Note 5 — Chapter I · HUNGARY BEFORE THE WAR

Even the most fervent admirers of the Magyars do not attempt to deny the repressive policy carried out by them against the nationalities; they attempt no more than to minimise it. “Under the influence of the Jewish Press an excessive nationalism developed in Hungary, which created discord among populations which for a long time had been accustomed to get on fairly well together. There is no doubt that this Magyar Chauvinism had nothing of the brutality which disgraced the Prussian rule in Poland. Never were Serbian or Rumanian children beaten in Hungary for the offence of having said their prayers in their mother-tongue! It was rather the ebullition of a puerile vanity, which manifested itself mainly in irresponsible chatter (bavardages de café), in articles in the newspapers and in oratorical displays. However, if the word ‘oppression’ is too strong to express the attitude of the Magyars towards their nationalities, it must be admitted that they were not treated as equals. Nothing, or next to nothing, was done for their material, intellectual or moral development. The blunder of the Magyars was to regard them with supreme indifference. As someone graphically remarked: ‘The non-Magyar populations do not go on foot, they travel third-class’” (J. and J. Thiraud, Quand Israel est Roi, Paris, Plon-Nourrit et Cie).