| Hungary Timeline |
| 1914 Serbian student assassinates the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne; Austria-Hungary invades Serbia to begin WWI. Germany, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire support Austria-Hungary (Central Powers). They fight the Allied Powers: UK, France, Russia, Serbia, and after April 1917, the US Nov 3 1918 Armistice with the Allies Nov 16 1918 Hungarians revolt to make Hungary a republic under Count Michael Karolyi March 1919 Communists and Socialists form coalition governments under dictator Bela Kun (many Jews present in this government) whose rule only lasts a few months because he cannot suppress Romanian invasion Late 1919 Admiral Nicholas Horthy comes to power; his conservative government lasts 25 years. Hungary is a monarchy in name during this time, and Horthy rules as regent June 1920 Treaty of Trianon: Hungary separates form Austro-Hungary, joins "The Allied and Associated Powers." Must obey rules of the League of Nations, including the Protection of Minorities act; borders determined between Hungary and: Austria, the Serb-Croat-Slovene State, Roumania [sic], and Czecho-Slovakia [sic]; Hungary lost a considerable amount of land in this treaty (link is to my makeshift map) October 27 1924 Vilmos Vazsonyi speaks to the Jews of Pest 1930s Hitler promises Hungary the return of the land lost in the Treaty of Trianon June 1938 First Anti-Jewish Law reduces proportion of Jews in professions and finance, commerce, and industry to 20% Nov 1938 Hitler allows Hungary to take pre-Trianon parts of Czechoslovakia March 1939 Hungary acquires more of Czechoslovakia 1939 Second Anti-Jewish Law enacted in Hungary August 1940 Hungary acquires 43,494 square miles of Romania Nov 1940 Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia become Nazi allies April 1941 Hungary aids Hitler in attacking Yugoslavia and enters WWII as Axis Power; Hungary acquires part of Yugoslavia (Here is what Hungary looks like from April 1941-1945) Aug 26 1941 Hungarian army rounds up 10,000 Jews at Kamenets-Podolsk 1943 Hitler does not trust Hungary's alliance March 19 1944 Nazis occupy Hungary; Eichmann arrives with Gestapo "Special Section Commandos" May 3 1944 Hungarian Prime Minister Dome Sztojay writes this May 8 1944 Rudolf Hoess returns to Auschwitz, ordered by Himmler to oversee the extermination of Hungarian Jews May 15 1944 Beginning of deportation of Jews from Hungary to Auschwitz May 16 1944 Jews from Hungary arrive at Auschwitz; Eichmann arrives to personally oversee and speed up the extermination process. May 24 1944 About 100,000 Jews gassed so far Late June 1944 381,661 Hungarian Jews so far arrive at Auschwitz July 1944 Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg issues diplomatic papers to and establishes safe houses for Hungarian Jews, saving almost 33,000 Oct 15 1944 Nazis jail Horthy, set up Hungarian puppet government, then resume Jewish deportation (which had ceased due to international pressure to save them) Oct 17 1944 Eichmann arrives in Hungary Nov 8 1944 Nazis force 25,000 Jews to walk over 100 miles in rain and snow from Budapest to the Austrian border; then they force 50,000 to walk from Budapest to Mauthausen Late 1944 Soviet Union invades Hungary Jan 6 1945 Soviets liberate Budapest, freeing over 80,000 Jews Jan 1945 Armistice with Allies; Hungary agrees to give up all land it gained since 1938 1947 Hungary and the Allies sign a peace treaty |
