Transcarpathian Hungarians in the Communist Movement, 1919–24

The article examines the participation of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia in the Czechoslovak communist movement between 1919 and 1924. Its aim is to demonstrate that during the inter-war period, the Hungarian community in the region was not only characterised by ethnonational political organisation but also played a significant role in the communist movement. The article focuses on the activities of the Transcarpathian organisation of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, which – amid the social and economic chaos that followed the First World War – engaged effectively with the Hungarian minority, particularly through its response to social and economic hardship. In exploring the local characteristics of communist party-building in Czechoslovakia, the article argues that the communists were successful in mobilising the local Hungarian population, just like ethnically focused Hungarian parties. The analysis highlights the social diversity of the Hungarians who were involved in the communist movement and examines the communists’ political success through an exploration of their networking efforts.