Search JTA's historical archive dating back to 1923

Hungarian Leaders Ponder Berlin Bid to Split Ties with Poland

May 3, 1939
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
Advertisement

Hungary’s visiting statesmen left Berlin for home today, reportedly to deliberate on totalitarian proposals which would wean their country away from Poland in favor of an axis-arranged friendship with Rumania and Yugoslavia.

According to well-informed German sources and quarters close to the Budapest party, Hungarian Premier Paul Teleki and Foreign Minister Stephen Csaky were strongly advised by Chancellor Hitler to “soft pedal” Hungarian territorial claims against Rumania.

While an official communique asserted the German-Hungarian talks had shown “complete identity of views,” the banquet toasts exchanged here and information from competent Reich sources gave no reason to believe that any new agreements were concluded between the two countries. Sources close to the Wilhelmstrasse formally denied that Hungary had been asked to enter into a customs union with the Reich. To all intents and purposes, it appeared, Hungary’s strategic position on the European chessboard remained unchanged.

The Teleki-Csaky visit here brought one positive result — satisfaction of the Reich’s demand for recognition of the German Volksbund in Hungary. The German Minority League, headed by Dr. Franz Basch, held its first authorized meeting while the Hungarian Premier and Foreign Minister were visiting here.

Recommended from JTA

Advertisement