It was estimated here today that the Jewish population of Hungary has been lifted to 600,000, or an increase of 155,000, by the cession of Slovakian territory under the Italo-German arbitration award. Jews would thus form six per cent of the total Hungarian population. The law restricting Jewish participation in the cultural and economic life of the nation to 20 per cent will be extended to the newly acquired districts, it was stated.
Dissatisfaction with the Italo-German award, which was less than demanded by Hungary, is being utilized for anti-Semitic propaganda, some circles suggesting that the Jews should be made to pay for the alleged injustices of the arbitrage. However, strengthening of Premier Bela Imredy’s position was regarded as favorable for combating extremists.
The extreme rightist newspaper Harc, organ of the National Front, protested bitterly against the Vienna settlement, saying: “We are profoundly dissatisfied. We could have obtained the territories formerly belonging to Hungary if we had a strong army, if the present regime had not for 20 years prevented settlement of Hungarian problems, if we had no great estates, if the greed of the great Jewish magnates were not keeping 10,000,000 Hungarians in a very low standard of living.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
