De Nederlandse protestantse kerken onderweg naar het Verdrag van Trianon (1920)

In het Friesch Dagblad van 13 juni 2020 publiceerde Aalders een artikel over Trianon, het verdrag waarmee hhet voormalige Koninkrijk Hongarije teruggebracht tot eenderde van zijn omvang. Toen de contouren van dat drama zich begonnen af te tekenen, wendden de Protestantse Kerken van Hongarije zich tot hun Nederlandse geloofsgenoten.

Trianon

Een wetenschappelijk versie van dit artikel verscheen in het Documentatieblad voor de Nederlandse Kerkgeschiedenis na 1800 42 (2019), no 90, 61-77,

Maarten J. Aalders DNK 42 (90): 61-77

DOT: 10.5117/DNK2019.90.004.AALD

Abstract
At the end and in the aftermath of World War |, Hungarys situation was very difficult: the war had been lost, the country was tormented by hunger and revolution, and the victoring countries were about to assign two-third of Hungary's territory to neighboring countries. In this situation Hungary's Protestant churches asked their Dutch sister churches for help and support in late 1918. A Hungarian delegation led by the theologian J. Sebestyeén visited the Netherlands. What could the Dutch do? Articles in favor of the Hungarian cause were published, lectures were given, rallyes were organized. The Reformed Churches in the Netherlands took the initiative of a joint declaration on behalf of the Hungarians. The declaration, signed by many other Dutch Protestant churches, offers a rare example of ‘ecumenic’ collaboration in those days.
Keywords: Hungary, Protestant churches, The Netherlands, Treaty of Trianon, J. Sebestyen