„No. No. Never.” – Treaty of Trianon – Monument of National Solidarity – Budapest
Hungarian figure of the „The myth of national disaster” topic
The Treaty of Trianon, signed on June 4, 1920, remains one of the most contentious and painful moments in Hungarian history. This treaty, which concluded World War I for Hungary, resulted in the country losing nearly two-thirds of its territory and about one-third of its population. The phrase „No. No. Never.” encapsulates the deep-seated rejection of the treaty by many Hungarians, reflecting the national trauma and enduring sense of injustice that it engendered.
In 2020, on the centenary of the Treaty of Trianon, the Monument of National Solidarity was inaugurated in Budapest. This modern memorial, located near Kossuth Square, was designed to honor the memory of those who suffered the consequences of the treaty and to symbolize the unity of the Hungarian people across borders. The monument is a stark, minimalist structure, featuring a 100-meter-long ramp descending into the earth, lined with the names of the 12,537 towns and villages that were part of historic Hungary before the treaty. At the end of the ramp, an eternal flame burns, symbolizing the enduring spirit of the Hungarian nation.
This new monument replaced an earlier, more controversial memorial that once stood in Szabadság Square. The original Trianon memorial, erected in 1934, was a grandiose structure topped with a statue of Archangel Gabriel, the symbol of Hungary’s divine right to its territories. However, after World War II and the establishment of the communist regime in Hungary, the monument was dismantled in 1947 as part of the Soviet-backed government’s efforts to reshape Hungary’s national identity and suppress symbols of its pre-war past.
The creation of the new Monument of National Solidarity in 2020 reflects a broader trend in Central Europe, where nations continue to grapple with the legacies of the 20th century and the redrawing of borders that followed the two world wars. The monument stands not only as a reminder of the Trianon Treaty but also as part of a larger dialogue in the region about national identity, historical memory, and the long-term impacts of geopolitical shifts.
Similar memorials and monuments can be found across Central Europe, where various nations have commemorated their own losses and traumas from the same period. For example, in Slovakia, Romania, and Serbia, countries that gained territory from Hungary due to the treaty, monuments celebrate national victories and the „unification” of their lands. These monuments are often seen as mirrors to the Hungarian experience, highlighting the complex and often contradictory narratives that emerged from the Treaty of Trianon.
The Trianon Treaty and its aftermath remain a sensitive and polarizing topic not only within Hungary but also in its relations with neighboring countries. While the Monument of National Solidarity in Budapest is intended as a symbol of remembrance and unity, it also serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges in Central European diplomacy and the region’s complex history of shifting borders and national identities.
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