
The Austro-Hungarian Empire, a major European power before World War I, was a relatively young nation-state with a diverse mix of people and cultures. The empire was formed in 1867 by a compromise agreement between Vienna and Budapest, resulting in a dual monarchy with a complex political structure. In 1920, the Treaty of Trianon was signed, defining Hungary's postwar boundaries and resulting in a significant loss of territory for the Kingdom of Hungary. This treaty was signed at the Grand Trianon Palace in Versailles, France, on June 4, 1920, and recognized Hungary's independence from Austria. So, what land did Austria gain from Hungary in 1920?
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What You'll Learn

The Treaty of Trianon
The treaty is mostly famous for the territorial changes it imposed on Hungary and the recognition of its new international borders. Hungary lost approximately 72% of its pre-war territory and two-thirds of its population to neighbouring states. The Kingdom of Hungary was severely disrupted by this loss of territory, population, and most of its natural resources. The new boundaries of Hungary were mostly defined by the Treaty of Trianon, with minor modifications made between 1921 and 1924 on the Hungarian-Austrian border and the transfer of three villages to Czechoslovakia in 1947.
The treaty was dictated by the Allies, and the Hungarians were given the option to accept or reject its terms in full. The Hungarian delegation signed the treaty under protest, and agitation for its revision began immediately. The treaty sowed the seeds of resentment, ethnic conflict, and interwar tension. Attempts to revise the treaty during the 1920s and 1930s led directly to Hungarian participation in World War II on the side of Nazi Germany, as Hitler was the only European statesman who offered them the return of territory.
The United States did not ratify the Treaty of Trianon, instead negotiating a separate peace treaty that did not contradict its terms. The US had declared war on Austria-Hungary in 1917 and sent missions to Hungary in 1919 to report on political developments and promote commerce.
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The Kingdom of Hungary's territorial loss
The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed from 1000 to 1946. It was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526 to 1918. The Kingdom of Hungary had a tumultuous history, with several territorial losses and gains over the centuries.
One of the major territorial losses for the Kingdom of Hungary occurred in 1526 after the Battle of Mohács, when the country was conquered by the Ottoman Empire. As a result, the territory of the former Kingdom of Hungary was divided into three portions: the Habsburg Kingdom of Hungary, Ottoman Hungary, and the semi-independent Principality of Transylvania. This period marked the beginning of a more multi-ethnic structure within the kingdom due to immigration to sparsely populated areas.
Another significant territorial loss occurred in 1848-1849, when an uprising in the Kingdom of Hungary was suppressed. Following this, the kingdom and its diet were dissolved, and the territory was divided into five districts directly controlled by Vienna. Additionally, Croatia, Slavonia, and the Voivodeship of Serbia and Banat of Temeschwar were separated from the Kingdom of Hungary between 1849 and 1860.
In 1867, the Austro-Hungarian Compromise transformed the Austrian Empire into a dual monarchy known as Austria-Hungary, with the Kingdom of Hungary as one of its constituent entities and self-rule in its internal affairs. Despite this, Hungary still experienced significant territorial losses during this period. For example, in 1866, Austria was expelled from the German Confederation, which likely impacted the Kingdom of Hungary as well.
The Kingdom of Hungary suffered its most significant territorial loss after World War I. The Treaty of Trianon, signed on June 4, 1920, defined Hungary's postwar boundaries and resulted in a loss of approximately 72% of its pre-war territory and two-thirds of its population. This included lands that are now part of Austria, Slovakia, Transylvania, Romania, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, and Poland.
The loss of territory and population had a significant impact on the Kingdom of Hungary, and it attempted to revoke some of the terms of the Treaty of Trianon. This political aim remained a serious national concern until World War II. Hungary's participation in World War II was driven by a desire to revise the Treaty of Trianon and recover the territories lost after World War I. With the support of the Axis Powers, Hungary temporarily gained some regions of the former Kingdom before the borders were restored after World War II.
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Austria's Habsburg Law
The Habsburgs were one of the most prominent royal dynasties in Europe for centuries. They ruled as kings of Germany from the 13th century and as archdukes of Austria from the mid-14th century. The empire of Austria, as an official designation of the territories ruled by the Habsburg monarchy, dates to 1804, when Francis II, the last of the Holy Roman emperors, proclaimed himself emperor of Austria as Francis I.
The Compromise of 1867 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.
In 1918, the Hungarian parliament declared independence from Austria. A separate Military Convention between the Allies and Hungary, signed on November 13, called for the withdrawal and demobilization of Hungarian armed forces. A republic was proclaimed on November 16. Hungary was proclaimed a kingdom on March 23, 1920, although the throne remained vacant.
Austria passed the "Habsburg Law", which dethroned the Habsburgs and banished them from Austrian territory. While Karl was banned from ever returning to Austria, other Habsburgs could return if they gave up all claims to the defunct throne.
The Habsburg Law was a significant step in the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, which had already been effectively dissolved by the time the military authorities signed the armistice of Villa Giusti on November 3, 1918. The Kingdom of Hungary and the First Austrian Republic were treated as its successors de jure, and the independence of the First Czechoslovak Republic, the Second Polish Republic, and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia were recognized by the victorious powers in 1920.
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Austria-Hungary's Dual Monarchy
The Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary, also known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe that existed from 1867 to 1918. It was formed through the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, which established a military and diplomatic alliance between two sovereign states: the Empire of Austria and the Kingdom of Hungary. Each half of the empire had its own constitution, government, and parliament, and citizens were treated as foreigners when in the other half. The two countries conducted unified policies in defence and foreign affairs, with common ministries of foreign affairs, defence, and finance under the direct authority of the monarch.
The Dual Monarchy was created in the aftermath of the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, which resulted in the expulsion of Austria from the German Confederation. This led Emperor Franz Joseph to reorient his policies towards the east and consolidate his heterogeneous empire, which included rebellious Hungarians. The Hungarians, led by Ferenc Deák, sought to regain the traditional status of their state, which had been lost after the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. Deák advocated for a modified union under the Habsburgs, with Hungary having full internal independence while still maintaining a common foreign policy and defence with Austria.
The Compromise of 1867 restored the old historic constitution of the Kingdom of Hungary and re-established the Hungarian parliament, which had been the supreme legislative power in Hungary since the 12th century. The agreement also granted significant autonomy to Hungary while preserving its union with Austria. The two halves of the empire were united under a single monarch, who held the titles of both Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary. The monarchy personified the unity of the empire, despite the differences between the two partner states. The Austrian half, or Cisleithania, consisted of seventeen historical crown lands and was a multinational state, while the Kingdom of Hungary, or Transleithania, was a multi-ethnic structure in which the Magyars were the dominant nation but only held a small majority.
The Dual Monarchy was one of Europe's major powers and was the second-largest country in Europe geographically, with a total area of 676,615 km². However, it faced social, political, and nationality conflicts that weakened the empire. The favouritism shown to the Magyars, the second-largest ethnic group, caused discontent among other ethnic groups, such as the Slovaks and Romanians. Despite these challenges, the monarchy represented an enormous cultural region in which the arts and sciences flourished.
In 1918, Hungary terminated the union with Austria, and the Dual Monarchy was dissolved. The Kingdom of Hungary and the First Austrian Republic were recognised as its successors de jure, but both countries suffered significant losses in terms of territory, population, and natural resources. The Treaty of Trianon, signed in 1920, defined Hungary's postwar boundaries, resulting in the loss of approximately 72% of its pre-war territory.
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The First Austrian Republic
The foreign policy of the First Austrian Republic was shaped by the desire for Anschluss ("union") with Germany. Unauthorized plebiscites held in the western provinces in 1921 showed overwhelming support for the union. However, Article 88 of the Treaty of Saint-Germain (1919) prohibited Anschluss without the consent of the League of Nations. The treaty also forced the republic to drop the name "German-Austria" and adopt "Republic of Austria." Additionally, Austria had to recognize the frontiers of Czechoslovakia and cede German-populated regions in Sudetenland and South Tyrol to Czechoslovakia and Italy, respectively.
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Frequently asked questions
Austria did not gain any land from Hungary in 1920. In fact, after World War I, the Republic of Austria lost roughly 60% of the old Austrian Empire's territory.
Yes, Hungary lost 72% of its pre-war territory, including two-thirds of its pre-war population to neighbouring states.
In 1920, Hungary was proclaimed a kingdom, however, the throne remained vacant. Hungary's independence from Austria was recognised by the Treaty of St.-Germain, signed on 10 September 1919. Its postwar boundaries were defined by the Treaty of Trianon, signed on 4 June 1920.
The Austro-Hungarian Empire was a major European power and one of the largest nations in Europe by territory and population before World War I. It was formed in 1867 by a compromise agreement between Vienna and Budapest and was often called the Dual Monarchy.
The Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed in 1918 after being expelled from the German Confederation following the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. Both Austria and Hungary became republics, and the empire dissolved into several new states, including the First Czechoslovak Republic, the Second Polish Republic, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and the Kingdom of Romania.
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