Interaction of Hungarian and Other Ethno-Linguistic Groups. Languages & National Identity October 28, 2005 Dr. Robert M. Jenkins

Transcription

1 Interaction of Hungarian and Other Ethno-Linguistic Groups Languages & National Identity October 28, 2005 Dr. Robert M. Jenkins

2 Hungarian (Magyar) Language Uralic Language Finno-Ugric Family Ugric Group Nearest relatives Finnish, Estonian

3 Some Magyar Nyelv Characterics Agglutination extensive use of suffixes Large number of cases at least 18 Fun facts: Latin alphabet Phonetic Vowels both short & long No gender No verb to have

4 Early History of Magyars Left Urals 1500 years ago? Settled Carpathian basin 1100 years ago 896, celebrated as year Árpád led Hungarian settlement

5 Historical Development , King Stephen 1000, Stephen accepts Christianity 1526, Battle of Mohács, Ottomans victory 1699, Ottomans expelled

6 Manifestations of Magyar 1825, announcement of Hungarian Learned Society by Count István Szechenyi , various language laws Hungarian Revolution Nationalism

7 Austro-Hungarian Monarchy 1867, Compromise produces Dual Monarchy 1868, reintroduction of Hungarian language laws begins process of Magyarization , series of education laws

8 Expansion of Habsburg Lands

9 Magyar Lands

10 Ethno-Linguistic Distribution

11 Treaty of Trianon, 1920

12 Irredentism

13 Post-WWII Soviet Influence

14 1956 Revolution

15 Kádár Era 1963, general amnesty Those who are not against us are with us 1968, New Economic Mechanism 1970s young writers 1980s democratic opposition 1982, additional economic reform

16 Political Change 1987, Lakitelek meeting, Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF) 1988, Budapest demonstration 1988, Kádár ousted 1989, revision on , reburial of Imre Nagy 1989, opposition roundtable

17 Post-communist Government 1990, free parliamentary elections MDF leads coalition government József Antal, Prime Minister of 15 million Hungarians

18 Hungarians Living Abroad

19 Hungarian Minority Policy 1990, Office of National & Ethnic Minorities Act LXXVVII (1993) on National Minorities Recognized 13 historical minorities Collective rights in setting up minority selfgovernment (national & local) Parliamentary representation of minorities yet to be implemented Act LXXIX (1996) specifies national & ethnic minorities right to education in mother tongue Ministerial decree 32/1997 on minority education in history, geography, culture, and minority rights

20 Minorities in Hungary Minority Populations and Self Government in Hungary 1990 Census Estimated Percent Minority Group Self-Identified Percent Low High Low High Romany 142, % 400, , % 5.8% German 30, % 200, , % 2.1% Slovak 10, % 100, , % 1.1% Croatian 13, % 80,000 90, % 0.9% Romanian 10, % 25, % Serb 2, % 5, % Slovene 1, % 5, % Greek 4,000 4, % 0.0% Bulgarian 5, % Armenian 3,500 10, % 0.1% Polish 10, % Ruthenian 6, % Ukranian 2, % Other 19, % Total minority 232, % 845,500 1,092, % 10.5% Total Population 10,374, % Source: Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

21 Hungarian Policy to Hungarian Living Abroad 1992, Government Office for Hungarian Minorities Abroad , Socialist Government signs bilateral treaties with neighbors Euro-Atlantic Membership (NATO, 1999, European Union, 2004) Act LXII (2001) on Hungarians Living in Neighboring Countries (Status Law) Identity cards Social benefits (education, healthcare, etc.) Short term work Neighboring pressure on EU scaling back of benefits 2004 Referendum on dual citizenship failed

22 Hungarian Speakers Abroad Hungarian Language Speakers Country Hungary 9,546,374 10,298,820 Romania 1,443,970 1,800,000 Slovakia 520, ,400 Serbia- Montenegro 285, ,500 Croatia 16,500 ** Ukraine 149, Israel 70,000 70,000 Austria 22,000 22,000 Slovenia 9,240 9,240 Total 12,063,012 13,434,960 ** Croatia included in Serbia-Montenegro, 1991.

23 Situation in Romania Violence in Tigru Mureş in 1990 not repeated Democratic Alliance of Hungarian in Romania (RMDSZ) representing interests, participating in coalition Hungarian language faculty in university 2003 Constitutional referendum gives minority rights in use of language in administration Agreement on private Hungarian University

24 Situation in Slovakia During Mečiar government discriminatory policies (1995 language law) Post- Mečiar new policies in keeping with EU standards (areas with 20% minority allowed to use mother tongue in administrative dealings) Hungarian Coalition Party is government coalition partner 2003 opening of Hungarian language university

25 Conclusion Magyar nationalism long history complicated toward allies & neighbors Irredentism of inter-war period taught lesson Post-communist politics shaped by two forces European vision & lingering nationalism Euro-Atlantic integration brought moderating pressure on Hungary and neighbors for liberalization of minority policies