Hungarian reparations to be paid to Czechoslovakia (1945–1949)

This study examines Hungary´s obligation for reparations after World War II. The number of works devoted to the research of reparations has earlier been rather few and were focused first of all to its Soviet relation, therefore, the objective of this study is to provide deeper information based on primary archival resources on the process of the negotiations with Czechoslovakia, the strategy of the participating parties and their political–economical interests. Hungary after World War II was obliged to pay reparations to its neighbours in the total amount of 300 million American dollars, 200 millions of which was supposed to be paid to the Soviet Union, 70 millions to Yugoslavia and 30 millions to Czechoslovakia. On the obligation to pay preparations there was already a mentioning in the armistice agreement signed in January 1945, but the negotiations were delayed for long, an agreement was achieved in a relatively short time, in June 1945, only with the Soviet Union. The other two states had to wait until spring 1945. The agreement was delayed for differences both of political and economic nature. In case of Czechoslovakia, there was an especially sharp conflict because of the deportation of the population and the related restitutions issues (costs of the deportation, fate of the various assets, political rights of the remaining Hungarian minority). But it was not of a less importance that the huge debt against the Soviet Union amounting 200 million dollars alone ruined the Hungarian economy still not fully recovered from the damages caused by the war.

Péter Gábor   94(100)”1939/1945”

Hungarian reparations to be paid to Czechoslovakia (1945–1949)      355.48(100)”1939/1945”

347.426(437)”1945/1949”

Keywords: Products required by Czechoslovakia and their yearly quantity, products considered by the Hungarian side for possible to provide, and their quantity. Reparations. Sugar compensation. Goods turnover. Alexander Kunoši, Dalibor Krno.