after elections disappeared from Czechoslovak political scene. As a success valued results of elections also chairman of the Hungarian National Party, Jószef Szent-Ivány.[10] 2 Milan Olejník, Political development of the Hungarian opposition parties in the interwar Czechoslovak Republic The Police Directory in Bratislava acknowledged that the Hungarian National Party managed gain a significant support of Hungarian voters. Allegedly, it was a result of properly chosed strategy on part of HNP.[11] The chairman of the Provincial Christian Socialist Party, G. Szüllő, was pursuing a strict opposition policy. In view of the Police Directory in Košice, Szüllő was a sworn
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