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Article: Hungary's relationship with Poland and its refugees during World War II.
- Article from:
- East European Quarterly
- Article date:
- March 22, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 East European Quarterly. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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For centuries Hungary and Poland have had a uniquely congenial relationship in spite of their distinctive ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. The Magyars and Poles had a common monarch, Louis the Great (Nagy Lajos), ties through marriages, and then both were under Habsburg rule until World War I. This historical association persevered during World War Il, even though the two nations joined opposing camps--Poland with the Allies and Hungary with the Axis. In short, many Magyar political officials and the populous provided assistance and a safe-haven for the Polish military, civilians, and even some Jews during the war.
The Second World War proved extremely ...