Northern Transylvania
The territory now known as Northern Transylvania first emerged in recorded history under the Kingdom of Dacia, which existed from 82 BC until 106 AD. Roman legions conquered this region in 106 AD and held it for over a century before withdrawing their forces in 271 AD. Following the Roman departure, various tribes including Carpi, Visigoths, Huns, Gepids, Avars, and Slavs moved into the area. By the 9th century, parts of the land came under the rule of the First Bulgarian Empire. The Magyars eventually conquered the Carpathian Basin at the end of that same century. For nearly six hundred years, Transylvania functioned as a voivodeship within the Kingdom of Hungary.
In June 1940, Romania faced pressure to accept Soviet demands regarding Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina following the Molotov, Ribbentrop Pact. Hungary sought to regain control of Transylvania after losing it in the aftermath of World War I. Germany and Italy pressured both nations to resolve the dispute through diplomatic channels rather than armed conflict. Delegations met in Turnu Severin on the 16th of August but negotiations failed due to conflicting territorial demands. The Axis powers intervened to prevent further escalation and forced an arbitration agreement. On the 30th of August 1940, the Second Vienna Award was signed, transferring Northern Transylvania from Romania to Hungary.
The 1930 Romanian census registered a population of 2,393,300 for the region. Hungarian authorities conducted a new census in 1941 which recorded a total population of 2,578,100. These figures show stark differences depending on whether nationality or language was used as the primary metric. Hungarian statistics claimed over 1,380,500 Hungarians lived there, while Romanian data suggested only about 912,500. By January 1941, approximately 100,000 Hungarian refugees had arrived in Hungary from South Transylvania. Simultaneously, around 109,532 Romanians fled northward into Southern Transylvania. A fall in total population suggests another 40,000 to 50,000 Romanians moved south without official registration.
Hungary held Northern Transylvania from September 1940 until October 1944. Ethnic disturbances continued after the entrance of the Hungarian Army, culminating in massacres at Treznea and Ip. In the first two weeks alone, approximately 1,000 Romanians perished during these events. On the 5th of September 1940, five days after the Second Vienna Award, the first Hungarian military unit crossed the border at Sighetul Marmației. Two armies entered the territory with forces totaling over 300,000 soldiers. The advance took place mostly peacefully but included scattered incidents with retreating Romanian soldiers. Following the occupation, authorities regularly expelled some Romanian groups from Northern Transylvania. Over 100,000 people on both sides of the ethnic borders relocated between 1940 and 1944.
After Nazi Germany occupied Hungary on the 19th of March 1944, Northern Transylvania came under German military control. About 150,000 Jews living there were sent to concentration camps during World War II. Authorities launched ghettoization actions starting on the 3rd of May in Dés (now Dej) within the Bungăr forest. This facility held 3,700 Jews from Dej and 4,100 from other localities who faced mistreatment, torture, and starvation. Three deportation transports occurred between late May and early June moving roughly 8,000 people to death camps. Most deportees were exterminated in the Auschwitz, Birkenau camp with just over 800 survivors. Other ghettos established included Oradea, Baia Mare, Bistrița, Cehei, Reghin, Satu Mare, and Sfântu Gheorghe. Excluding Szekely areas, 127,377 Jews were deported to Auschwitz while only 19,764 returned home.
King Michael's Coup of the 23rd of August 1944 caused Romania to leave the Axis powers and join the Allies. The Romanian Army then fought Nazi Germany and its allies while regaining Northern Transylvania. Soviet forces occupied the territory by late October 1944. On the 25th of October, units of the Romanian 4th Army under General Gheorghe Avramescu defeated remaining Hungarian and German troops at the Battle of Carei. Despite this victory, Soviets expelled the Romanian administration from Northern Transylvania in November 1944. They did not allow them to return until the 10th of March 1945. The Provisional National Government of Hungary accepted obligations to evacuate all troops on the 20th of January 1945. The 1947 Paris Peace Treaty reaffirmed borders as originally defined in the Treaty of Trianon twenty-seven years earlier.
Common questions
When did Northern Transylvania become part of Hungary in 1940?
Northern Transylvania became part of Hungary on the 30th of August 1940 following the signing of the Second Vienna Award. This agreement transferred the territory from Romania to Hungary under pressure from Germany and Italy.
What was the population of Northern Transylvania during the 1940 census?
The 1930 Romanian census registered a population of 2,393,300 for the region while Hungarian authorities recorded 2,578,100 people in their 1941 census. These figures show stark differences depending on whether nationality or language was used as the primary metric.
How many Jews were deported from Northern Transylvania to Auschwitz during World War II?
Excluding Szekely areas, 127,377 Jews were deported to Auschwitz from Northern Transylvania while only 19,764 returned home. Most deportees were exterminated in the Auschwitz and Birkenau camps with just over 800 survivors.
Who regained control of Northern Transylvania after Hungary held it until October 1944?
Soviet forces occupied the territory by late October 1944 after King Michael's Coup caused Romania to leave the Axis powers. The Romanian Army then fought Nazi Germany and its allies while regaining Northern Transylvania before Soviet units expelled the Romanian administration in November 1944.