Arrow Cross organizational efforts in Transcarpathia between 1938 and 1942

Purpose. The aim of this study is to examine the organizational activities of Hungarian far-right parties – in particular, the National Socialist Hungarian Party – Hungarist Movement and the Arrow Cross Party – in Subcarpathia between 1938 and 1942. The research seeks to uncover how these parties attempted to expand their political influence in the region, what local structures they established, and what impact this had on public and political life. Scientific novelty. The article provides a detailed analysis of the far-right parties’ organizational efforts in a borderland region that has often been overlooked in the study of political radicalism. The author uses underexplored administrative and police documents from the Berehovo branch of the Transcarpathian Regional State Archive, which shed new light on the process of political radicalization in the reclaimed territories. Originality. The research is based on archival sources such as reports on the establishment of local branches, official documents, and membership data. Despite the fragmentary nature of these materials, the author attempts to reconstruct the party network, explore the social composition of its membership, and identify the core themes of Arrow Cross propaganda. Conclusions. Until 1942, the Arrow Cross Party was an active and proactive participant in the political life of the region, particularly in building local party cells and spreading its propaganda. Although its influence declined following an internal split, it regained strength in 1944 after the German occupation. Its ideology focused on economic difficulties, the Jewish question, and the need for land reform – themes that resonated with lower social strata. The local party branches functioned as broad-based movements, with members including farmers, artisans, clerks, intellectuals, and even a Protestant pastor. The effectiveness of the propaganda is difficult to assess, as the central government and local authorities consistently restricted the party’s activities by closing offices, arresting members, and countering its often distorted rhetoric through state-controlled media.