Claims (10 October 1938)1
In the course of the Komárno discussions, the Hungarian delegation submitted the following note: "It has always been Hungary's firm political objective to establish conditions for the peaceful co-existence of our peeples in the Carpathian basin. The government of the Kingdom of Hungary would like to believe that the government in Prague is aware of the efforts made by Hungary in recent years with this goal in mind.
The government of the Kingdom of Hungary is firmly convinced that a lasting peace in the region can only be established if Slovakia's new borders are promptly established and the Czecho-Slovak state is transformed in accordance with the desires of each nationality living in its territory. Thus, Hungary is very sympathetic to the demands of the Slovak and Ruthenian peoples, which seek to assert their right to decide their future course freely.
1 The original Freneh text of the memorandum and itsappendix is given in: Magda Ádám, Gyula Juhász (eds.), Diplomáciai iratokMagyarország külpolitikájához [Diplomatic docu-ments concerning Hungary's foreign policy] (DIMK) II.,Budapest 1967, Document no.
487Ib., pp.741-742. An abbreviated version of the Hungarian note is given in Deák, Vied-neskáarbitrái, pp.76-78.
The government of the Kingdom of Hungary is of the view that only means of exercising this right would be hold separate plebiscites under international supervision, and that such plebiscites would contribute in the most effective manner to the establishment of peace between the Hungarian, Slovak and Ruthenian peeples.
Hungary devotes special attention to the problems of the Slovaks and Ruthenians, but it is particularly interested in the fate of areas inhabited predominantly by Hungarians.
As regards this issue, Hungary has developed its position based on the principle of equal treatment with the German and Polish peeples.
This principle was also applied during the decision-making process at the four-power conference held recently in Munich.
Based on the principle of equal rights, Hungary requests the unconditional return of the Hungarian-inhabited areas in Slovakia and the Carpathian region, in the same manner as has happened in the case of areas inhabited by Germans and Poles.2
The attached map indicates in detail Hungary's claims concerning the Hungarian-inhabited areas. This map also shows the areaswhere - in the Hungarian government's view - the Slovak and Ruthenian peoples should express their opinion in plebiscites.
The attached note contains Hungary's proposals concerning the method of evacuation and the taking into possession of the trans-ferred areas.
When formulating these demands, the inte nt of the Hungarian government has been that lasting peace should develop between our peeples. It is convinced that such a peace can only be established by eliminating the causes of future friction.
The Hungarian government's firrn conviction is that the Czecho-Slovak government, which professes to similar sentiments, will show
The government in Prague was informed on 10 October of the territorial consequences of the Hungarian proposals indicated on a map. The frontier proposed by the Hungarian dele-gation and the plebiscites foreseen in disputed caseswere stated in the telegram asfollows:
"At the endof the conference, theHungarian minister Kánya submitted inalong exposé the Hungarian claims, in which he demanded separate plebisci tes inSlovakia and the Car-pathian region, asweil asthe immediate transfer ofterritory deli nea ted in the following manner: Dévény - Pozsony - Récse- Horvátgurab - Pusztafödémes - Mocsonok - Csápor - Nyitra - Zbehy (?)- Gímes - Zsitvaújfalu - Kiskozmály - Tolmács - Újbars - Kálnok-Léva - Nagykereskény - Szántó - Gerbóc - Gács - Losonc - Rimaszombat - Jolsva- Rozs-nyó- Szornolnok - Kassa- Felsőo!csva - Szinna - Kalsa- Tőketerebes - Urány - Pálóc-Ungvár - Munkács - Királyi."T. G. Masaryk Institute Archive administered bythe Masaryk Institute and Archive oftheASCR (TGMIA), fE.Benes,part 1, sig R326,box188.
the same willingness towards Hungary as it did towards Germany and Poland, thereby promoting the development of relations between the Hungarian, Czech, Slovak and Ruthenian peoples.
The Hungarian government hopes that with regard to the above issues an agreement will be reached as soon as possible, which would allow Hungary to contribute to a guaranteeing of the new situation."
Annexe
Proposals of the government of the Kingdom of Hungary concerning the method of evacuation and the taking into possession of areas returned to Hungary.
1. Evacuation deadline: within 10days of .
During the term, units of the Czecho-Slovak military, police, gendarmerie, customs and border guard, must be withdrawn to the interior of the country. The corresponding Hungarian uni ts will then occupy the evacuated areas.
Regarding the maintenance of law and order during the transition period, the Hungarian government reminds [the parties] ofits proposal of 3 October concerning the establishment of joint committees.
Details of the evacuation and taking into possession, including the possible securing of zones and sections for the evacuation, are contained in the agreement between the commanders of the Hungarian and Czecho-Slovak armies, who have been invested with full powers. The Hungarian proposal of 3 October concerning the symbolic occupation of the two cities remains in force.
II. The evacuated areas must be hand ed over to Hungary in their current state, together with their facilities, public buildings, private houses, and accessories. Thus, military and economic facilities (factories, mines), land, river and air transport means (railways, bridges and roads, ports, etc.), public utility works (gas works, electricity works, etc.) should be transferred in an unchanged state. The transfer of means of transport shall be accompanied by the transfer of appropriate rolling stock.
Food, fuel, and raw material stocks, as well as industrial goods, should be left in the evacuated areas in sufficient amounts to satisfy the average needs of the population in the given area and the public and private institutions located there. The livestock and equipment of agricultural plants must remain in place. The documents of
admi-nistrative and judicial authorities, including birth, marriage and death certificates and land registry documents as weil as material deposited with the se authorities, must remain in place. The same applies to the art treasures of museums and other secular institutions, to artistic and scientific collections, and to historicai monuments. Further details shall be elaborated by the International Commission established under the Munich Agreement; the commission shali be expanded to include a Hungarian member, to be appointed by the government.
lll. The government of the Kingdom of Hungary reiterates its proposals of 3 October concerning the immediate demobilisation of military, police and gendarmerie forces serving in the re-annexed territories and their prompt return to the mother country.
IV. The Hungarian government reiterates its proposal concerning the release of ali political detainees and prisoners of Hungarian ethnicity in Slovakia and the Carpathian region.
V. Legal, administrative, financial and economic issues arising from the re-annexation of the territories shali be settled by a Hungarian-Czecho-Slovak joint committee. The committee shall begin its work as soon as the re-annexation has been concluded.
MOL - K 64 - res. pol. -1938 - 7.