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

consideration the existing western boundary, formed over centuries and in
existence for a thousand years – stressed the appendix. This border came into
being naturally, as it separated the hilly existence from the mountainous. The
mountains of the eastern Alps are gradually transformed into hills, then into
plains. The latter was completely part of the ancient Hungarian settlement area,
with which the hilly terrain was economically tightly bound, with gradual
transition. To the North, the new boundary would run in the middle of the
Moson flatlands, without any geographic justification. South of Lake Fertő runs
a line of hills and it would separate villages from each other that have had
centuries old, clear-cut relationships. The separation would bring an especially
devastating blow to those villages in the area surrounding of Szombathely
because the Pinka, Gyöngyös and their feeder rivers all flow toward the city,
and all their trade is destined there.
The new border would sever, among other things, and make unusable the
Szombathely-Pinkafő (Pinkafeld) and Körmend–Németújvár (Güssing) rail
lines. Also, the flood control levees of the Raba and Szigetköz would be
affected and possibly cause unforeseeable damages. The flood control measures
along the northern part of the western border, the marsh draining activities, the
state constructed canals and the entire system of flood dams would be thrown
into chaos in the event of annexation. The dam controlling the level of Lake
Fertő and the Hanság marshes would also be in foreign hands, which would put
the economic life along the marshes at the good-will or spite of a foreign
country. The Moson branch of the Danube, the Hanság canal and Raba
waterway are well coordinated and unified, which a ruthlessly drawn language
boundary would wreck completely and expose a well-cultivated, densely
populated area to the greatest peril. Perhaps the geographic harmony cannot be
expressed any better than in the water control works. 193
In early 1920, many Hungarian Cabinet meetings were devoted to vacating
the western Hungary territory demanded by Austria, and its hand-over, but no
official instructions were given for it. At the same time, getting ready for every
eventuality, orders were given for the prompt removal of all national and public
assets – without drawing undue attention – which Commissioner Sigray also
urged in his telegram of January 19 to Prime Minister Huszár. On this point,
there was no unanimity within the government: the Interior Minister and the
Trade and Agriculture Minister supported the move, while Finance did not give
its assent, in the short term, wanting to take the matter before the Cabinet, 194
where it was shortly put on the agenda.
The various diplomatic efforts of the Hungarian government in early 1920,
for the retention of the entire Borderland region, bore no fruit. The Hungarian
ambassador to Vienna, Gusztáv Gratz (1875-1946), reported on January 27 that
he had a long conversation with Chancellor Renner the previous evening whose
“statements raised the most painful reactions in Hungary and are only useful, in
193 Ibid, pp. 61–62.
194 MOL. K 26. 1234. csomó. 1920–XXII–524. szám, 1–3. old.
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