10-es

• In present times, approximately 11.5 million Hungarians live in the Carpathian Basin, of whom about 2 million are outside the borders established by the Treaty of Trianon
• The open nationalist and nation state movements started to strengthen the neighbouring countries which reshaped administration, land reform, education and migration policy
• Concerning the nationality issue, the great powers aimed to establish nation-states, but not through border modifications, rather through the resettlement of ethnic minorities


  1945
• Potsdam Conference


  Pronounced the principle of collective responsibility, which allowed for the expulsion of the German minority from Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Hungary
• Czechoslovakia 1945 April

  Announcement of the Kassa Government Program
• Czechoslovakia 1945 August


  President Benes' decrees: Germans and Hungarians were stripped of their Czechoslovak citizenship, German and Hungarian men were ordered to perform public works, Hungarian nurseries, kindergartens, and schools were closed down
• Czechoslovakia 1946 February 27

  Hungary was forced to sign the Czechoslovak-Hungarian population exchange agreement
• Czechoslovak-Hungarian population exchange agreement

  For every Hungarian from Slovakia who voluntarily applies for resettlement, Czechoslovaks could remove an equal number of Hungarians from their state
• A population exchange involving 70,000 people took place
• Czechoslovakia 1946 June 17


  Decree of "reslovakization": Hungarians were given a choice; if they declared themselves as Slovaks, they would regain their citizenship, if not, they would be expelled (around 400,000 Hungarians identified themselves as "Slovaks")
• In 1952, the principle of equality for Hungarians and the acceptance of bilingualism were adopted in Czechoslovakia
• The consequences of deprivation of rights (jogfosztás) continued to affect the Hungarian community in Czechoslovakia throughout its existence
• After the regime change, the independent Slovakia adopted its constitution in 1992, defining the country as a nation-state
• Today, the Party of the Hungarian Coalition strives (törekszik) to represent the interests of the Hungarian community in Slovakia in the legislature
• During the post-World War II period between 1945 and 1947, the Romanian governments pursued a moderate policy towards national minorities
• Following the communist takeover, the dismantling of Hungarian institutions began in Romania
• Romania 1952

  The Hungarian Autonomous Province was established with its centre in Marosvásárhely consisting of the four Szekler counties, where only the right to language use was ensured, but it was restricted in other Hungarian-inhabited areas
• In 1956, the Hungarian minority in Romania was accused of separatism and revisionism
• From the 1970s, under the leadership of party secretary Ceausescu, the policy of assimilating minorities in Romania began, and in the 1980s, reached the plan of village demolitions aimed at eliminating smaller settlements inhabited by minorities
• Romania

  The integration of Hungarian schools with Romanian institutions began. In 1959, this also happened to Bolyai University. They tried to break up the Transylvanian Roman Catholic Church. Bishop Áron Márton was imprisoned
• While the Romanian Revolution swept away the Ceausescu regime, anti-minority sentiments resurfaced later - in March 1990, there was a pogrom against Hungarians
• The Hungarian community in Transylvania is currently fighting to achieve autonomy
• Brother Csaba Böjte, a Franciscan friar, plays a significant role in preserving the Hungarian community in Transylvania
• In 1959, the equal status of all minorities was declared in Yugoslavia
• In the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, minorities enjoyed extensive language and educational rights. The 1960s to 1980s were the "golden age" of the Hungarian minority in Yugoslavia
• Better living conditions and broader cultural opportunities (Hungarian became one of the official languages of Vojvodina) led to accelerated assimilation during this period
• From the late 1980s, the situation of Hungarians in Yugoslavia began to decline
• The Hungarian minority in Carpathian Ruthenia suffered huge losses because Hungarian men of military age were obliged to three days of work - 20,000 men were deported for "málenkij robot"
• The very small Hungarian minority in Burgenland was in a rather difficult situation beyond the Iron Curtain, although its rights were guaranteed by the Austrian state
• During the socialist era, little attention was paid to the Hungarian minorities beyond the borders
• In 1988, a demonstration was held in Heroes' Square against the village demolition program announced in Romania
• Establishment of Duna TV (intended as the television of the Hungarian community) was a key step of post-regime change governments
• Naturalization Law (2010) - any non-Hungarian citizen with Hungarian ancestry and proven language skills can request naturalization
• Preferential Law (2001) - allowed for the issuance of Hungarian identity cards, providing benefits within its framework
• Prime Minister Antall József stated that he "feels like the prime minister of fifteen million Hungarians in spirit"
• Right-wing governments attempted to strengthen the unity of the Hungarian community by introducing Hungarian identity cards and dual citizenship
• The softened borders of the European Union assist in addressing minority issues
• Hungarian ethnic minorities (excluding the Roma) - like the entire Hungarian society - show an aging population structure and their numbers continue to decline
• The Hungarian Kingdom always used to be a multiethnic country à 18th c.: Hungarians became a minority in their country
• During the Age of Dualism: Hungarians became the majority once again thanks to natural reproduction, assimilation and because more foreigners emigrated than Hungarians