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Patrick Burlingame: Ethnic Hungarian Minorities: Past, Present, and Future

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Patrick Burlingame: Ethnic Hungarian Minorities: Past, Present, and Future Ethnic Hungarian Minorities: Past, Present, and Future Patrick Burlingame .................................................................................... At-Large University of Szeged [email protected] H-6725 Szeged Tisza Lajos krt. 103 Adviser: Dr. György Szo˝nyi .................................................................................... 1. Introduction O¤Today, there are roughly 5 million O¤This presentation seeks to answer ethnic Hungarians living outside the what the future holds for ethnic national borders of Hungary Hungarian minorities in neighbor- ing countries given their past and O¤Most of these Hungarians live in current realities neighboring countries of the Danube Basin. In particular: Roma- nia (Transylvania/Erdély), Slovakia, 2. The Treaty of Trianon and Serbia (Voivodina/Vajdaság) O¤In 1920, the victorious allies of O¤In many cases, portions of these WWI drafted and imposed the countries are predominately Hun- Treaty of Trianon to punish Hun- garian and have substantial histori- gary and Axis powers for their par- cal and cultural importance for all ticipation in the war Hungarians O¤France, Italy, the United States, and O¤Unfortunately in a region known for the United Kingdom were the prin- its nationalism and recent conflicts, ciple allied powers present at the Hungarian minorities have suffered Treaty. Also present were states that from discrimination and ethnic con- stood to gain including Romania, flict and the newly formed Serb-Croat- Slovene and Czechoslovakian states 49 Student Conference 2003 O¤The victors of WWI , in particular the from the Carpathian Basin, Transylvania French were eager to weaken the former became part of the Austrian empire in Austro-Hungarian Empire and wanted 1711 and by the mid 19th century a key to reward various nations that had part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. assisted in the war O¤Throughout the 18th century ethnic O¤Hungary lost approx. 2/3 of its former Romanians (who first appeared in the 1 territory (325,411 to 92,916 sq. km) , ⁄2 late 13th century) immigrated in greater of its population (20,880,487 to and greater numbers to Transylvania to 8,522,230 people), and 90% of its natu- represent 58% of the population by ral resources (including industry, rail- 1780 (49.6% in 1720). Nonetheless, ways, and other infrastructure) most Romanians refute these historical facts (wrongly) and claim the ancient O¤Likewise, Trianon is the basis for the Romans of Dacia (Transylvania) as their substantial Hungarian ethnic minorities ancestors of present (1/3 of the population lost was Hungarian speaking) O¤Transylvania prospered greatly under the Austro-Hungarian empire until it’s col- O¤Although the treaty made Hungary an lapse in WWI and delegation to Roma- ethnically homogenous state, it seems nia under the Treaty of Trianon. A dec- small adjustments to Hungary’s borders laration of Transylvania’s union with as specified in the treaty could have Romania was made by the Romanian been drawn to include many more eth- assembly in Gyulafehérvár (Alba Iulia) nic Hungarians on December 1, 1918 (currently Roma- nia’s national holiday to the dismay of ethnic Hungarians) 3. The Hungarians O¤The Alba Iulia Declaration, considered to of Romania be the starting point in the creation of (Transylvania/Erdély) the modern Romanian state, promised Historical Background broad–range rights to the “co-habiting nations” but Romania never ensured O¤ In the 10th century Hungarians settled these rights. The 1923 Constitution in Transylvania declared Romania a unitary nation-state O¤Transylvania was part of a powerful and made no mention of the rights medieval Hungarian Kingdom with 3 promised in the Alba Iulia Declaration. historic communities 1.) the Hungarians Furthermore, the successive Romanian 2.) the Szekleys 3.) the Saxons. Hun- governments also ignored the minority gary’s most famous king Matyas Korvi- agreement, which was signed before the nus was born in Kolosvar Transylvania Trianon Treaty on November 9th 1919, and was never ratified by the Romanian O¤Following the invasion of the Turks in legislature 1526, Transylvania became an inde- pendent principality ruled by elected O¤After 1918, the national minority policy Hungarian princes of the successive Romanian govern- ments was aimed at depriving the Hun- O¤Following the expulsion of the Turks 50 Patrick Burlingame: Ethnic Hungarian Minorities: Past, Present and Future garians of Transylvania of their financial itself the interest protection and politi- resources and network of institutions cal representation of Romania’s ethnic O¤The Second Vienna Award of August 30, Hungarians. Even though the DAHR is 1940 which returned Northern Transyl- made up of several different interest vania and the Szekler Region (43,000 sq groups and platforms, it has to this day km with a population of 2.5 million, preserved its unity including 1 million Romanians) to Hun- O¤Current Situation- Some Positive Devel- gary, and the events which followed left opments indelible marks in the memory of Tran- sylvania’s Romanian, Hungarian and O¤The Hungarian Consulate opened in German population. To this day Kolosvar in 1996 Romanian nationalists manipulate the O¤The Democratic Alliance of Hungarians Romanian masses through the one-sided (DAHR) participated in the ’96-’00 and distorted description of those Constantinescu government in Romania wartime events O¤Romania has signed and ratified numer- O¤ After 1945, as a result of Soviet pressure, ous international treaties concerning Romania regained Northern Transylva- minority rights most notably including nia, including the Szekler Region. For a The Framework Convention for the Protec- brief moment, it looked as if the new tion of National Minorities (1997), Euro- Romanian government would seek a pean Charter for Regional or Minority more equitable solution to the nationali- Languages (but still to be ratified), The ty problem. Law No. 86 adopted on 6 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of February 1945 (Nationality Statute), National, Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic which has not been formally rescinded Minorities (1992), and The Bi-lateral to this day, for the first time guaranteed Friendship Treaty between Hungary and collective rights for national minorities. Romania (1996) In practice, however, the Nationality Statute was never implemented O¤Economically, Hungarians are one of the best off groups in Romania (linkages O¤ The events of December 1989 ending with Hungary/work ethic). There are Ceaus¸escu’s dictatorship did not bring over 3000 Hungarian ventures in Roma- the anticipated liquidation of the com- nia amounting to more than 140 million munist–nationalist minority policy. The in Hungarian capital investment. new Constitution and the legislation of the 1990s lagged far behind the rightful O¤The development of a strong Hungarian demands of the Hungarians in Romania civil society with more then 300 NGO’s and the promises of the Romanian polit- O¤Substantial Hungarian language media ical elite which carried out the changes has surfaced though with limited of 1989. At the same time, the self- Romanian financial support organization of Romania’s ethnic Hun- O¤ garians once again became possible Thriving Primary and Secondary Hun- O¤In December 1989, the Democratic garian language schools, and some Hun- Alliance of Hungarians in Romania garian language faculties at Babes-Bolyai (DAHR) was established, and took upon University in Kolosvar 51 Student Conference 2003 O¤Current Situation- Some Negative 4. The Hungarians Developments of Slovakia O¤Romanian Policy of resettling ethnic Historical Background Romanians has continued to a certain extent (offering economic incentives) O¤The Hungarians of Slovakia first became a minority in 1918 with the establish- O¤The ethnic Hungarian population has ment of the state of Czechoslovakia. been decreasing due to lower birthrates Until then, their political, cultural, and (esp. when compared to ethnic Romani- national existence was similar to that of ans) and massive emigration (over Hungary proper 100,000 people since the 1970’s) O¤Of the territory of the Kingdom of O¤Though the new Romanian Constitution Hungary which was part of the Aus- promises many minority rights, it is not tro–Hungarian Monarchy, 61,633 observed or practiced to a great extent square kilometers were attached to in actuality. Window dressing? Czechoslovakia, with a total population O¤The public administration law, adopted in of 3,517,568 according to the data of 1991, mandated the exclusive use of the the previous census. Of these, 30.3% Romanian language. Only recent were Hungarians, 7.4% Germans, changes in 2001 have made an exception 48.2% Slovaks, and 12.3% Ruthenians for areas where Hungarians consist of O¤Czechoslovakia assumed obligation more then 20% under Trianon to observe minority O¤Still no adoption of a proposed National rights but this obligation was ignored by Minority Law proposed by the Democ- the government. By the end of Decem- ratic Alliance of Hungarians ber 1920, 105,000 Hungarians were eth- O¤Continued racism and discrimination by nically cleansed and forced to leave ultra-nationalist Romanian political Czechoslovakia leaders (Funar the mayor of Kolosvar/ O¤On January 1st 1923, the country’s ’00 presidential candidate Vadim Tudor) administrative arrangement was and local Romanian police in Hungari- changed. The creation of large counties an-majority areas with territory apportioned in a north- O¤Substantial controversy still persists over south direction aimed
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