Constantin Hiott și debutul activității politico-diplomatice a României la Bratislava (1939-1940)

Author(s): Radu Florian Bruja / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 56/2017

One of the lesser-known aspects to the Romanian historiography remains the rapprochement between Romania and the first Slovakian Republic during the years of the Second World War. The creation of a new country on the map of Europe was not received with enthusiasm in Bucharest. The disappearance of Czechoslovakia and the collapse of the Small Agreement were considered by the Romanian diplomacy as a great loss and a danger for the integrity of the Romanian state. And the dependence of Slovakia on the Nazi Germany could not provide any guarantee for a possible rapprochement. This study aims at shedding light on how was achieved the diplomatic rapprochement between the two states, reflected by the activity of the plenipotentiary prime minister of Romania accredited at Bratislava, Constantin Dinu Hiott. He started the activity in September 1939, at an extremely complicated international moment. His reports, after his meetings with Slovakian officials, such as Monsignor J. Tiso, the foreign minister Ferdinand Ďurčansky or with the members of the diplomatic body, referred to foreign policy aspects, but they also contained information on the Slovakian state and its intentions. It was clear from the beginning for the two states that the rapprochement was based on their common relations to Hungary and not on the continuation of the relation between Czechoslovakia and Romania. In the political balance of Romania from the beginning of the year 1940, the position of Slovakia was increasingly carefully monitored and it became clear that Bratislava turned into an avenue to probe German and Hungarian intentions. The reports of Constantin Hiott referred also to issues relating to internal policy of Slovakia, but also to the bilateral economic relations. Replacing Hiott in March 1940, gave a wakeup call for Berlin and Bratislava. Knowing his feelings and closeness to the former Czechoslovakia, it was best for the Romanian foreign ministry to replace him with an official less close to Braga, but which ensured the balance between Berlin and Paris.

Bölcsészek szakválasztása és tanárrá válása - A vallás és az etnikai hovatartozás szerepe a két világháború közötti Magyarországon

Author(s): Zsuzsanna Hanna Biró / Language(s): Hungarian Issue: 2/2012

If we assume that the denominational composition of secondary school teachers is the same as the denominational composition of the graduate population, we might be surprised to note that, from 1920 and 1930 census data, whereas nearly one quarter of the population of secondary school graduates and one fifth of university graduates was Jewish, the ratio of Jews among secondary school teachers hardly exceeds 6%. By examining denominational correlations for the probability of being admitted to a Humanities Faculty as a student, the obtaining of a teaching degree and of being later on hired as teacher, it can be observed that the most important demarcation is not to be found in one denomination providing more successful students; neither is it to be found among normal socialpushing factors, nor among the “natural” preferences of school owners – such demarcations came because of emerging forms of anti-Semitism at governmental level. Whereas it can be observed among graduates before 1920 that the chances of Jews (after obtaining a teaching degree) to obtain a teaching position were roughly the same as for Christians (in a schooling system where Jewish denominational secondary schools did not exist!) after 1920, career prospects for Jewish Humanities graduates in secondary schools were dramatically restricted. In addition, opportunities for Christians with a surname having a Hungarian character were much better as regards their getting a full teaching position than those whose German and Slovakian background was more evident. The denominational-ethnic determination of study program choice – examined in the present study only regarding the Christian denomination – is chiefly manifest in connection with ideological subjects (Hungarian, History, foreign languages). Also in relation to the character of a Hungarian surname, Catholic Hungarians tended to choose subject matters related to their world-view (Latin) and Protestants ones related to their national identity (Hungarian, History). In case of people with postulated German names: as regards a Latin literary orientation Roman Catholics are at the forefront, while if given an English literary orientation the Protestants, more precisely German Lutherans, have a lead. For persons with a Slovakian background a contrast between “national” and “international” may be one framework for interpretation. An orientation of Slovakian Catholics for German and French studies fits in with such a phenomenon. Whenever Slovaks favor a subject dealing with national culture, Evangelists will choose Hungarian language and literature and Catholics will most likely choose History.

ET IN HUNGARIA EGO: TRIANON, REVISIONISM AND THE JOURNAL MAGYAR SZEMLE (1927–1944)

Author(s): Matthew Caples / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2005

The journal Magyar Szemle (1927–1944), founded by Prime Minister István Bethlen and edited by the historian Gyula Szekfû, was the primary forum for the discussion of the revision of the Treaty of Trianon and the situation of the Hungarian minorities in the neighboring states. Rejecting all proposals for border revision on an ethnic basis, the journal espoused integral revisionism, or the restoration of the historical Kingdom of Hungary. The periodical’s own position on revision is best illustrated by the “New Hungaria” essays of the legal scholar László Ottlik, published between 1928 and 1940, which hoped to win back the former national minorities through promises of wide-ranging autonomy within a re-established Greater Hungary.

MAJOR TRENDS IN HUNGARIAN FOREIGN POLICY FROM THE COLLAPSE OF THE MONARCHY TO THE PEACE TREATY OF TRIANON

Author(s): Peter Pastor / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2003

Hungarian foreign policy from the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in November 1918 to the Peace Treaty of Trianon of June 1920 concentrated on maintaining Hungary’s integrity and finding ways to break out of the international isolation in which the newly independent state found itself. Such were the aims of the regimes that followed each other in succession, and which are identified with the names of Mihály Károlyi, Béla Kun, and Miklós Horthy.

«Зачем нужен этот человек в новом обществе?...»

Author(s): Zsuzsa Hetényi / Language(s): Russian Issue: 3-4/2006

Jewish religion, culture and identity, while suffering in the crisis of assimilation from within since the 19th century, was subject to an agressive external elimination during the antireligious campain of early Soviet years and the target of the state anti- Semitism under Stalin. Political changes and events were reflected not directly in Jewish literature in Russian. This period was the last, forth one in Russian–Jewish literature (1860–1940) when the decline is detected in different ways by writers. The article offers, on a general historical survey as a background, a panorama of Russian–Jewish proseworks of the 1920–1930s, such as Isaak Babel, Lev Lunts, Andrei Sobol, Mikhail Kozakov and Semion Gekht, along with an analysis of their methods, central psychological and sociological categories. Special attention is turned to problems of Soviet taboo for the words “Jew, Jewish”, the name of Jewish heroes, the theme of “otherness” in general, the typology of anti-Semitic caracters and the new phenomens as the “strong Jews” in literature. And, mainly, what new methods of narration are applied in the 1920s to solve an old and difficult question in literature while handling the delicate sujet of anti-Semitism. In the 1920s the earlier emotional approach is succeeded by “objectification” of “priiom”, formulated by contemporary formalist theory. A list of categories and fields open to further research is given in the text.

A DEBRECENI TUDOMÁNYEGYETEM GÖRÖG-LATIN PHILOLÓGIAI SZEMINÁRIUMÁNAK TÖRTÉNETE (1914—1949)

Author(s): József Mudrák / Language(s): Hungarian Issue: 2/2006

IMAGE OF JEWS IN THE MEMORY OF RESIDENTS OF MAKÓ

Author(s): Piroska Szabó / Language(s): English Issue: 1-2/2003

This case-study reveals the elements of coexistence of Jews and Hungarians at a market town, Makó, in the Great Hungarian Plain, exploring relations in the interwar years and in particular the period between the Great Depression and the adoption of the first Jewish law, 1929–1938. Based on numerous interviews, the author has collected the mainly stereotyped opinions of the Hungarians about their Jewish neighbours.

INTER-WAR RIGHT-WING MOVEMENTS IN THE BALTIC STATES AND THEIR RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION

Author(s): Agita Misāne / Language(s): English Issue: 1-2/2001

The article discusses the different religious affiliations of three inter-war right-wing movements in the Baltic States. The Lithuanian Iron Wolf remained indifferent to the religious issues, the Estonian Veterans’ League stressed the value of the Christian faith and formed links with the Lutheran Church, while the Latvian Thundercross favored the ideas of the pre-Christian revivalism and closely collaborated with the Dievturi movement. The difference in religious choice is explained by (1) the different character of the Estonian (radical right) and the Latvian (extreme right) movements and (2) the formalisation of the pre-Christian revivalism ideology according to the Protestant pattern. Although the doctrine differed greatly, the style of thought and manner of presentation made the Latvian pre-Christian revivalism more open to the right-wing political thought – a feature commonly found with the Protestant Churches of Europe.

Prekmurje – separation from Hungary and connection to Slovenia (1919–1920)

Author(s): Renata Zawistowska / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2012

The issue of the presented article is a continuation of the author’s reflections concerning Central Europe in recent history. The main attention in this article was focused on a small, in terms of area and population, the historical-geographical region, which is Prekmurje. Till World War I it belonged to two western Hungarian administrative units of Vas and Zala, and together with the adjoining Porabje were called Vendvidek. Despite this fact the Slavic population of Prekmurje did not succumb to the Hungarian influences, which was the result of persisting in Prekmurje and neighboring lands of the cult of Saints Cyril and Methodius. A great importance in preserving the identification of the Slovenian population of Prekmurje was the role which played the Slovenian population in the security system called „Gyepű” and „Őrseg” (guard). Citations from publications of Hungarian authors, who admit that the Hungarians learned from the Avars to treat the Slavic population as a bulwark on the frontier taking the first blow of the enemy, are presented in the text. Therefore, the first villages of Prekmurje inhabited by the Hungarian population are separated at least several kilometers. An important role in the history, culture and shaping the national consciousness of the Slovenian population of Prekmurje played Prekmurje dialect of the Slovak language. Prekmurščina has four dialects known as Pannonia or Prekmurje. They are considered the closest to the roots of the old common Slavic language.

Oskar Halecki – the advocate of Central and Eastern European countries in the International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation of the League of Nations (1922‑1925)

Author(s): Andrzej M. Brzeziński / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2013

This article discusses the activities of Oskar Halecki, a professor of the University of Warsaw, in the International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation of the League of Nations. He sought to win support for the further development of intellectual life in the economically ruined countries of Central and Eastern Europe between 1922‑1925. This paper focuses on the concepts and motives that drove this eminent expert in the history of Central and Eastern Europe, and the effects of the methods he employed in seeking to establish and consolidate intellectual cooperation between CEE and western countries.

SCAPEGOATS IN POST-WORLD WAR I HUNGARIAN POLITICAL THOUGHT

Author(s): Attila Pók / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2000

Studying the history of twentieth-century Eastern and Central European political thought, one often comes across a basic stereotype that is common to both liberals and conservatives, communists and Fascists, nationalists and cosmopolitans, as well as to the ideologists of ruling and oppositional parties of Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Hungarians, Romanians, Bulgarians, Croats, Serbs, and Slovenians. When they are trying to explain the defeats, losses, failures, and sufferings of their respective nations in the course of the centuries, they often make an attempt at blaming influential personalities, smaller or larger social groups (layers, classes) or even non-personal factors (such as ideologies, traditions, or prejudices). Whether these explanations take the form of detailed analyses, or very superficial argumentation, or even merely occasional cursory remarks, the result is often the same: the identification of a scapegoat. This paper will make an attempt at examining the peculiarities of Eastern and Central European scapegoating on the basis of a case study of one of the greatest national tragedies in Hungarian history: the collapse of the Hungarian state in the aftermath of World War I, which entailed the loss of two thirds of the country's territory and about forty percent of the Hungarian ethnic population.

Александър Стамболийски и идеите за южнославянска федерация на Балканите

Author(s): Dimitar Mitev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1-2/2017

The ideas about the establishment of a South Slavic Federation represent an important part of Al. Stamboliyski’s ideology. However, this topic has escaped the attention of the numerous researchers that have studied his life and work. One explanation is that the ideas in question did not fit into the matrix of his image built by the propaganda in the decades after the Second World War. The author of the paper tries to shed light on that particular omission in the research of his political ideology. The paper is based on documentation from Central State Archives, Sofia; Bulgarian Historical Archives, National Library, Sofia; Archives of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Art, Belgrade; Archives of Foreign Office, London and others.

O wrażliwość społeczną i tolerancję. Wartości wychowawcze w twórczości Haliny Górskiej

Author(s): Adrian Uljasz / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2013

Literary works written for children and social engagement of a Polish writer and educationalist of the interwar period, Halina Górska (1898–1942), made a significant contribution to the Polish literature and ideological thinking. Her literary output deserves broader attention of cultural historians, literary scholars, educationalists, bibliologists and publishers, as it is permeated with constantly relevant educational values. Attitudes promoted by the writer included social sensitivity and tolerance of ethnic differences. Political and social ideas of the Polish left wing party, as well as the Christian tradition had fundamental importance in shaping of her worldview. The paper discusses educational values instilled in Górska’s works, using three books for children and youth first released in 1930’s: a tale O księciu Gotfrydzie rycerzu gwiazdy wigilijnej (A Tale about Gotfryd, Knight of the Christmas Star) and novels Nad czarną wodą (Upon black water), Chłopcy z ulic miasta (Boys of city streets) and Druga brama (The other gate)

Społeczna działalność Towarzystwa Schronisk św. Stanisława Kostki w Łodzi w latach 1914–1936

Author(s): Karol Chylak / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2013

The beginnings of eminent initiative of bishop Wincenty Tymieniecki, the first parish priest of the st Stanislaus Kostka cathedral parish, are disappearing into the past. It is astonishing that organization which had been running a dozen or so social institutions, operating for two decades and helping many thousand inhabitants of Lodz, had left so few traces. The Association of Shelters of st Stanislaus Kostka was established in autumn 1914. After its re-registration in 1922 it had been operating up to autumn 1936. The Association’s peak of development was reached in 1917. Then the organization had been running eight schelters, two hostels for children, creche, two hostels for the homeless and school for the deaf and dumb. Furthermore, the Association had been running sewing and shoemaker’s workshop and the one producing headgears. Courses for pre-school teachers were finished in the same year as well. In August 1920 the Management of the Association, facing serious problems regarding balancing the budget of the organization, decided to gradually close down schelters and even hostels, on condition that the budget improved. After 1922 only „Sienkiewiczówka” and III schelter remained and after a while the organization lost its importance and was replaced by other social organizations, mainly by Lodz diocesan „Caritas”. The Association’s activity is an interesting example of civil activation of inhabitants of Lodz, an attempt to overcome social issues tormenting this industrial city. History of activity of the organization shows transformation of the social policy of municipal authorities. The initial civil activity was supported by official authorities on the principles of subsidiarity and it concerned German occupation authorities above all. Along with coming a time when the Republic of Poland had been formed, the attention was reallocated to full control of social institutions and with time municipal authorities started to limit its support. Not only did they seize the role of the creating entity but they also operated their own institutions. That way, civil activity taken up to date, was significantly limited.

Kierunki badań nad prasą mniejszości narodowych 1918–1939

Author(s): Władysław Marek Kolasa / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3/2012

The article contains a brief description of the press of national minorities published in the Second Polish Republic and it discusses directions and results of research conducted by historians aft er 1945. A citation analysis was used to evaluate the research achievements in wider terms. Media activity of the national minorities in the years 1918–1939 was quite high. According to the latest data, more than 3500 newspapers and magazines published in languages of individual nations were published in these years. The largest number of the magazines was printed in Yiddish (1715), Ukrainian (1132) and German (683); the Belarusian (188), Lithuanian (190) and Russian (98) magazines were less numerous. However, the ranking was different when we take into account the impact of the press: what stood out was the German press (7.60 of copies for 100 people), then the Jewish press (3.18), with the almost insignificant Ukrainian (0.2) and Belarusian press (0.36). Interest of historians in the press of the minorities was quite high in the entire postwar period. A total of 78 scholars worked in this area. They published 172 works, which were cited 316 times in the scope of the native discourse (press history).

O dwoistości międzywojennego portretu Poleszuka. Literatura – publicystyka – zapisy badań terenowych

Author(s): Anna Kieżuń / Language(s): Polish Issue: 14/2014

The article deals with the diverse images of Polishchuk in Polish writing in the interwar period. The author analyses selected texts of literary prose (A. F. Ossendowski), journalistic (J. Nowakowski) and ethnographical works (J. Obrębski). As we may see, Ossendowski in his popular novel In Polish jungle (1935) offered the mythical portrait of Polishchuk. The legend of so-called “forest people” was also very popular in Polish fictional literature (J. Weyssenhoff, M. Rodziewiczówna). Readers favored the artistic image of an inhabitant of Polesia. There were some polemics arguments about the literary image of Polishchuk in the Polish newspapers (for example J. Nowakowski’s article The letter from Polesia published in the periodical “Marchołt” in 1936). The more actual observations of Polesia and its culture were presented by B. Malinowski’s pupil – J. Obrębski in his ethnographical study (1934–1936). His field exploration provided more legitimate facts and image of living conditions and customs of Polishchuks and therefore did not affirm provide the myth of them.

Osobliwe konstrukcje składniowe w polszczyźnie kowieńskiego tygodnika „Chata Rodzinna” (1922–1940), analogiczne do struktur rosyjskich

Author(s): Tamara Graczykowska / Language(s): Polish Issue: 14/2014

The article presents the peculiar syntax structures excerpted from the weekly “Chata Rodzinna” published in Kaunas from 1922 to 1940. The language of the “Chata Rodzinna” is characteristic of numerous divergences in relation to obligatory rules of general Polish in a 20–year period between the First and Second World Wars. We can observe many differences in syntax compared to general Polish in discussed period. The most of them appeared under the influence of Russian language. Only a portion of origin syntax structures are demonstrated here; only those that were unknown at the earlier stages of the Northern Borderland Polish language. The author listed 28 peculiar syntax structures analogous to Russian structures. Almost all the features still function in the Postwar Northern Borderland Polish language. 18 structures were registered in the interwar period and only 6 in the Kaunas and Żmudzki sources.

„Wysoce demoralizująca i pornograficzna” inicjatywa wydawnicza. Obrona moralności publicznej a wolność słowa w międzywojennym Grudziądzu

Author(s): Marcin Żynda / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2011

Problematyka związana z szerzeniem treści nieobyczajnych jest w dzisiejszych czasach zjawiskiem niewątpliwie aktualnym. Największą dezaprobatę społeczną wzbudza kwestia dostępu dzieci i młodzieży do demoralizujących materiałów. Problem ten, choć w mniejszej skali, istniał także w okresie międzywojennym, a obowiązujące wówczas prawo karne i bardziej rygorystyczne normy obyczajowe umożliwiały skuteczniejszą walkę z tym procederem.

Polityka Wielkiej Brytanii wobec Norwegii w okresie od 1 września 1939 r. do 9 kwietnia 1940 r.

Author(s): Jordan Siemianowski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2012

During the interwar period, as a typical maritime country with a tonnage of 4.8 million GRT, Norway was under the influence of Great Britain, both in terms of politics and economics. The location of Norway was complicated after World War II when the country proclaiming its neutrality was subjected to the British pressure. London demanded from the neighbor overseas the tonnage of merchant fleet, especially oil tankers, as well as a favorable trade agreement. In addition, it had been trying to dominate the Norwegian foreign trade through the use of blockade. Norway, being subject to the British pressure, decided to supply London with a large part of its merchant fleet under the agreement signed on November 11, 1939. Although the agreement signed by the Norwegian Shipowners Association having a private nature, it contributed to accusations of Oslo by the Third Reich on breaking with the status of neutrality. Then, on March 11, 1940 Norway concluded another agreement with Great Britain, this time strictly commercial, in which it committed not to import a number of goods needed to be at war. This commitment concerned all the countries except Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden. Apart from the policy, having a purely economic dimension, since November 1939 London and Paris had been making a military plan against Norway, Sweden and Finland.

Олег Будницкий и Александра Полян, Русско-еврейский Берлин (1920–1941), изд. Новое литературное обозрение, Москва 2013, сс. 496.

Author(s): Jan Ratuszniak / Language(s): Polish Issue: 14/2014

Review of: Олег Будницкий и Александра Полян, "Русско-еврейский Берлин (1920–1941)"; ed. Новое литературное обозрение, Moscow 2013, 496 pages by: Jan Ratuszniak