This year, Burgenland is celebrating its 90th
anniversary. There will be a lot of celebrations and activities held by the Government and the Burgenländers themselves. But what exactly happened 90 years before?
Until 1918 the Habsburg monarchy existed in a curious shape: it was a twin monarchy, combining the Empire of “Austria” (including regions in present Italy, Czech Republic, Poland etc.) with the Kingdom of Hungary (including Slovakia, Croatia and major regions of present Romania). So Karl of Habsburg was Emperor and King (of Hungary) as well.
In the most western part of Hungary a German speaking majority had a rather hard living at the border to Styria and Lower Austria. When Habsburg monarchy broke down, a new borderline had to be drawn.
The Germans, Hungarians and Croatians living close to Austria were irritated. Most of them were afraid and concerned about the future. They were in business relations to the towns of Styria and Wiener Neustadt, but to the Hungarian cities of Sopron and Szombathely as well; the Germans did not feel as Hungarians (many of them even hated the language), but they were used to be called so. And their ancestors had been Hungarians for centuries.
Austria was a very small country now; the former 53-million-people monarchy had shrunk to a poor republic of 6.5 millions. And communism threatened from the East. Although there was no referendum, there is no doubt that the absolute majority of what later should be called “Burgenländers” would demand to become part of Austria instead of Hungary.
In 1919, the allied states started peace negotiations with Austria and finished them near Paris September, 10th (“Treaty of St. Germain”). The treaty declared that the Austro-Hungarian Empire was to be dissolved. Austria had to pay large sums of money (“war reparation”) to the allies, but was also reduced by the loss of huge regions to the so-called “successor states” (Czechoslovakia, Poland and Yugoslavia) and also to Italy.
In 1920, June 4th, the negotiations between the allies and Hungary came to an end (“Treaty of Trianon”). Burgenland was awarded to Austria. Why? First, there was a German speaking majority here. Then, the big cities in the now Eastern part of Austria (Vienna, Graz, Wiener Neustadt) had suffered from hunger during the war. So Burgenland was an essential supply for them because of its agricultural infrastructure. And finally, the Austrians determined Burgenland a clandestine safety zone against eastern communism in Russia and Hungary. The “Treaty of Trianon” was not to be put in force until August of 1921. In fact, it was separating people along the border between Austria and Hungary until the beginning of the 21st century. Today, borders are open again.
By the way: Burgenland was named after its districts of (German names): Wieselburg (Mosonmagyarovár), Pressburg (Pozsony), Ödenburg (Sopron) and Eisenburg (Vas).
It is definitely not named after its castles.
 

Walter Dujmovits, jun.