Edward Chaszar : The Czechoslovak-Hungarian Border Dispute of 1938

The Hunganan Government are now in negotiation with the Czechoslovak Government, and we hope that they may reach an equitable solution, which will remove or lessen racial grievances. We recognise that Hungary has had legitimate claims, and we trust that means may be found to meet them.

There is no ideal solution of such problems, and there must always be minorities left on one side of the line or the other. But if the two parties can negotiate in a spirit of good will, and in the desire to find a remedy for clear grievances, we hope it may be possible for them to agree also on safeguards for minorities that will minimize injustice, and make more easy in future friendly cooperation between them.

Budapest, Okt. 30, 1938.

Die Deutsche Regierung ist im Einvernehmen mit der Kgl. Italienischen Regierung bereit, dem Ersuchen der Kgl. Ungarischen Regierung bezuglich der Regelung des Problems der ungarischen Minderheiten in der Tschechoslowakei unter der Bedingung nachzukommen, dass die Kgl. Ungarische Regierung die bindende Erklarung abgibt, dass die Entscheidungen des durch Deutschland und Italien zu fallenden Schiedsspruchs als endgultige Regelung angenommen und gemass den festzusetzen den Bestimmungen vorbehaltlos und unverzuglich durchgefuhrt werden.

Bejahendenfalls sind der deutsche und der kgl. italienische Aussenminister bereit, am 2. November d.J. in Wien zusammenzutreffen und namens ihrer Regierungen den Schiedsspruch zu fallen.

1 Magyar Tudomanyos Akademia Tortenettudomanyi Intezete, Diplomaiciai iratok Magyarorszag kulpolitikajahoz 1936-1945 (Budapest: Akademiai Kiado, 1962- ), Vol. II, pp. 879-80. Hereafter cited as Diplomaciai iratok. Translated, the text reads: "The German Government, in accord with the Royal Italian Government, is ready to settle the problem of the Hungarian minority in Czechoslovakia as requested by the Royal Hungarian Government, on the condition that the Hungarian Government issue a binding declaration that the judgment arrived at by Germany and Italy will be accepted as final arbitration and that it will be carried out without reservation and without delay. In case of affirmation the German and the Royal Italian Foreign Ministers are ready to meet in Vienna on November 2 of the current year and bring about an arbitration in the name of their Governments."- The note was handed to Foreign Minister Kanya by the German Ambassador in Hungary, Erdmannsdorff

Budapest, Okt. 30, 1938.

L'ltalie et l'Allemagne sont pretes accepter la demande d'arbitrage presentee par les Gouvernements de Budapest et de Prague a la condion que ledits Gouvernements declarent officiellement que les decisions de l'arbitrage formulees par l'Italie et par l'Allemagne seront acceptees par les deux Gouvernements comme reglement definitif et excutees en conformite de ce qui aura ete decide sans aucune reserve ou retard.

1 Diplomaciai iratok, II, 880. This note was handed to Foreign Minister Kanya by the Italian Ambassador in Hungary, Vinci.

Documents on the Vienna Awardl

Present:

German Delegation Italian Delegation

Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop Foreign Minister Count Ciano
Under State Secretary Woermann Ambassador, Attolico
Counselor of Legation Altenburg Minister Count Magistrati

Minister Schmidt Hungarian Delegation

Counselor of Legation Kordt Foreign Minister Kanya

Czechoslovak Delegation Count Teleki, Minister of

Foreign Minister Chvalkovsky Education
Minister Krno
The Reich Foreign Minister opened the meeting with the following remarks:

"YOUR EXCELLENCIES, GENTLEMEN:

I have the honor to welcome you in Vienna in the name of the Reich Government. l welcome especially my friend Count Ciano, Foreign Minister of Fascist Italy, as well as the Foreign Ministers of the Kingdom of Hungary and of Czechoslovakia.

1 German Documents, IV. 118-127.

"The Kingdom of Hungary and Czechoslovakia have appealed to Germany and Italy to arbitrate on the frontier delimitation between their two countries.

"The Reich Government and the Royal Italian Government have responded to this appeal, and the Italian Foreign Minister and I have come here today to make this decision. I regard it as being of particular symbolic significance that Italy and Germany can devote themselves to this great and responsible task in this very house of Prince Eugene of Savoy. Two hundred years ago this prince of Italian blood, German statesman and general, once before brought freedom, peace and justice to peoples in southeastern Europe.

"Our task today is to determine the final frontier between Hungary and Czechoslovakia on an ethnographic basis and to find a solution of the questions connected with this. The arbitral award made by us is binding and final and is recognized in advance by Hungary and Czechoslovakia as the final settlement.

"The essential points of the views of both Governments are already known to us from previous negotiations. Nevertheless, I think it would serve a useful purpose if the representatives of both Governments briefly summarized their views on the question and stated their reasons, so that all arguments may be carefully considered again before the award is made.

"Before asking the representatives of the two Governments to speak, I first call on His Excellency the Italian Foreign Minister to address you."

Thereupon Count Ciano said as follows:

"YOUR EXCELLENCIES, GENTLEMEN:

I have the honor to bid you welcome in the name of the Fascist Government.

"I wish to express to my friend Herr von Ribbentrop, Reich Foreign Minister, my sincere thanks for the cordial reception accorded to me here in Vienna, in the house of Prince Eugene, who, as the Reich Foreign Minister has said, brought freedom, peace, and justice to the peoples of southeastern Europe 200 years ago.

"And thus in accepting the role of arbiters at the request of the Hungarian and Czechoslovak Governments, the Rome-Berlin Axis has set itself the aim of adding a further important contribution to the many efforts already made for peace and reconstruction in Europe.

"I feel sure that our efforts will be crowned with success, and that from the meeting in Vienna there will arise a new order and a new era in central Europe, based on that international justice which we have always striven for and desired."

The Reich Foreign Minister then called upon M. Kanya, the Hungarian Foreign Minister, to speak.

M. Kanya began by expressing the thanks of the Hungarian Government to the German and Fascist Governments for their readiness to arbitrate in the territorial questions still outstanding between Hungary and Czechoslovakia. He intended to be brief, as all the facts were already in possession of the two Governments. Count Teleki, the Hungarian Minister of Education, would undertake to supplement his statements from the geographical and ethnographical angles. The Hungarian Government had endeavored to reach a friendly solution of the points at issue with Czechoslovakia by negotiation on the lines of the Munich Agreement of the four Great Powers. The Hungarian Government hoped that a settlement of this kind would also lead, above all, to an improvement of Hungarian-Czechoslovak relations. By preserving peace the Munich Agreement had rendered Europe a tremendous service. lt had also contained the basis for a solution of the Hungarian-Czechoslovak question. It was true, the agreement had provided that the Hungarian-Czechoslovak question was to be settled within three months. To him this seemed a very long time, for it was a matter of importance to find a speedy solution. For this reason the Hungarian Government too had appealed to the German and Italian Governments to arbitrate and he was glad that this proposal had also been accepted by the Prague Government. Hungary had tried to reach direct agreement at first with the Czechoslovak Government at Komorn from October 9 to 13. When the negotiations were broken off, the Czechoslovak Government had made a further proposal, but great differences had still remained. For these disputed points, Hungary had proposed a decision by a court of arbitration or by a plebiscite. Hungary looked forward with a clear conscience to the arbitral award of the two powers and was convinced that the two Great Powers would give a just verdict, satisfactory to both parties .

Count Teleki, Minister of Education then stated that the Hungarian proposals were based upon purely ethnographic principles. The relevant facts were known and he had no need to go into details. The Munich Agreement had established two principles for the solution of the Hungarian-Czechoslovak question: first, the majority principle and second, the ruling that the year 1918 was to be the basis for counting the population, i.e. the last census prior to that date. It was a simple matter to draw a frontier on the basis of these principles. However the delineation of the frontier on purely ethnographic principles presented great difficulties at two points, first with regard to a rather large area around the town of Neutra, inhabited by a Hungarian majority and situated outside the actual ethnic frontier, and also with regard to the areas east of Kaschau. The Hungarian Government had proposed a special solution for these areas. It was also difficult to apply the ethnographic principle to the town

of Pressburg. The difficulty here was that no one ethnic group possessed the absolute majority. Therefore the 50-percent principle was of no use here. It was true, however, that in 1911 there had been a relative Hungarian majority. It must also be taken into account that for centuries during the Turkish regime Pressburg had been the Hungarian capital; on the other hand, he admitted that the Slovaks must have access to the Danube. In conclusion, he would like to refer to several towns from Neutra to Munkacs which were close to the language frontier and which in 1918 had been 80-90 percent Hungarian but were later denationalized. Hungary therefore raised a claim to these towns on the ground of both ancient and recent rights.

Thereupon the Czechoslovak Foreign Minister spoke as follows:

"In the name of the Czechoslovak Government and at the same time in my own name I thank Your Excellency for the kind words which you have just addressed to me.

"In the person of Your Excellency and of His Excellency Count Ciano, the Italian Foreign Minister, I greet the representatives of those two Great Powers, who for 2 years have been showing the rest of the world the true and the shortest way to a new and better foreign policy.

"The fact that the two Foreign Ministers have accepted the role of arbiters in the question of the Hungarian minority in Slovakia is a fresh proof of the firm and solid resolution of the policy pursued by Berlin and Rome to contribute to the pacification of an important part of central Europe by as speedy and just decision as possible.

"We have come to Vienna with complete confidence in the objectivity of the Great Powers toward us.

"On the occasion of the dinner given in Berlin on September 28, 1937, in honor of His Excellency the Head of the Italian Government, His Excellency the Reich Chancellor said that the cooperation of Germany and Italy not only served the common interest of the two Great Powers but in actual fact served the aim of speedy and general understanding among the nations of Europe.

"His Excellency the Duce answered on that occasion that Germany and Italy were prepared to work together with all other peoples of good will .

"I take advantage of this very opportunity to state solemnly here that the Slovak, Ruthenian, and Czech peoples desired to demonstrate just this good will by addressing Your Excellencies, Governments the request which will be the subject of your decision today.

"If we demand respect and full consideration for our own claims, it is with the intention of applying the same standards to the Hungarian people, too. With all our hearts we hope that your award today in this

historic palace with its symbolic name will lay the firm foundations from which we will be able to face the future with complete confidence.

"May you by your award make it possible for us to return home from Vienna conscious that as a result of your award we may let bygones be bygones in our common relations with our neighbor Hungary, and may this meeting in the Belvedere become a historic act which will open up for the two neighboring peoples a new, bright, and wide outlook into the future which, with God's help, may be a better one. "With your consent, Minister Krno will answer Count Teleki's statements and briefly put before you the Czechoslovak point of view."

Minister Krno then made the following statement:

"The Munich Agreement of September 29, 1938, which introduced a new era in central Europe and particularly in the history of my country, specified a period of 3 months for the settlement by direct negotiations of the question of the Hungarian and Polish minorities in Czechoslovakia. The Czechoslovak Government honestly endeavored to carry out faithfully this point of the Munich Agreement also. As early as October 9, that is, 10 days after the Munich meeting, it took part in the negotiations in Komorn and tried to reach a settlement. lt was and still is prepared to accept the nationality principle as the basis of the new frontier delimitation.

"At Komorn, however, the Hungarian delegation submitted a proposal which in Czechoslovakia's view could not form a basis for national justice. The Result of this proposal would have been to replace the present Hungarian minority in Czechoslovakia (approximately 700,000) by a new and almost as numerous Slav (Slovak and Ruthenian) minority in Hungary.

"The negotiations in Komorn were then declared by the Hungarian delegation to be at an end.

"On October 22 my government handed over in Budapest a new proposal offering to resume direct negotiations at once on this general basis. The Hungarian Government did not see its way to accept this offer.

"Thereupon the Hungarian Government made a counterproposal to solve the question by means of a plebiscite or arbitration. Fully relying on the sense of justice of the German and Italian Governments, the Czechoslovak Government accepted this proposal. In the negotiations with Hungary, the Czechoslovak Government upheld the view that a solution must be found by which Hungary would receive a number of Slovaks and Ruthenians equal to the number of Hungarians who would remain in the Czechoslovak state. On the basis of Czechoslovak statistics for 1930, however, the Hungarian proposals would have left only 110,000 Magyars in Czechoslovakia, compared with over 200,000 Slovaks and Ruthenians who would have fallen to Hungary. It was

moreover to be remembered that two or three times hundred thousand Slovaks already were living in Hungary as a minority. The starting point for solution of the question must be the compact ethnic area (Volksboden). The Hungarian side has stated that the Munich principles must be applied uniformly, but in actual fact, conditions in Bohemia and Moravia could not be compared with those in Slovakia and Carpatho-Ukraine.2 In Bohemia and Moravia the ethnic frontier had been unchanged for a long time, and consequently Germany had been able to claim that, in the areas to be ceded, an ancient German cultural area was involved. Teleki, the Hungarian Minister of Education, had stated that Hungary's demands were based on ancient and recent rights. He felt that he must raise objections to this claim. If the year 1910 were taken as a basis, there perhaps existed Hungarian majorities in many places, but if one went back only 20 to 30 years and took the census of 1880, quite different results were obtained. In 1910 for example, Kaschau had had a small Hungarian majority, but in 1880 the town had been predominantly Slovak. Thus his view that Hungary could demand these towns on the ground of ancient and recent rights was not quite correct for, if one ignores the last 30 years, the Slovak side could demand with equal justice that the 1880 figures should be taken into consideration. Even in 1910 Kaschau had been a Hungarian-language enclave in a compact Slovak ethnic area."

Kanya, the Hungarian Foreign Minister, replied to this that in his opinion the Czechoslovak Government was adhering too strictly to the Munich Agreement, which had provided a period of 3 months for the solution of these questions. The Munich Agreement had only this one fault, namely, that the period of 3 months was too Iong, for, if the question were allowed to drag on for so Iong, a peaceful solution would no Ionger be possible. From his own experience he could say that tension in Hungary during the last few weeks had reached an unbearable pitch, and reports in his possession from Czechoslovakia gave the same picture. In all probability matters would have come to an armed conflict, and the Hungarian Government had therefore appealed to Germany and Italy to arbitrate.

Count Teleki, the Minister of Education, stated that the principles established by Minister Krno would create entirely new problems. Hungary had been aiming at a territorial solution. Poland had done the same. In addition, Hungarian claims were made on a historical basis. The proposal made at Komorn by the Czechoslovak Government to add to Hungary a number of Slovaks equal to the number of Hungarians remaining in Czechoslovakia, in order to establish a balance, could

not be recognized. For one thing it must be taken into consideration that in a very short space of time this balance might again be disturbed by emigration or an important increase of population. In the long run, the application of this principle was not calculated to establish friendly relations, and therefore at Komorn this principle had been described by Hungary as one of mutual hostages. For the rest, Hungary recognized the principle of the compact ethnic area. However, at two points, i.e. at Neutra and Kaschau, the great change in nationalities (Volkstum) in the course of time must be recognized. It had been pointed out by the Czechoslovak side that between 1880 and 1911 these towns had been Magyarized. But if one went further back, it was seen that until 1880 there had been a Slovakization, and in earlier years, as shown, for example, by the statistics of 1720, this had been an old Hungarian ethnic and settlement area. The grandfathers of the inhabitants now described as Slovaks had still been, for the most part, Hungarians, as could be seen today to some extent from their names. It was true that Neutra and Kaschau were language enclaves if the 50-percent principle was taken as a basis. However he wished to point out that Kaschau, for example, was separated from the compact Hungarian ethnic area by a few small communities inhabited by Magyars to a maximum of 45 percent and an average of 37.8 percent.

Foreign Minister Chvalkovsky stated that he fully agreed with Foreign Minister Kanya's view regarding the necessity of a speedy solution. He asked, however, that the views of Tiso the Slovak Prime Minister, and Volosin the Ukrainian Prime Minister, on Count Teleki's statements should first be heard. Reich Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop said that they had met to find a solution for a Slovak-Hungarian question. The views of both Governments had been expressed by their Foreign Ministers. He could therefore see no point in hearing the views of a number of additional experts on the subject, for as such he must regard Tisoand Volosin especially as the problem itself was sufficiently familiar to both arbiters. He therefore did not think that the circle of participants in today's conference should be enlarged.

He would take the liberty of saying the following on the subject of Foreign Minister Kanya's remarks that too long a period had been fixed by the Munich Agreement; it was a result of the cooperation of the German and ltalian Governments with the two other Powers at Munich that the question of the Hungarian minority had been brought near to solution at all. Moreover, the two Governments had stated their willingness to undertake the role of arbiter in this question so that it might be brought to a peaceful and speedy solution. He had noted with interest the statements of the Czechoslovak and Hungarian delegations. The preparatory talks for the arbitral award could thus be regarded as ended. The prob

lem has been expounded with sufficient clarity. As for MM. Tisoand Volosin they would have an opportunity for unofficial talks with the two arbiters in the course of the lunch to which both of them had also been invited.

After lunch, the ltalian and German delegations would then enter into consultations on the award to be made, which would probably be completed late in the afternoon. He would then ask the Hungarian and Czechoslovak delegates to attend a final meeting in the Belvedere Palace.

Foreign Minister Count Ciano expressed agreement with this proposal. Foreign Minister Chvalkovsky then asked to be allowed to speak again. in view of the thoroughness which he had learned in German schools, he asked if he might point out the following: MM. Tisoand Volosincould not be described as experts. The Slovak Prime Minister had been the leader of the Slovak delegation which had up to now negotiated with the Hungarians. M. Volosinwas Prime Minister of the Ukraine. He therefore asked that in any minutes of the meeting to be drawn up the two gentlemen should not be referred to as experts. Reich Minister von Ribbentrop and Foreign Minister Count Ciano expressed their agreement.

Thereupon the meeting adjourned.

Reich Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop opened the meeting by stating that the German and Italian Governments had now completed their task of arbitrating in the guestion of the cession of Czechoslovak territory to Hungary. The task of the arbiters had been extremely difficult. But on the basis of the ethnographic principle a decision had been reached, which, if correctly carried out, would bring a lasting and just solution of the questions outstanding between Hungary and Czechoslovakia.

Count Ciano corroborated this statement on behalf of the ltalian Government. He said that the arbitration by the German and ltalian Governments had again revealed the solidarity of the Axis. He, too, wished to stress the difficulty of the task undertaken by the two Governments and to call attention to the efforts of both to find a lasting and just solution of the problem, designed to introduce a new era and to lay the foundations for friendly and good neighborly relations between Hungary and Czechoslovakia.

Then followed the reading and afterward the signing of the arbitral award and accompanying protocol. Thereupon Reich Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop declared the meeting closed.

Vienna, November 2, 1938

Pol. IV 7958

In virtue of a request from the Royal Hungarian Government and the Czechoslovak Government to the German and Royal Italian Governments to settle by award the questions pending between them relating to territories to be ceded to Hungary, as well as in the virtue of notes thereupon exchanged on October 30, 1938, between the Governments concemed, the German Foreign Minister, Herr Joachim Von Ribbentrop, and the Foreign Minister of His Majesty the King of Italy, Emperor of Ethiopia, Count Galeazzo Ciano, have met this day in Vienna, and, after further discussion with the Royal Hungarian Foreign Minister, M. Kalman Kanya, and the Czechoslovak Foreign Minister, Dr. Frantisek Chvalkovsky, have promulgated the following award:

1. The areas to be ceded to Hungary by Czechoslovakia are marked on the annexed map.3 Demarkation of the frontier on the spot is delegated to a Hungarian-Czechoslovak Commission.

2. The evacuation by Czechoslovakia of the areas to be ceded and their occupation by Hungary begins on November 5, 1938, and is to be completed by November 10, 1938. The detailed stages of the evacuation and occupation, as well as other procedures connected therewith, are to be settled at once by a Hungarian-Czechoslovak Commission.

3. The Czechoslovak Government will insure that the territories to be ceded are left in an orderly condition at the time of evacuation.

4. Special questions arising out of the cession of territory, in particular questions relating to nationality and option, are to be regulated by a Hungarian-Czechoslovak Commission.

5. Likewise, special measures for the protection of persons of the Magyar nationality remaining in Czechoslovak territory and of persons not of the Magyar race in the ceded territories are to be agreed upon by a Hungarian-Czechoslovak Commission. This commission will take special care that the Magyar ethnic group (Volksgruppe) in Pressburg be accorded the same status as other ethnic groups there.

6. Insofar as disadvantages and difficulties in the sphere of economics or (railway) traffic may be caused by the cession of territory to Hungary for the area remaining to Czechoslovakia, the Hungarian Government will, in agreement with the Czechoslovak Government, do its utmost to remove these disadvantages and difficulties.

7. In the event of difficulties or doubts arising from the implementation of this award, the Royal Hungarian and Czechoslovak Governments will settle the matter directly between themselves. Should they, however, fail to reach agreement on any question, this question will then be submitted to the German and Italian Governments for final decision.

The general course of the new frontier between the Kingdom of Hungary and the Republic of Czechoslovakia as determined in the award made by the German Foreign Minister and the Royal Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs on November 2, 1938, is as follows:

Starting from the old frontier south of Pressburg, the new frontier runs north of the Pressburg-Neuhausl railway line, turns in a northeasterly direction to the northwest of Neuhausl, and is continued north of Vrable direct to the Lewenz-Altsohl railway line. The towns of Neuhausl and Lewenz revert to Hungary. To the east of Lewenz the frontier runs diagonally through the Eipel territory some 30 kilometers north of the old frontier. Its further course is directly to the north of the towns Lutschenetz and Gross-Steffelsdorf, which also revert to Hungary. The frontier then turns to the northeast, taking in the town of Jolschva, and in the neighborhood of Rosenau extends direct to the German-settlement area of the Unterzips. It then turns north, includes Kaschau in Hungarian territory, and follows a southeasterly course to a point some 30 kilometers north of the railway junction of Satoraljaujhely on the former Hungarian frontier. It then proceeds due east to a point directly north of Ungvar, which is assigned to Hungary. The frontier then takes a sharp turn to the southeast. Its further course passes close to the north of Munkatsch. Continuing in a southeasterly direction, the new frontier links up with the oId frontier northeast of the Rumanian-frontier railway station of Halmei.

Of the disputed towns, therefore, Pressburg itself, the capital of Slovakia, the oId cathedral town of Neutra, and the town of Sevljusch in the Carpatho-Ukraine, with its surrounding villages, remain within the Czechoslovak republic. The towns of Neuhausl, Lewenz, Lutschenetz, Kaschau, Uzhorod, and Munkatsch were adjudged to the Kingdom of Hungary.

The new ruling returns the whole area of compact Hungarian settlement to the Kingdom of Hungary. At points where circumstances did not allow an exact ditirmination of the frontier on ethnic lines (Volksmassige Grenzziehung), the interests of both sides were carefully weighed.

(Entered into force same day. Not registered with the Secretariat of the League of Nations.)l

In pursuance of the request made by the Royal Hungarian and the Czechoslovak Governments to the German and the Royal Italian Governments to settle by arbitration the outstanding question of the areas to be ceded to Hungary, and in pursuance of the notes exchanged on the subject between the Governments concerned on October 30th, 1938, the German Reich Minister of Foreign Affairs, Herr Joachim von Ribbentrop, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of His Majesty the King of Italy and Emperor of Ethiopia, Count Galeazzo Ciano, have today met at the Belvedere Castle of Vienna and given the desired arbitral award in the names of their Governments.

For this purpose they have invited to Vienna the Royal Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, M. Koloman von Kanya, and the Czechoslovak Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Franz Chvalkovsky, in order to give them an opportunity in the first place again to explain the point of view of their Governments.

This arbitral award, together with the map mentioned in paragraph 1, has been handed to the Royal Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and to the Czechoslovak Minister of Foreign Affairs. They have taken cognizance of it and have again confirmed, on behalf of their Governments, the statement which they made on October 30th, 1938, that they accept the arbitral award as a final settlement and that they undertake to carry it out unconditionally and without delay.

Done in the German and Italian languages in quadruplicate.

Vienna, November 2nd, 1938.

1 Hudson. International Legislation. VIII 201.

Edward Chaszar : The Czechoslovak-Hungarian Border Dispute of 1938