Habsburgs’ Attempts of the Restoration in Hungary in 1921 and the International Relations in Central Europe (based on the Czechoslovak diplomatic documents)

Abstract

The author of the article investigates the reaction of Czechoslovakia, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, Romania, Austria and Germany on Charles Habsburg’s restoration attempts to retrieve the Hungarian crown in March, April and October, 1921. The work is based on archival and published documents. The author pays special attention to the diplomatic, political and military collaboration of Czechoslovakia, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and Romania and to the forming of the Little Entente as a military and political alliance. The influence of the position of the Austrian government during Charles Habsburg’s first putsch on the domestic situation in that country and the international relation in Central Europe is analysed in the paper. The author of the article also demonstrates the character of the international negotiations in the issue dealing with Burgenland, Beneš’s attempts to be a moderator during the negotiations and the reaction of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, Romania and Italy to them. The changes of the international relations in Central Europe at this time are also investigated in details. Besides that, Czechoslovakia was making attempts not only to strengthen the cooperation of the members of the Little Entente but also to isolate Hungary and to weaken its relations with Austria and Poland. The politicians in Prague achieved this purpose by concluding the treaties with Poland on 6 November 1921 and Austria on 16 December 1921. The successes of the Little Entente in the resistance against the Habsburgs’ restoration in Hungary dealt with the enforcement of its international, political and military positions in Central Europe. The German diplomats considered the activity of the Czechoslovakia and its country members as an attempt to isolate Germany. Under those conditions Germany and Hungary were both interested in cooperation. The negotiations between Hungary and Germany during the autumn of 1921 and the co-ordination of these states’ attitude with a number of international problems are analysed in the article.