Hungary in World War II

During World War II, the Kingdom of Hungary joined the Axis powers in an effort to regain lost territories and improve its economy. By the late 1930s, Hungary had built strong ties with Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany to help recover from the Great Depression. Hungary aimed to bring areas with ethnic Hungarians from neighboring countries back into its borders, similar to what Germany was doing.

Hungary officially joined the Axis powers in 1940 and later took part in the invasions of Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union. As the war continued, Hungary tried to make peace with the Allies, but German forces forced Hungary to continue fighting. In 1945, Soviet troops captured Budapest after a long and difficult battle.

The war caused great loss of life in Hungary, with many soldiers and civilians losing their lives. Cities, including Budapest, were heavily damaged. After the war, Hungary’s borders were returned to what they had been before 1938.

Movement to the right

In Hungary, big changes were happening in the 1930s. The country was struggling after a big economic problem called the Great Depression and because of a treaty from the First World War called the Treaty of Trianon. This treaty took away most of Hungary's land, so many people in Hungary wanted it back. Leaders started working more closely with Germany, which helped Hungary's economy grow but also made the country depend on Germany.

Ultra-nationalism, or extreme love of the country, grew stronger. A man named Ferenc Szálasi started a group that copied Nazi ideas. Hungary also tried to change the Treaty of Trianon by making deals with Germany. Some leaders tried to limit the number of Jewish people in certain jobs, but these laws did not satisfy everyone, and political fights continued during this time.

Territorial expansion

Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy helped Hungary claim land it had lost after World War I through the 1920 Treaty of Trianon. Two main awards gave Hungary new land: the First Vienna Award and the Second Vienna Award.

In October 1938, after the Munich Agreement broke up Czechoslovakia, Hungary talked with the new Czecho-Slovak Republic about getting areas where many Hungarians lived. In November 1938, the First Vienna Award let Hungary take parts of southern Slovakia and Carpathian Ruthenia, about 11,927 km² with many Hungarian people. In March 1939, Hungary took the rest of Carpathian Ruthenia after Carpatho-Ukraine tried to become independent.

The Second Vienna Award in September 1940 gave Hungary part of Transylvania, which had mixed Hungarian and Romanian people. Later, after invading Yugoslavia in April 1941, Hungary took some areas from Baranja, Bačka, Međimurje, and Prekmurje.

Administration of Greater Hungary

Main article: Administrative divisions of the Kingdom of Hungary (1941–45)

After two agreements called the Vienna Awards, Hungary got back some areas it had lost before. This meant that some special temporary areas were split up again to look like they did before 1920.

The area known as Sub-Carpathia was supposed to have its own special rules so that the local Rusyn people could help govern themselves. Plans for this were made in Hungary's Parliament, but after World War II started, these plans were never finished. Instead, Sub-Carpathia was divided into three parts, called Ung, Bereg, and Máramaros. Both the Hungarian and Rusyn languages were used there for official matters.

Military campaigns

Invasion of Yugoslavia

Main article: Invasion of Yugoslavia

In 1940, Hungary signed an agreement with Germany. In 1941, Germany asked Hungary to help with its plan to attack Yugoslavia. Hungary agreed, hoping to gain back some land.

Invasion of the Soviet Union

Hungary did not immediately join Germany’s attack on the Soviet Union in 1941, but later decided to participate to support its own interests. Hungarian forces joined the fight and faced heavy losses in battles such as the Battle of Stalingrad.

German occupation of Hungary

In 1944, Germany occupied Hungary to prevent it from making peace with the Allies. New leaders took control, and the country suffered as it was caught between the warring sides.

Soviet occupation of Hungary

Soviet forces entered Hungary in 1944. After a long battle, Budapest fell to the Soviets in early 1945. The war ended in Hungary by April 1945, with Soviet forces in control.

Retreat into Germany

Some Hungarian troops retreated into Austria and Germany as the war came to an end in 1945.

List of major engagements

This is a list of battles and other fighting events in World War II where Hungarian soldiers were involved.

Oppression at home

The Holocaust

Further information: The Holocaust in Hungary

In March 1944, German soldiers took control of Hungary. Soon after, many Jewish people were taken away to places far away where they faced very hard conditions. Most of these people were sent to a place called Auschwitz-Birkenau, where many sadly did not survive.

Forced labor

In 1939, Hungary started a system where certain groups of people, mostly Jewish individuals, were made to work very hard without their choice. Many of these workers were sent to fight far away and faced dangerous conditions. Sadly, many did not return.

Resistance movement

Further information (in Russian): Hungarian resistance movement during World War II

In 1941, people in Hungary showed protests against Germany. On March 15, 1942, many people gathered in Budapest to call for an independent Hungary. Some underground groups, including the Communist Party, worked against the war, but many of their leaders were arrested.

Opposition groups tried to work together to end the war on Germany’s side. In May 1944, many groups joined forces to call for a new democratic Hungary after the war. They planned to fight against German forces, but their actions were limited.

Some resistance fighters came from nearby countries and had different views. There were groups sent from the Soviet Union, but they did not gain wide support. After the war, the story of resistance was told in different ways by different groups.

During the Battle of Budapest, some Hungarian prisoners of war joined forces with the Soviet Union.

Peace treaty

See also: End of World War II in Europe and Beneš decrees

By 2 May 1945, Hitler was dead and Berlin surrendered. On 7 May, General Alfred Jodl, the German Chief of Staff, signed the surrender of Germany. On 23 May, the "Flensburg Government" was dissolved. On 11 June, the Allies agreed to make 8 May 1945 the official "Victory in Europe" day.^: 298 

The Treaty of Peace with Hungary signed on 10 February 1947 changed Hungary’s borders back to what they were before 1938. Many people of German heritage living in Hungary were moved to Germany during this time. Hungary became a republic in 1946 and later joined the group of countries influenced by the Soviet Union. In 1949, it became known as the People’s Republic of Hungary, which lasted until 1989 when big changes happened across the country.