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| Culture Class: Holidays in Hungary Lesson 13 - Memorial Day of the Treaty of Trianon |
| Hello, and welcome to the Culture Class- Holidays in Hungary Series at HungarianPod101.com. In this series, we’re exploring the traditions behind Hungarian holidays and observances. I’m Eric, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 13, Memorial Day of the Treaty of Trianon. In Hungarian, it’s called Nemzeti Összetartozás Napja. |
| Do you know how big Hungary was before World War I? In this lesson we’ll discuss the biggest social, economical and territorial catastrophe of Hungary, the Treaty of Trianon, which was signed on June 4, 1920. |
| Now, before we get into more detail, do you know the answer to this question? |
| Why is Sopron known as the Town of Loyalty? |
| If you don't already know, you’ll find out a bit later. Keep listening. |
| During World War I, entente forces signed a secret contract with Serbia and Romania. According to the agreement, the given states were to be granted certain parts of the Hungarian territory if they declared war on the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Unfortunately, Hungary and its allies lost the world war, so the territorial requests were eventually granted. Finally the peace treaty, in Hungarian békeszerződés, was signed on June 4, 1920 in the Grand Trianon Castle, Versailles, France, and is known as the Treaty of Trianon. |
| The peace treaty stated that more than seventy percent of Hungary's territory would be given to other countries, which meant that more than 3 and a half million Hungarians were forced to live under foreign rule. The biggest chunks of territory went to Romania, the Serb-Croat-Slovene Kingdom, and Czechoslovakia. Hungarian arguments about the new borders were totally neglected. Additionally, the treaty capped the number of the Hungarian army, or in Hungarian hadsereg, at 35,000 and forbade Hungary from possessing an air force, or légierő and heavy weapons, or nehézfegyverek. |
| In 2010 the Hungarian parliament declared June 4 as the Day of National Togetherness. In addition to wreath-laying and commemorations all over the country and on the other sides of present borders, there are many demonstrations held on this day calling for a re-examination of the peace treaty. Many Hungarians still don't accept the injustice brought against the Countries of the Hungarian Holy Crown in 1920, and from time to time, Hungarian minorities outside the truncated country demand autonomy. |
| Between 1920 and 1944, Vice Admiral Miklós Horthy Vitéz Nagybányai was the governor of the Kingdom of Hungary. The irony in this fact was that during this time, Hungary had neither a king, or király, nor a sea, or tenger. |
| Now it's time to answer our quiz question- |
| Why is Sopron known as the Town of Loyalty? |
| In December 1921, a referendum was held in Sopron to decide if Sopron should belong to Austria or Hungary. The People of Sopron chose Hungary, thus drawing its nickname as the Town of Loyalty. |
| Did you like this lesson? Did you learn any interesting facts? |
| Did your country take part in World War I? |
| Leave us your comments at HungarianPod101.com, and we'll see you in the next lesson. |
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