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The Austro-Hungarian Empire, also known as the Dual Monarchy, collapsed at the end of World War I, resulting in significant territorial losses for both Austria and Hungary. The armistice signed on November 3, 1918, required the evacuation of occupied territories and the expulsion of German forces from Austria-Hungary. The subsequent treaties of Saint-Germain-en-Laye and Trianon established the new borders of Austria and Hungary, reducing them to small, landlocked states. This article will explore the factors leading to the dissolution of the Dual Monarchy and the loss of land for Germany and Austria-Hungary.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for loss of land | Loss in World War I |
| Countries lost land | Germany and Austria-Hungary |
| Percentage of land lost by Austria | 60% |
| Percentage of land lost by Hungary | 71%-72% |
| Reason for disparity in percentage of land lost | Austria had broader support for revolts, Hungary was severely disrupted by the loss of population and natural resources |
| Political outcome | Austria and Hungary became small-sized and landlocked states |
| Legal formalization | Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1919) and Treaty of Trianon (1920) |
| Impact on economy | Economic growth stalled due to new borders becoming major economic barriers |
| Impact on society | People lived in a state of advanced misery, facing starvation and the flu pandemic |
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What You'll Learn
The Austro-Hungarian Empire's collapse in WWI
The Austro-Hungarian Empire, also known as the Dual Monarchy, was a union between the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary, with a single monarch. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was one of Europe's major powers, being the second-largest country in Europe geographically and the third-most populous.
The collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in WWI was catalysed by a multitude of factors, including the growth of internal social contradictions, the separation of different parts of Austria-Hungary, and the 1918 crop failure. The Austro-Hungarian Army's morale was affected by the severe economic crisis, which led to starvation, and the multi-ethnic army soon lost its morale. The Austro-Hungarian Army faced further difficulties as the military routinely suspended civil rights and treated different national groups with varying degrees of contempt. The army was also affected by uprisings, which had become commonplace, and a lack of supplies. The Italian front's military breakdown marked the start of the rebellion for the numerous ethnicities that made up the multi-ethnic Empire, as they refused to keep fighting for a cause that appeared senseless. The Emperor's power to rule was significantly diminished as his realm disintegrated.
In September 1918, the Austro-Hungarian government proposed a conference on neutral territory for a general peace, but this was quashed by the United States. On October 4, after the collapse of Bulgaria, Austria-Hungary appealed for an armistice, but the US committed to supporting the Czechoslovaks and the Yugoslavs. On October 16, Emperor Charles I of Austria and IV of Hungary granted autonomy to the peoples of the Austrian Empire, but this concession was ignored internationally. The Austro-Hungarian monarchy collapsed with dramatic speed in the autumn of 1918.
The collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire resulted in the formation of the German Austrian state and the Hungarian (People's) Republic. The new borders of Austria and Hungary were regulated by the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye and the Treaty of Trianon, respectively. The Republic of Austria lost about 60% of the old Austrian Empire's territory and was forbidden from uniting with Germany.
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The Empire's outlying provinces declared independence
The collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was formalized in the 1919 Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye with Austria and the Treaty of Trianon with Hungary. The outlying provinces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire took the opportunity to declare independence and sovereignty. The process of the empire's dissolution began in October 1918, when Emperor Karl I of Austria and IV of Hungary proclaimed the People's Manifesto, which envisaged turning the Empire into a federal state of five kingdoms (Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, and Polish-Galicia). This was an attempt to address the aspirations of the various ethnic groups within the Empire without compromising the integrity of the Crown of Saint Stephen's lands.
On October 24, 1918, a Hungarian National Council was established in Budapest, advocating for peace and separation from Austria. This was followed by a series of declarations of independence by various ethnic groups within the Empire. On October 28, the Czechoslovaks in Prague passed a "law" for an independent state, while a Polish committee in Kraków worked towards incorporating Galicia and Austrian Silesia into a unified Poland. The following day, the German members of the Reichsrat in Vienna proclaimed an independent state of German Austria. On October 29, the Croats in Zagreb declared Slavonia, Croatia, and Dalmatia independent, pending the formation of a national state of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs.
The solicited armistice between the Allies and Austria-Hungary was signed on November 3, 1918, and took effect the next day. Under its provisions, Austria-Hungary was required to evacuate all territory occupied since August 1914, as well as several other regions. All German forces were to be expelled from Austria-Hungary within 15 days, and the Allies were given free use of the Empire's internal communications and control of its warships.
The Republic of Austria lost approximately 60% of the old Austrian Empire's territory as a result of the treaties and was no longer permitted to pursue a union with Germany. Hungary suffered even greater territorial losses, ceding 72% of its land, 64% of its population, and most of its natural resources. The new borders created significant economic barriers, disrupting the previously rapid economic growth of the imperial territories.
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The victors of WWI regulated new borders
The victors of World War I, the Entente powers, regulated new borders through the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye with Austria and the Treaty of Trianon with Hungary, which were formalised in September 1919 and June 1920, respectively. These treaties reduced Austria and Hungary to small, landlocked states, with Austria losing roughly 60% of its empire's territory and Hungary losing 72% of its territory, 64% of its population, and most of its natural resources.
The Entente powers ruled in favour of newly emancipated independent nation-states in areas without a decisive national majority, allowing them to claim territories with sizeable German- and Hungarian-speaking populations. This had significant political and economic effects, as the new borders became major economic barriers, stalling the previous rapid economic growth of the imperial territories.
The specific border changes resulting from the treaties include the formation of Czechoslovakia, which included Bohemia, Moravia, Opava Silesia, and parts of Upper Hungary and Carpathian Ruthenia. Galicia and parts of the Duchy of Cieszyn were transferred to Poland, while the Southern half of the County of Tyrol and Trieste were granted to Italy. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia-Slavonia, Međimurje, Dalmatia, Slovenia, Syrmia, and parts of various counties were joined with Serbia to form the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, later known as Yugoslavia.
The treaties also had broader geopolitical implications, contributing to the unstable power dynamics in the Middle East and leading to conflicting claims to land and nationhood. The political boundaries drawn by the victors of World War I were often imposed with limited consultation with the local populations, and these continue to be a source of conflict in the 21st century.
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The Republic of Austria lost 60% of its territory
The Republic of Austria lost roughly 60% of its territory following the collapse of the Austrian Empire after World War I. The 1919 Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, signed between the victorious Allies of World War I and Austria, formalised the new borders of Austria, reducing it to a small, landlocked state. This treaty also prevented a union between Austria and Germany, which further weakened Austria's position.
The loss of territory was a result of the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which had been a dual monarchy comprising the Kingdom of Hungary and the Empire of Austria. The empire's defeat in World War I and the subsequent collapse led to its break-up, with the Hungarian Parliament voting to terminate the union with Austria on October 17, 1918. This dissolution resulted in the formation of several new independent nation-states, including Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and an enlarged Hungary.
The Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye and the Treaty of Trianon, signed with Hungary in June 1920, had immense political and economic effects on the region. The new borders became major economic barriers, disrupting previously rapid economic growth in the imperial territories. The Republic of Austria, in particular, struggled as it had been primarily united by loyalty to the Habsburgs and had never been a nation in any real sense.
The loss of territory also had demographic consequences, with over three million German-speaking Austrians finding themselves as minorities in the newly formed or enlarged neighbouring states. The status of certain regions, such as Tyrol between Austria and Italy, became lingering problems, leading to tensions and even terrorist acts in the following decades.
Overall, the loss of 60% of its territory significantly weakened the Republic of Austria, both economically and politically, and it struggled to establish itself as a federal republic in the post-World War I era.
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The Hungarians' desire for independence
One notable example of the Hungarians' struggle for independence is the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, also known as the War of Independence of 1848-1849. During this revolution, the Hungarians sought to break free from the rule of the Habsburg Empire and establish an independent kingdom. While the revolution ultimately failed, it is considered a significant event in Hungary's modern history and is marked as one of the country's three national holidays.
Another important period in Hungary's fight for independence was during World War I. At the outbreak of the war in August 1914, Hungary was part of the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary, and Hungarian troops suffered significant losses as the Empire faced consecutive defeats. As the war progressed, the Hungarian radical opposition in parliament, led by Mihály Károlyi, advocated for independence and territorial expansionism. In March 1917, Károlyi proposed dividing Romania between Hungary and Russia, and in October 1918, the attachment of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Dalmatia to the Kingdom was approved by the Habsburg Monarchy. On 31 October 1918, the Károlyi government declared Hungary's independence.
However, the independence declared by the Károlyi government was short-lived. With the end of World War I on 11 November 1918, the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian army also led to the dissolution of the Dual Monarchy. The political leaders of the ethnic groups within the Kingdom of Hungary, now advocated for independent nation-states. Oszkár Jászi, the new Minister for National Minorities of Hungary, offered democratic referendums to minorities regarding the disputed borders, but these were refused by the political leaders of those minorities at the Paris Peace Conference.
The Treaty of Trianon, signed on 4 June 1920, officially established Hungary's current borders, resulting in a significant loss of territory and population for the country. Hungary lost about two-thirds of its land and more than half of its population, with approximately 3 million Hungarians stranded outside the newly established borders. This loss of territory was more extensive than that of any other country at the time, excluding colonies.
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Frequently asked questions
Germany lost land as a result of the Treaty of Versailles, which imposed punitive territorial, military, and economic provisions on the country. Germany was forced to return Alsace-Lorraine to France, Belgium received Eupen and Malmedy, Denmark received Northern Schleswig, and Poland received parts of West Prussia and Silesia.
The Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles, marking the end of World War I. The treaty included territorial, military, and economic provisions that restricted Germany's military power and altered its borders. Germany was not involved in the drafting of the treaty and was presented with harsh conditions, which they initially refused to sign.
The Austro-Hungarian monarchy collapsed in 1918 due to internal political upheaval, leftist movements, and nationalist sentiments. The empire faced disintegration as various regions declared independence, such as Hungary, Croatia, and Slovenia. The Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye and the Treaty of Trianon further reduced Austria and Hungary to small, landlocked states, with Hungary losing 72% of its territory.
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