In the context of the 103rd anniversary of the signing of the Pace Treaty of Trianon (Versailles, 1920), the Romanian Cultural Institute in Beijing, in partnership with Trinitas TV, Romanian Patriarchate,organized a special screening of the documentary film"Unirea din 1918"(The Union of 1918), directed by Răzvan Clipici. The film was dedicated to raising awareness about the significance and importance of this historical moment. The screening took place on Sunday, June 4th, 18:00 p.m., at the institute's headquarters in the Galaxy SOHO building.
The film was presented in Romanian, with English and Chinese subtitles.
The Treaty of Trianon (June 4, 1920)
The Peace Treaty concluded between the Allied and Associated Powers and Hungary at Trianon on June 4, 1920, contributed to shaping the post-war architecture of Europe, along with the Treaties of Versailles (signed on June 28, 1919, with Germany), Saint-Germain (signed on September 10, 1919, with Austria), Neuilly (signed on November 27, 1919, with Bulgaria), and later Sèvres (signed on August 10, 1920, with Turkey).
Thus ended a devastating war that lasted over four years (1914-1918), resulting in approximately 20 million casualties, military and civilian, who were killed, injured, subjected to forced labor, imprisonment, forced to leave their homes, etc.
The Peace Treaty between the Allied and Associated Powers and Hungary was signed on June 4, 1920, in Trianon. Part I of the Treaty contains the Covenant of the League of Nations, a document that is included in the text of all peace treaties concluded after the First World War. Part II refers to the borders of Hungary, establishing the boundaries of the new Hungarian state with Austria, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, Romania, and Czechoslovakia. According to Article 28, the borders were later demarcated on the ground by Delimitation Commissions, following the indications provided in the maps attached to the treaty.
Part III includes 9 sections and addresses European political clauses. The first section regulates territorial aspects (renunciation of rights and titles over the territories of the former Austro-Hungarian monarchy located beyond the borders of Hungary, as described in Article 27 of the Treaty), economic matters, property rights, etc., in relation to Italy. Sections II-IV concern the same areas in relation to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, Romania, and Czechoslovakia. Section VI addresses minority rights, obligating Hungary to grant all its inhabitants, regardless of birth, nationality, language, race, or religion, full and complete protection of their lives and freedoms. Furthermore, according to Article 60 of the Treaty, Hungary consented that the respect for minority rights constitutes obligations of international interest, placed under the guarantee of the League of Nations. Section VII includes clauses regarding nationality, stating that individuals who resided in territories over which other states exercised sovereignty would acquire the citizenship of those states but with the possibility, within one year, to choose between the new citizenship and the Hungarian one and to move their domicile to the state for whose citizenship they opted. Article 73 in Section IX affirms the inalienable nature of Hungary's independence.
Part IV of the Treaty contains provisions regarding Hungarian interests outside of Europe, namely in Morocco, Egypt, Siam, China, etc. Part V addresses military, naval, and aerial matters. Thus, compulsory military service, navy, and aviation were abolished, and the strength of the Hungarian armed forces was limited to 30,000 soldiers. In order to verify the application of these provisions, Inter-Allied Control Commissions were established. Part VI of the Treaty regulates the situation of prisoners of war, while Part VII deals with the punishment of those guilty of committing acts contrary to the law during the war.
Part VIII contains detailed provisions regarding the reparations that Hungary was to pay to the Allied and Associated Powers for the losses suffered during the war. Parts IX and X of the Treaty concern financial clauses and the situation of assets, debts, tax regime, contracts, etc., establishing mixed arbitral tribunals in Hungary's relationship with each of the Allied and Associated Powers. Parts XI and XII of the Treaty guarantee freedom of aerial, rail, and river navigation within Hungarian territory.
Part XIII of the Treaty regulates aspects related to labor rights, stating that the goal of the League of Nations was to establish universal peace, which could only be based on social justice. The final part of the Treaty includes various clauses regarding religious organizations, commercial conventions, etc.
The proceedings of the Paris Peace Conference began on January 18, 1919, with the main role assigned to the representatives of the Great Powers: France, Great Britain, the United States, Italy, and Japan (only for matters related to the Far East). The "Council of Four" met during 145 sessions to discuss and make decisions on all major issues. There were 52 committees that prepared reports, documentary materials, maps, and studies during 1,646 meetings.
Campaigns for international recognition and the establishment of borders for the new successor states of the dismantled empires were conducted through press campaigns, publication of studies and brochures, as well as dialogues with specialized bodies created in France, Great Britain, and the United States (study and analysis groups within ministries, scientific societies - Comité d'Études, Inquiry Commission, The Historical Section of Foreign Office, Society of Geography of Paris, etc.). Comprised of university professors, scholars, and military personnel, these study groups presented studies and reports to the territorial and border issues committees and the "Council of Four," addressing territorial issues in Europe and the Near East based on historical, geographical, ethnic, strategic, and political considerations. They developed historical, economic, ethnographic maps, etc.
Alongside the vast collection of historical, political, economic, and demographic information, the delegations present at the Paris Peace Conference had a crucial tool with a major impact on decisions regarding the future borders of states after the First World War: the ethno-demographic maps. These provided members of the Council, delegates, and experts within the working committees of the Conference with a comprehensive and instant snapshot of the situation on the ground.
On December 1, 1919, after the new government installed in Budapest on November 24, led by Károly Huszár, was recognized, the Hungarian delegation was invited to the Paris Peace Conference. Under the leadership of Count Albert Apponyi, on January 5, 1920, a delegation of 66 people (Count István Bethlen, Count Pál Teleki, deputies, experts, diplomats, and support staff) departed for Paris. On January 15, 1920, the Hungarian delegation was presented with the conditions of peace, and on February 20, its observations were transmitted. The final form of the Treaty was presented to the Hungarian delegation on May 6, 1920.
The Romanian delegation at the Peace Conference was led by Ion I.C. Brătianu and included Constantin Brătianu as secretary, Colonel Toma Dumitrescu as military advisor, Nicolae Mișu as deputy head of the delegation, Alexandru Vaida-Voevod representing Transylvania and Banat, Constantin Crișan and Ionel Mocsoni as experts in economic and financial matters, as well as Caius Brediceanu, Traian Vuia, Alexandru Lapedatu, etc., who prepared studies and documents regarding the ethnographic and geographic situation of Transylvania, Banat, Bukovina, and Dobruja.
*Archive photo source: Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
