Depiction of Hungariansin 20th century Serbian history textbooks

Árpád HORNYÁK

DOI: 10.47743/asui-2025-0021

Abstract: The decisive factor in defining the national image is the relationship between the two nations throughout history, in this case the role played by Hungarians in the life of the Serbian nation, the extent to which they interfered with the realization of Serbian national goals, the extent to which they stood in the way of the realization of Serbian interests, or, in some cases, the extent to which they helped them. It can be said that the image of Hungarians in most Serbian history books, at least until the 18th century, is relatively favorable, and mostly emphasizes cooperation between the Hungarian and Serbian nations. The change came at the turn of the 18th century, but more typically from the middle of the 18th century, when the Hungarians appeared as an obstacle to the realization of the privileges “promised” to the Serbian masses who fled from the Turks to Hungary and had settled there. The Hungarians appear to have sought to eliminate the privileged areas established for the Serbs when they settled and to integrate them into the Hungarian county system, thus becoming the main obstacle to Serbian nationhood and independence – at least according to the textbooks. Serbian secondary school students have been given a fundamentally positive image of Hungarians, especially in newer textbooks. In most works, Hungary is presented as a viable, developing nation belonging to Western civilization, almost creating an empire, although this is rather implicit, and much depends on how teachers interpret the mostly accurate information provided in textbooks.

Keywords: Hungary; Hungarians; history textbooks; national image; Serbia.