Austria-Hungary: Could The Empire Reunite?

Austria and Hungary were once part of the same empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe. The empire was formed in 1867 and dissolved in 1918, after World War I. Since then, there has been no serious attempt to reunite the two countries. Both countries are now members of the European Union and have a border that can be crossed anywhere without control due to the Schengen Agreement. While there is no indication that Austria and Hungary will reunite, their shared history and proximity have resulted in complex diplomatic relations.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918

The Austro-Hungarian Empire, also known as the Dual Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe that existed between 1867 and 1918. It was formed through a constitutional agreement known as the Compromise, which transformed the Habsburg Monarchy into an alliance of two sovereign states with a single monarch: Emperor Franz Joseph, who was titled both Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was a military and diplomatic union, with each half of the empire having its own constitution, government, and parliament.

The empire was geographically the second-largest country in Europe and the third most populous, with Austria constituting the western half, or Cisleithania, and Hungary the eastern half, or Transleithania. While the two halves shared a common monarch and conducted unified diplomatic and defence policies, they were otherwise separate sovereign countries in international law. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was one of Europe's major powers and built up the fourth-largest machine-building industry in the world. However, it faced significant ethnic and social tensions, with multiple nationalities seeking independence within the empire.

The origins of the Austro-Hungarian Empire can be traced back to the 16th century when the ruling dynasty of Austria, the Habsburgs, inherited the Hungarian throne. In the aftermath of the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, which resulted in Austria's exclusion from German affairs, the central government in Vienna began negotiations with Hungarian political leaders, leading to the Compromise of 1867. This agreement restored territorial integrity to Hungary and granted it significant internal autonomy, while also ensuring that Hungary formed part of the monarchy in matters of foreign affairs and defence.

The Compromise established a dual system where citizens of each half were treated as foreigners in the other. The Austrian half, Cisleithania, consisted of seventeen historical crown lands and was characterised by its heterogeneity, with the 1867 constitution recognising it as a multinational state. The Hungarian half, Transleithania, was dominated by the Kingdom of Hungary, with the Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia as part of the Hungarian crown. While the Magyars were the dominant nation in Hungary, they only constituted a small majority, and the empire as a whole was ethnically diverse.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire played a significant role in the lead-up to World War I, with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914 intensifying existing ethnic hostilities. The empire officially ceased to exist in 1918 with the end of World War I, as nationalist movements seized power and declared independence in various regions. The Treaty of Versailles in 1919 and the Treaty of Trianon in 1920 further cemented the dissolution, as Austria and Hungary were reduced to small, landlocked states, and the empire's former territories were redistributed among several newly formed nations.

Austria and Hungary are members of the European Union and have a shared border of 366km

Austria and Hungary have a shared history that goes back to the 16th century when the ruling dynasty of Austria, the Habsburgs, inherited the Hungarian throne. They were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire from 1867 to 1918 and established diplomatic relations in 1921 after their separation. Both countries are members of the European Union and the Council of Europe. They share a 366-kilometre (227-mile) border, which can be crossed anywhere without control due to the Schengen Agreement.

The relationship between Austria and Hungary has been shaped by their shared history and geographical proximity. The two countries have a long history of cultural, political, and economic exchange. The Habsburg dynasty, which ruled Austria, also inherited the Hungarian throne in the 16th century, leading to the formation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1867. This empire lasted until the end of World War I in 1918, when both countries established their separate diplomatic relations.

The border between Austria and Hungary is a result of the post-World War I turmoil in East-Central Europe. The process of drawing the border took several years and was influenced by state actors and the local population. The final decision was made by the victorious states in Paris, and the new state border has remained unchanged since then. The border between the two countries is now a part of the former "iron curtain" and can be crossed anywhere without control due to the Schengen Agreement.

The cooperation programme 'Interreg V-A Austria-Hungary' aims to foster cross-border cooperation along this shared border. The programme focuses on environmental protection, joint management of natural resources, improving accessibility, supporting cross-border SMEs, and enhancing institutional capacity. The goal is to create a better integrated and more sustainable border region.

Both countries have also seen economic integration, with Austrian companies investing in Hungary and vice versa. Austrian entrepreneurs have set up or purchased banks, factories, and shops in Hungary, while vintners from Burgenland make wine in Hungary, and Austrian farmers have bought or leased Hungarian farmland. However, attempts at economic integration have not always been successful, as seen in the failed merger attempt between the gasoline companies OMV and MOL Group in the mid-2000s due to opposition from the Hungarian government and public opinion.

Austria and Hungary have a long common history, with the ruling dynasty of Austria, the Habsburgs, inheriting the Hungarian throne in the 16th century

Austria and Hungary have a long shared history, with the ruling dynasty of Austria, the Habsburgs, inheriting the Hungarian throne in the 16th century.

Following Hungary's defeat against the Ottoman Empire in 1526, the Habsburgs became more involved in the Kingdom of Hungary. They assumed the Hungarian throne, although initially they only controlled a small northwestern portion of the former kingdom's territory. Over time, the Habsburgs gained more Hungarian territory, and by the Treaty of Passarowitz in 1718, all former territories of the Hungarian kingdom were ceded to them.

In the 19th century, the Hungarians began to chafe under Habsburg rule, and the Kingdom of Hungary called for greater self-government and independence during the revolutions of 1848. The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 was crushed by the Austrian military with Russian assistance, and the Hungarians' autonomy was replaced with absolutist rule from Vienna. This only increased resentment of Habsburg dominion.

In the 1860s, the Habsburg Empire faced two significant defeats: the loss of a large part of Northern Italy in the Second Italian War of Independence, and the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, which led to the dissolution of the German Confederation and the exclusion of Austria from German affairs. These twin defeats gave the Hungarians the opportunity to break free of absolutist rule. Recognizing the need to compromise with Hungary to retain its great power status, the central government in Vienna began negotiations with Hungarian political leaders, leading to the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867.

The Compromise of 1867, also known as the Ausgleich, turned the Habsburg domains into a real union between the Austrian Empire ("Lands Represented in the Imperial Council", or Cisleithania) in the western and northern half, and the Kingdom of Hungary ("Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen", or Transleithania) in the eastern half. While the two halves shared a common monarch, they maintained separate parliaments, each with its own prime minister, and separate state functions, including education, language, and administration.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire, also known as the Dual Monarchy, was a multinational constitutional monarchy in Central Europe that existed between 1867 and 1918. It was a military and diplomatic alliance consisting of two sovereign states with a single monarch, who was titled both Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary. The Empire was one of Europe's major powers and was geographically the second-largest country in Europe and the third most populous. It built up the fourth-largest machine-building industry in the world and constructed Europe's second-largest railway network.

Despite their long shared history, there do not appear to be any plans or desires for Austria and Hungary to reunite and reinstate the monarchy. In fact, some sources suggest that the idea of a reunion is unpopular in the former Austro-Hungarian territories.

The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1921, after their separation

Austria and Hungary have a long shared history, with the ruling dynasty of Austria, the Habsburgs, inheriting the Hungarian throne in the 16th century. Both countries were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire from 1867 to 1918. In the last decades of this dual monarchy, Austria and Hungary developed side by side. In Hungary, the Hungarian Nationalities Law (1868) reinstated full equality for all citizens, along with the first minority rights in Europe. However, the Magyar aristocracy and bourgeoisie attempted to "Magyarize" the ethnicities of the multi-national kingdom, mainly impacting education, language, and administration. In contrast, in multi-national Austria, the Basic Law of the State (Staatsgrundgesetz) of 1867 declared all nations of Imperial Austria equal, although German influence remained significant.

After World War I, Austria and Hungary were treated as defeated enemies by the Allies and experienced significant territorial changes. According to the Treaty of Versailles (1919) and the Treaty of Trianon (1920), Hungary had to cede its westernmost part, Deutsch-Westungarn, to Austria, as these areas were inhabited by Germans for centuries. This area, called Burgenland by the Austrians, was handed over to Austria in the autumn of 1921, marking a key moment in the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Even today, Hungarian is recognised as an official language in some communities of Burgenland. Despite their shared history and current diplomatic relations, there are no indications that Austria and Hungary will reunite to form a single political entity. Both countries are now independent member states of the European Union and have separate embassies in their respective capitals.

Austria and Hungary are both full members of the Council of Europe

Austria and Hungary were once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe that existed between 1867 and 1918. The Empire was a military and diplomatic alliance consisting of two sovereign states, the Empire of Austria ("Lands Represented in the Imperial Council", or Cisleithania) and the Kingdom of Hungary ("Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen", or Transleithania), with a single monarch who was titled both Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary.

Austria and Hungary have had a long shared history since the ruling dynasty of Austria, the Habsburgs, inherited the Hungarian throne in the 16th century. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1921, after their separation. Today, Austria and Hungary are both full members of the Council of Europe and of the European Union. They share a 366-kilometre (227-mile) border, which can be crossed anywhere without control due to the Schengen Agreement.

The two countries have had a complex relationship over the years, with repeated disputes over shared external tariff arrangements and financial contributions to the common treasury. However, they have also cooperated in various economic and political endeavours. For example, Austrian entrepreneurs have invested in Hungary, buying banks, factories, and shops, while vintners from Burgenland make wine in Hungary, and Austrian farmers have bought or leased Hungarian farmland. Additionally, the two countries jointly own and operate the Győr–Sopron–Ebenfurth Railway, which maintains several railway lines between the two countries.

While there have been no recent indications of a formal reunion between Austria and Hungary, their shared history, geographic proximity, and membership in the European Union and the Council of Europe continue to shape their relationship.

Frequently asked questions