Southeast Europe

Hungarian exodus. Thousands of Hungarians were deported to concentration camps as
the new Romanian administration began to exact revenge in the north of the region
(Kocsis, 1995:71). After the Second World War the number of Hungarians in
Transylvania fell by over 300,000 (at the census in 1948 – see Varga, 1998).
During the communist regime the structure of the census suffered some changes. The
ones made in 1956 and 1977 provided information only about nationality, while the one
made in 1966 also referred to language. Only the census made in 1992 met international
statistical requirements in every respect.
After the 1956 census the proportion of the Hungarian population had once again
reached approximately the same level as registered in 1910, but soon after the decrease
process began. The factors responsible for this phenomenon are the increase in the
proportion of Romanians in the area, due to the social and geographical mobility in the
country encouraged by the communist party; the emigration of the Hungarian
population to Hungary, and distortions made in the census documentation.
All of the above changed the demographic structure of the region irreversibly, and the
subsequent oppressive regime altered it still further. Intensive industrialisation was the
principal policy aim of the communists. In pursuing this, their second objective was to
create an overwhelmingly Romanian urban environment (Kocsis, 1995:73). This focus
on industry, coupled with the communist’s increasingly nationalist stance, forced the
Hungarians and other minorities into specific areas of study and labour. They were to
have no part in Romania’s promising future. Unfortunately, despite giving the outward
appearance of stability, Romania under the communists was “a disaster waiting to
happen” (Fowkes, 1995:115), and the great economic success never crystallised.
Nationality 1956 1966 1977 1992
Romanians 65 67.9 69.4 73.6
Hungarians 25 24.1 22.5 20.8
Following the events of December 1989, all Romanians found themselves with greater
freedom to move within and outside the country and to find employment. The economic
policies pursued since 1990, however, have not given rise to any kind of boom in
Romania. Restrictions on teaching in minority languages (see Education section) have
lessened, but some remain, especially in the key areas of law and medicine, forcing
many Hungarians to complete their education in a language other than their mother
tongue.
According to the latest census (1992 Census, Vol. IV), 1,624,959 persons living in
Romania identified themselves as Hungarian (7.1% of Romania’s population).
According to other estimations their number is higher than this. The Hungarian
Churches i.e. the Catholic, Protestant and Neo-Protestant count about 2 million
believers. (The Situation of Hungarians in the Romanian National State – Appendix to
the DAHR Memorandum). The term “Hungarian minority” used throughout this report
includes Hungarians (Magyars) and Szeklers. The majority, approximately 20.8%, live
in Transylvania (a region composed of three main intra-charpatian provinces – regions:
Banat, Crişana - Maramureş, and Transylvania). Upon examination of specific counties
in the region, it could be seen that Hungarians were the majority in both Harghita and
Covasna - 84.7% and 75.2% respectively (Edroiu, 1996:32). Ethnic Hungarians
composed of 21.2% of the population in Crişana - Maramureş in northern Romania and
6.6% in Banat.
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