While Germany was still seen as the greater threat to France and Britain, the peace terms stipulated on June 4, 1920 in the Treaty of Trianon were proportionally much harsher on Hungary, a country that had lost World War I, along with Germany, Austria and Turkey, than those outlined in Versailles for Germany.
On June 4, 1920, Hungary lost 71.4% of its territory and over 63% of its total population, of which 3.5 million were believed to be Hungarian. The largest territory, (nearly 40,000 sqare miles) was awarded to Romania and included Transylvania, as well as the Partium, an area 60 kilometers in width, along the eastern-most edge of the Great Plains. The loss of Transylvania resonated especially loudly, not for its size, but due to its importance in Hungarian culture. In the sixteenth century, the province was the cultural centre of the country, and in the nineteenth century a number of the country's most canonical poets came from here.
While Romania received the "cradle" of Hungarian culture, Slovakia received Ruthenia, along with the region known as the "Uplands," that lay on the norther shores of the Danube. A not insignificant blow to Hungarian pride, was the transfer of the Hungarian Kingdom's former capital city, Pozsony, which became Bratislava after 1920.
Yugoslavia received the "lowlands," and this area became known as Vojvodina. In addition to the successor states, oddly enough Austria was also awarded a section of Hungarian territory. The Burgenland, a strip of land running along the western border and home to a primarily German-speaking population, was awarded to Austria.
On June 4, 1920, Hungary lost 71.4% of its territory and over 63% of its total population, of which 3.5 million were believed to be Hungarian. The largest territory, (nearly 40,000 sqare miles) was awarded to Romania and included Transylvania, as well as the Partium, an area 60 kilometers in width, along the eastern-most edge of the Great Plains. The loss of Transylvania resonated especially loudly, not for its size, but due to its importance in Hungarian culture. In the sixteenth century, the province was the cultural centre of the country, and in the nineteenth century a number of the country's most canonical poets came from here.
While Romania received the "cradle" of Hungarian culture, Slovakia received Ruthenia, along with the region known as the "Uplands," that lay on the norther shores of the Danube. A not insignificant blow to Hungarian pride, was the transfer of the Hungarian Kingdom's former capital city, Pozsony, which became Bratislava after 1920.
Yugoslavia received the "lowlands," and this area became known as Vojvodina. In addition to the successor states, oddly enough Austria was also awarded a section of Hungarian territory. The Burgenland, a strip of land running along the western border and home to a primarily German-speaking population, was awarded to Austria.
