Hungarians (courtesy of Hungarian Folklore Museum)
Hungarians (courtesy of Hungarian
Folklore Museum)
New borders of Hungary after the Peace Treaty
of Trianon (outlined in red).
Ethnic groups in Eastern Europe in 1990
Ethnicity
In present day Hungary over
90% of its 10 million inhabitants are ethnic Magyars. There are also almost
5 million people who identify themselves as Hungarians living in other
nations of the world.
Hungarian populations in various nations
Czech and Slovakia: 700 thousand
the former Yugoslavia: 650
thousand
Romania: 2 million
the former Soviet Union: 200
thousand
Austria: 70 thousand
Belgium: 10 thousand
France: 35 thousand
Holland: 5 thousand
Great Britain: 10 thousand
Italy: 10 thousand
Germany: 50 thousand
Switzerland: 10 thousand
Sweden: 16 thousand
Other West European countries:
10 thousand
United States: 730 thousand
Canada: 140 thousand
Argentina: 10 thousand
Brazil: 70 thousand
Uruguay: 5 thousand
Other South American countries:
10 thousand
South African Republic: 5
thousand
Australia: 55 thousand
Israel: 220 thousand
Nationalism
There are also a half million
Roma in Hungary, but essentially most Hungarians consider to be Magyar
is to be Hungarian, for history has tied nationalism to this ethnicity.
Seven Magyar tribes first came to the region in 895 AD, conquering the
Slavs who were there. The Pope recognized the Hungarian state in
1000 AD, and Magyars have dominated that state ever since, withstanding
Turkish invasions and the rule of the Habsburg Empire.
The state was part of the
Habsburg Empire from 1526 to 1918, during which time areas of Hungary were
settled by Ruthenians, Slovaks, and Germans, until only about one third
of the population were Magyar. However, the Magyars entirely constituted
the ruling class. Under the Empire, the Magyars of the nation enjoyed self-rule
in administration of their courts and taxation of the people in a feudal
system. But in peacetime the Habsburg Empire tended to exert more authority
over the Hungarians, then allow leniency when the region was at war. This
back and forth struggle for self-determination engendered feelings of nationalism
in the Magyars, and established a pattern of opportunisticly using conflict
in the region to seize Hungarian goals that would play out again in the
twentieth century on the brink of WWII.
The greater nobles of Hungary welcomed
Western influence and began in the late 1700s to acquire Western culture,
sending their sons to schools in Vienna, bringing artisans and musicians
from the West, and accepting posts in Habsburg courts. But this acceptance
of influences from the outside world also sparked stronger feelings of
Hungarian nationalism in the lesser nobles, who resented modern ideas that
threatened the feudal system. Joseph II's policy of Germanization
further reinforced Hungarian national identity, causing Hungarians to more
highly value their language and customs as their own in reaction. Also,
the Habsburg forces used other ethnic groups in Hungary, such as the Rumenians,
as leverage against the nation's desire for self-rule, reinforcing the
importance of Magyar ethnicity in Hungarian identity.
While Hungarian governments have shown concern
for ethnic Magyars living outside the nation’s borders, Roma (sometimes
called “gypsy”) citizens have suffered within the country. About 10 million
Roma live in Central and Eastern Europe, where they are not always treated
as equals. Hungarian Roma especially face widespread discrimination in
employment, education and social services. The Human Rights Watch reports
that police abuse of Roma is "rampant" in Hungary. The Roma trace their
linguistic and cultural roots to India, but they are an ethnic group without
a homeland, and historically an easy target for prejudice and abuse. During
the 19th century, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, rising nationalism led to
the forced assimilation of non-Magyar groups such as the Roma. When Hungary
was part of the Communist bloc, social services and state employment were
guaranteed to the Roma along with all other citizens, although they were
still a marginalized group. Since the breakup of the Soviet Union ethnic
tensions have risen because democracy puts power in the hands of the majority,
who in this case often support unequal treatment of Hungary’s Roma.
The European human rights community has been quick to criticize the Hungarians
for their not affording rights to the Roman and Sinti communities, influential
Hungarians in the world community like George Soros have established higher
education scholarships for the Roma (BBC
News, June 18, 2001)
Hungary's rightist politicians
including the mainstream FIDESZ party and the more extremist Hungrian Justice
and Life party have made strong claims to Hungarian nationalism.
Josef Antall, Hungary's first post-Communist Prime Minister claimed that
he was the leader of all fifteen million Hungarians in the world which
gave neighboring Slovakia and Romania somewhat on edge. While conflict
has not occured between Hungary and other nations post-1989 in regards
to the situation of Hungarians living abroad, however Hungary's parliament
has passed bills supporting Hungarian language education abroad. Hungarian
politicians have not shied away from making populist-themed speeches intended
to rally Hungarian nationalist sympathies, but the transfer of power to
the Hungarian Socialist Party in the recent national elections should equate
to a lessening of the nationalist-themed rhetoric.
Language
The language of Hungary is
Finno-Ugric. The language is not related to the Slavic languages that dominate
Central Europe and is very important to national identity. The Funeral
Oration, written in around 1230, is the oldest surviving work in Magyar.
As a reaction to Joseph II's policy of Germanization, the first newspaper
written in the Magyar language was printed in 1780. The establishment of
a national theater and the founding in 1825 of the Hungarian Academy of
Science assured the development of a national literature.
Twentieth Century
The nationalist identity of
Hungary was already in place at the end of WWI, but the aftermath of the
war certainly reinforced a nationalist spirit in Central Europe. Because
Austro-Hungary was not on the winning side of the war, the peace treaties
tended to rule unfavorably for Hungary. The Peace Treaty of Trianon in
1920 annexed 63% of Hungary's population and 71% of their land to surrounding
regions. The result was a passionate irredentism during the interwar period
that led to the nation's collaboration with Germany during WWII. Determined
to get their land back and protect Magyars now living in Slav nations,
Hungary's usually Anglophile ruling elite decided to make a deal with Hitler
in hopes of concessions.
After WWII, when Communism
came to Hungary, socialist rule inhibited the cultural institutions of
nationalism in Hungary through censorship and centralization. The end of
Soviet rule brought nationalism to the foreground again, often with radical
and racist supporters, and it is still a difficult problem in the political
arena of Hungary today.
Sources:
"Twenty-five Lectures on Modern Balkan History"
by Steven W. Sowards 1996: www.lib.msu.edu
Hungary Facts website: www.fsz.bme.hu/hungary/facts.html
The Changing Facets of Hungarian Nationalism:
http://lgi.osi.hu/ethnic/biblio/190.htm
Free Roma Radio: www.inthesetimes.com/issue/25/12/wesolowsky2512.html
Roma Page: www.romapage.hu/english
Ethnicity
In present day Hungary over
90% of its 10 million inhabitants are ethnic Magyars. There are also almost
5 million people who identify themselves as Hungarians living in other
nations of the world.
Hungarian populations in various nations
Czech and Slovakia: 700 thousand
the former Yugoslavia: 650
thousand
Romania: 2 million
the former Soviet Union: 200
thousand
Austria: 70 thousand
Belgium: 10 thousand
France: 35 thousand
Holland: 5 thousand
Great Britain: 10 thousand
Italy: 10 thousand
Germany: 50 thousand
Switzerland: 10 thousand
Sweden: 16 thousand
Other West European countries:
10 thousand
United States: 730 thousand
Canada: 140 thousand
Argentina: 10 thousand
Brazil: 70 thousand
Uruguay: 5 thousand
Other South American countries:
10 thousand
South African Republic: 5
thousand
Australia: 55 thousand
Israel: 220 thousand
Nationalism
There are also a half million
Roma in Hungary, but essentially most Hungarians consider to be Magyar
is to be Hungarian, for history has tied nationalism to this ethnicity.
Seven Magyar tribes first came to the region in 895 AD, conquering the
Slavs who were there. The Pope recognized the Hungarian state in
1000 AD, and Magyars have dominated that state ever since, withstanding
Turkish invasions and the rule of the Habsburg Empire.
The state was part of the
Habsburg Empire from 1526 to 1918, during which time areas of Hungary were
settled by Ruthenians, Slovaks, and Germans, until only about one third
of the population were Magyar. However, the Magyars entirely constituted
the ruling class. Under the Empire, the Magyars of the nation enjoyed self-rule
in administration of their courts and taxation of the people in a feudal
system. But in peacetime the Habsburg Empire tended to exert more authority
over the Hungarians, then allow leniency when the region was at war. This
back and forth struggle for self-determination engendered feelings of nationalism
in the Magyars, and established a pattern of opportunisticly using conflict
in the region to seize Hungarian goals that would play out again in the
twentieth century on the brink of WWII.
The greater nobles of Hungary welcomed
Western influence and began in the late 1700s to acquire Western culture,
sending their sons to schools in Vienna, bringing artisans and musicians
from the West, and accepting posts in Habsburg courts. But this acceptance
of influences from the outside world also sparked stronger feelings of
Hungarian nationalism in the lesser nobles, who resented modern ideas that
threatened the feudal system. Joseph II's policy of Germanization
further reinforced Hungarian national identity, causing Hungarians to more
highly value their language and customs as their own in reaction. Also,
the Habsburg forces used other ethnic groups in Hungary, such as the Rumenians,
as leverage against the nation's desire for self-rule, reinforcing the
importance of Magyar ethnicity in Hungarian identity.
While Hungarian governments have shown concern
for ethnic Magyars living outside the nation’s borders, Roma (sometimes
called “gypsy”) citizens have suffered within the country. About 10 million
Roma live in Central and Eastern Europe, where they are not always treated
as equals. Hungarian Roma especially face widespread discrimination in
employment, education and social services. The Human Rights Watch reports
that police abuse of Roma is "rampant" in Hungary. The Roma trace their
linguistic and cultural roots to India, but they are an ethnic group without
a homeland, and historically an easy target for prejudice and abuse. During
the 19th century, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, rising nationalism led to
the forced assimilation of non-Magyar groups such as the Roma. When Hungary
was part of the Communist bloc, social services and state employment were
guaranteed to the Roma along with all other citizens, although they were
still a marginalized group. Since the breakup of the Soviet Union ethnic
tensions have risen because democracy puts power in the hands of the majority,
who in this case often support unequal treatment of Hungary’s Roma.
Language
The language of Hungary is
Finno-Ugric. The language is not related to the Slavic languages that dominate
Central Europe and is very important to national identity. The Funeral
Oration, written in around 1230, is the oldest surviving work in Magyar.
As a reaction to Joseph II's policy of Germanization, the first newspaper
written in the Magyar language was printed in 1780. The establishment of
a national theater and the founding in 1825 of the Hungarian Academy of
Science assured the development of a national literature.
Twentieth Century
The nationalist identity of
Hungary was already in place at the end of WWI, but the aftermath of the
war certainly reinforced a nationalist spirit in Central Europe. Because
Austro-Hungary was not on the winning side of the war, the peace treaties
tended to rule unfavorably for Hungary. The Peace Treaty of Trianon in
1920 annexed 63% of Hungary's population and 71% of their land to surrounding
regions. The result was a passionate irredentism during the interwar period
that led to the nation's collaboration with Germany during WWII. Determined
to get their land back and protect Magyars now living in Slav nations,
Hungary's usually Anglophile ruling elite decided to make a deal with Hitler
in hopes of concessions.
After WWII, when Communism
came to Hungary, socialist rule inhibited the cultural institutions of
nationalism in Hungary through censorship and centralization. The end of
Soviet rule brought nationalism to the foreground again, often with radical
and racist supporters, and it is still a difficult problem in the political
arena of Hungary today.
Sources:
"Twenty-five Lectures on Modern Balkan History"
by Steven W. Sowards 1996: www.lib.msu.edu
Hungary Facts website: www.fsz.bme.hu/hungary/facts.html
The Changing Facets of Hungarian Nationalism:
http://lgi.osi.hu/ethnic/biblio/190.htm
Free Roma Radio: www.inthesetimes.com/issue/25/12/wesolowsky2512.html
Roma Page: www.romapage.hu/english
Hungarians in the Diaspora
Below, courtesy of Hungary's Office for Hungarians Living Abroad are maps representing Hungarians in former Austro-Hungarian imperial territories. Hungarians presently living abroad in certain potential crises areas.
Hungarians in Central and East Europe (1989-1992)
Hungarians in Croatia (1991)
Hungarians in Ukraine (1989)
Hungarians in Romania (1992)
Hungarians in Slovakia (2001)
Hungarians in Vojvodina (1991)
