"We Want to Keep This Occupied Area in Our Hands for a Long Time". Hungarian–German Debates on Prykarpattia, 1941–1942

When Hungary entered into the war against the Soviet Union on 27 June 1941, an objective for Hungary was not the acquisition of some regions of the Soviet Union. Nevertheless, during 1941 and 1942, the Hungarian leadership took several steps to bring the Northeastern Carpathian Foothills (Prykarpattia) permanently under its control and assert its political objectives there. This paper has two main objectives: the reconstruction of the Hungarian plans and intention on the Prykarpattia and the examination of the German reaction to the Hungarian steps. To this end, the author has critically examined the sources on the subject, especially the documents of the Hungarian National Archives, (Hungarian) Military History Archives, Department Military Archives of Federal Archives and Political Archive of the Federal Foreign Office. In his study, the author explores the Hungarian plans for Prykarpattia and their background. These plans were rooted in the promises were made unofficially by the Germans and the policy-making role of the Hungarian military leadership. It is important to note that, although the German-friendly Hungarian military high command sought to do so, these proposals did not come together into a single political plan. The Hungarian military leadership tried to implement three of its ambitious plans: 1) economic exploitation of the occupied border areas; 2) expulsion of “stateless” Jews from Hungary to areas east of Galicia; 3) changing the Northeastern border of Hungary. Overall, Hungarian efforts in the Eastern Galician territories may be considered unsuccessful. Contrary to unofficial promises, the Germans wanted to prevent all Hungarian claims to Prykarpattia. The number of conflicts was further increased that Hungarians often tried to transfer their intentions to south-eastern Galicia without consultation with the Germans