The Fate of Western Hungary 1918-1921 - Corvinus Library ...

Also significant was the trade in poultry and eggs, collected by wagons all over
Trans-Danubia, to be forwarded to the neighboring Austrian market. As well,
the German populated areas of Western Hungary are mountainous, able to
produce much wine but little grain. For this reason, the local Germans obtained
their wheat, potatoes and other foodstuffs from their overwhelmingly
Hungarian neighbors, along the Raba River, now smuggling these to the Vienna
markets and selling them at great profit. 128 The markets of Western Hungary
and Sopron are well supplied with grains and cattle, shipped from the
neighboring Hungarian-populated areas. The annexation is not expected to
improve Austria’s and Vienna’s food supplies, while separation from the fertile
Hungarian regions will, in all likelihood, be detrimental to the Austrian side. At
the writing of the memorandum, the mainly German-populated districts of
Sopron, Felsőpulya and Nagymarton districts of Sopron County, but also the
city of Sopron, requested the government to allocate for the first half of 1919
grains totaling 1,476 freight cars for the annual needs of the population, some
of which has already been received. Earlier, the three districts were allocated
wheat by the Hungarian government in the amounts of: 1916-1917, 515 freight
cars, 1917-1918, 360 freight cars, or 93% of the allocated amount to all of
Sopron County. The German-populated districts of Vas County (Kőszeg,
Felsőőr, Németújvár and Szentgotthárd) were treated in similar fashion: for
1917-1918, they received 97 freight cars of grains, over and above the food
vouchers given to a large number of the populace. In early 1919, the Germans
of the Felsőőr and Németújvár districts requested wheat from the Hungarian
government, citing a poor grain harvest. The mainly German-populated Moson
County took so much grain from the neighboring, Hungarian-populated Csorna
128 After the creation of the Western Hungary government commissioner’s office, trade
began once more along the border. Contrary to the intent of the authorities, the counter
trade with Austria in livestock, in barter trade and in food distribution opened
opportunities for abuses and smuggling. In this regard, representative Albin Lingauer
addressed an urgent submission on March 22, 190 to the National Assembly to the
Agricultural, the Finance and the Food Distribution Ministers. After his question in
parliament, the National Assembly decreed that the heads of the three portfolios will
meet the following day to consider the question. In: Az 1920. évi február hó 16-ára
hirdetett Nemzetgyűlés Naplója [Minutes of the National Assembly session begun
Februrary 16, 1920]. Vol. I, Budapest, 1920. Athenaeum press, pp. 149–175. The next
day’s ministerial response: ibid, pp. 176–198. On the basis of Lingauer’s submission, a
fact finding committee of representatives was sent out. The group tabled their report on
July 8, 1920 (Report 94) which determined that representative Lingauer “was led by
complete well-meaning towards the public good. However, it can be determined
beyond the shadow of a doubt that the objectionable events can not be attributed to the
responsible ministers, as the responsible departments of the National Assembly, can not
be charged with ommissions because the problems can, on the one hand, be attributed
to the special circumstances in effect, and on the other, are attributable to lapses of the
local supervising branch.” In: Az 1920. évi február hó 16-ára hirdetett Nemzetgyűlés
Irományai [Notes of the National Assembly session begun Februrary 16, 1920]. Vol.
III, Budapest, 1920. Pesti Könyvnyomda, p. 328.(The entire report: pp. 319–329.)
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