Hungary: The Revolutionary Engine at the Heart of a Fallen Empire

On Saturday, July 4, we continue our lecture series exploring the Soviet republics that emerged across Europe independently of Soviet Russia and the USSR. These short-lived states were products of the revolutionary wave that swept across the continent after the First World War and formed part of a broader attempt to reshape Europe on new political foundations.

In the spring of 1919, at the heart of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, a new state emerged that survived for only 133 days yet left a lasting mark on European history. The Hungarian Soviet Republic was one of the boldest attempts to extend the revolutionary experiment beyond Russia and establish a socialist state in Central Europe.

Why did Hungary become one of the focal points of revolutionary upheaval? How did Béla Kun come to power? What reforms were introduced during the republic's brief existence? Why was the revolution accompanied by political terror, wars with neighboring countries, and intervention by the Allied Powers (Entente)? And how did the collapse of the Soviet Republic pave the way for the long rule of Miklós Horthy?

During the lecture, we will examine the political, military, and social circumstances behind the creation of the Hungarian Soviet Republic, its domestic policies, international position, and the lasting impact this brief but remarkable chapter had on the history of Europe.