Changes in Hungarian–Slovak Relations in the 20th Century. The Dynamics of the Development of Relations and the Sources of Conflict, Assimilation

The present study analyses the relationship between majority and minority in our geopolitical space on two levels. In the first part of the study, I focused on the typologization and periodization of minority issues in 20th and 21st century Europe. My primary interest, however, was to integrate the issue of Slovak–Hungarian relations and their development within the Czechoslovak Republic and later within the independent Slovak Republic into the various developmental stages of minority issues in Europe. The coexistence of minority and majority, as we know from history, requires not only pragmatic-political and legislative-technical solutions, but also emotional involvement and spiritual strength to overcome obstacles to the implementation of functioning models of mutual coexistence and tolerance. From the point of view of scientific knowledge, we are faced with the challenge of how to deepen our understanding of minority issues and mutual coexistence (of both allochthonous and autochthonous minorities) in different parts of Europe. The solutions have individual characteristics, especially when we analyse the region of Central and Eastern Europe, where the historical pattern of coexistence is based on the structure of the particular ethnic conflict existing in the so-called nation-states. The current social situation also makes us aware that national minority issues in Central and Eastern Europe are still an open object of research.