Because of complex alliances between different European powers, the continent soon became entangled in the “Great War.” Austria-Hungary was defeated, and the 1920 Treaty of Trianon redrew Hungary’s borders. Hungary lost around 70% of its land, including areas with large ethnic Hungarian populations that now belong to modern-day Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine, as well as just over 60% of its population. Hungary was also economically damaged because of the loss of resources.
Hungary’s loss of territory after World War I led the Hungarian government to ally itself with Nazi Germany during World War II, as it believed this alliance could help regain some of its lost territory. So, the Hungarians joined the Tripartite Pact in 1940, aligning themselves with Germany, Italy, and Japan. The Hungarian pro-Nazi “Arrow Cross Party” supported Germany’s war effort, and Hungary deported thousands of Jewish people to concentration camps in German-occupied Poland. Hungary surrendered to the Allies in 1945, following the Soviet Union's occupation.
Today, Hungarians still grapple with this complex history. Because they were not the lead aggressor during World War I or II, some Hungarians believe they were victims of broader geopolitical forces during these conflicts. On the other hand, the Hungarian government chose to ally itself with Germany, Italy, and Japan during World War II. Despite this debate, several memorials in Hungary reflect the country's complex history. For example, the “Shoes on the Danube” memorial in Budapest pays tribute to Hungarian Jewish people shot and killed by the Arrow Cross Party on the bank of the Danube River during 1944 and 1945.
