Published : 2024-12-30 — Updated on 2025-02-26

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The Polish-Hungarian relations before the outbreak of World War II (March-September 1939)

Endre László Varga



Abstract

The year 1939 marked a critical moment in Polish-Hungarian relations, which were put to a severe test due to the growing pressure from Nazi Germany on Poland. The Hungarians anticipated that the conflict with Germany might escalate into a full-scale war, raising concerns about the consequences of such a conflict. Despite the historical friendship between the two nations, Hungary’s revisionist policies, supported by Berlin, created tensions in relations with Warsaw. The government of Prime Minister Pál Teleki, who took office in February 1939, sought to ease these tensions and promote Hungary as a reliable ally for Poland, despite differing foreign policies.The article discusses the impact of events in March 1939 (following the Munich Agreement and the dismemberment of Czechoslovakia) on Polish-Hungarian relations, including Hungary’s occupation of Carpathian Ruthenia, which played a crucial role in the evacuation of Polish refugees to Hungary after the war broke out. It also outlines Hungary’s knowledge of the German-Soviet negotiations in the spring of 1939 and how these insights were shared with Polish officials. The article concludes with the events of September 17, 1939, when Hungary opened its borders to Polish refugees, and both the Polish governmenta and Hungarian diplomats left Warsaw.

Keywords:

Polish-Hungarian relations, Second World War, Pál Teleki, Carpathian Ruthenia (Kárpát Rusz), polish refugees



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Varga, E. L. (2025). The Polish-Hungarian relations before the outbreak of World War II (March-September 1939). Polonia Inter Gentes, (5), 43–69. https://doi.org/10.56583/pig.2728 (Original work published December 30, 2024)

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