Romanians in Hungary
Encyclopedia
At present, Romanians in Hungary constitute a small minority. According to the 2001 Hungarian Census (based on self-determination), the population of Romanians
was 8,482 or 0.1%. The community is concentrated in towns and villages close to the Romanian border, such as Battonya
, Elek
, Kétegyháza
and Méhkerék
and in the city of Gyula
, and is also present in the capital, Budapest
.
n lands belonged to Hungarian states.
Regardless of the subject of Romanian presence/non-presence in Transylvania
prior to the Hungarian conquest (See Origin of the Romanians), the first written sources about Romanian settlements derive from the 13th century, record was written about Olahteluk village in Bihar county from 1283. The 'land of Romanians', Terram Blacorum (1222,1280) showed up in Fogaras
and this area was mentioned under different name (Olachi) in 1285. The first appearance of a supposed Romanian name 'Ola' in Hungary derives from a charter (1258). They were significant population in Transylvania
, Banat
, Maramaros
and Partium
. Romanian people have been in majority in Transylvania for a long time.
After the Treaty of Trianon
, Hungary has become close to homogeneous ethnically, with only 10.4% minorities, of which 6.9% were Germans
, and Romanians constituted about 0.3%.
The numbers of Romanians in Hungary increased briefly with the onset of World War II
when Hungary annexed parts of Czechoslovakia, Romania, and Yugoslavia. These annexations were affirmed under the Munich Agreement
(1938), two Vienna Awards
(1938
and 1940
). In particular, the population of Northern Transylvania
, according to the Hungarian census from 1941 counted 53.5% Hungarians and 39.1% Romanians
.
After World War II the ethnic homogeneity of Hungary became even higher than during the interbellum, reaching over 99% by 1980 (see Demographics of Hungary
for ethnic composition tables over time).
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
was 8,482 or 0.1%. The community is concentrated in towns and villages close to the Romanian border, such as Battonya
Battonya
Battonya is a town in Békés county, in the Southern Great Plain region of south-east Hungary.-Geography:It covers an area of 145.77 km² and has a population of 6747 people ....
, Elek
Elek
Elek is a town in Békés county, in the Southern Great Plain region of south-east Hungary.-Geography:It covers an area of 54.94 km² and has a population of 5567 people .-History:* first mentioned 1232...
, Kétegyháza
Kétegyháza
Kétegyháza or Chitigaz , its name meaning in Hungarian Two Churches) is a large village in Békés County, in the Southern Great Plain region of south-east Hungary...
and Méhkerék
Méhkerék
Méhkerék , is a village in Békés County, in the Southern Great Plain region of south-east Hungary.-History:The village was first mentioned in written sources in 1359. The origin of the village's name may be drawn from the original occupation of its inhabitants . The population fled the area after...
and in the city of Gyula
Gyula, Hungary
Gyula is a city in Békés county in south-eastern Hungary. It lies close to the border with Romania, on the river Fehér-Körös.-History:The first recorded reference to Gyula was in a document dated 1313 which mentions a monastery called Gyulamonostor . By 1332 the settlement around the monastery was...
, and is also present in the capital, Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
.
History
Historically, a significant part of the modern RomaniaRomania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n lands belonged to Hungarian states.
Regardless of the subject of Romanian presence/non-presence in Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
prior to the Hungarian conquest (See Origin of the Romanians), the first written sources about Romanian settlements derive from the 13th century, record was written about Olahteluk village in Bihar county from 1283. The 'land of Romanians', Terram Blacorum (1222,1280) showed up in Fogaras
Fagaras
Făgăraș is a city in central Romania, located in Braşov County . Another source of the name is alleged to derive from the Hungarian language word for "partridge" . A more plausible explanation is that the name is given by Fogaras river coming from the Pecheneg "Fagar šu", which means ash water...
and this area was mentioned under different name (Olachi) in 1285. The first appearance of a supposed Romanian name 'Ola' in Hungary derives from a charter (1258). They were significant population in Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
, Banat
Banat
The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
, Maramaros
Máramaros
Máramaros is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is presently in north-western Romania and western Ukraine...
and Partium
Partium
Partium or Részek is the name given in Hungarian to the region located to the north and west of Transylvania.-Origin of the name:...
. Romanian people have been in majority in Transylvania for a long time.
After the Treaty of Trianon
Treaty of Trianon
The Treaty of Trianon was the peace agreement signed in 1920, at the end of World War I, between the Allies of World War I and Hungary . The treaty greatly redefined and reduced Hungary's borders. From its borders before World War I, it lost 72% of its territory, which was reduced from to...
, Hungary has become close to homogeneous ethnically, with only 10.4% minorities, of which 6.9% were Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, and Romanians constituted about 0.3%.
The numbers of Romanians in Hungary increased briefly with the onset of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
when Hungary annexed parts of Czechoslovakia, Romania, and Yugoslavia. These annexations were affirmed under the Munich Agreement
Munich Agreement
The Munich Pact was an agreement permitting the Nazi German annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland. The Sudetenland were areas along Czech borders, mainly inhabited by ethnic Germans. The agreement was negotiated at a conference held in Munich, Germany, among the major powers of Europe without...
(1938), two Vienna Awards
Vienna Awards
The Vienna Awards are two arbitral awards by which arbiters of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy sought to enforce peacefully the claims of Hungary on territory it had lost in 1920 when it signed the Treaty of Trianon...
(1938
First Vienna Award
The First Vienna Award was the result of the First Vienna Arbitration, which took place at Vienna's Belvedere Palace on November 2, 1938. The Arbitration and Award were direct consequences of the Munich Agreement...
and 1940
Second Vienna Award
The Second Vienna Award was the second of two Vienna Awards arbitrated by the Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Rendered on August 30, 1940, it re-assigned the territory of Northern Transylvania from Romania to Hungary.-Prelude and historical background :After the World War I, the multi-ethnic...
). In particular, the population of Northern Transylvania
Northern Transylvania
Northern Transylvania is a region of Transylvania, situated within the territory of Romania. The population is largely composed of both ethnic Romanians and Hungarians, and the region has been part of Romania since 1918 . During World War II, as a consequence of the territorial agreement known as...
, according to the Hungarian census from 1941 counted 53.5% Hungarians and 39.1% Romanians
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
.
After World War II the ethnic homogeneity of Hungary became even higher than during the interbellum, reaching over 99% by 1980 (see Demographics of Hungary
Demographics of Hungary
This article is about the demographic features of the population of Hungary, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.-Historical:...
for ethnic composition tables over time).