The Dutch Churches and Trianon

 

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.

Róbert Bárta, Róbert Kerepeszki – Krzysztof Kania in co-operation with  Ádám Novák, Trianon 1920–2020. Some Aspects of the Hungarian Peace Treaty of 1920 (Debrecen 2021)

Dutch churches

 

"Hoe ouder je wordt, hoe meer het leven om je heen op een tooneelstuk begint te lijken, en daar het in de regel geen tooneelstuk is om blij van te worden, is deze ontwikkeling een heel bruikbare voorbereiding op het afscheid van de wereld." Martin Niemöller, in: A.A. Spijkerboer, Een gehoorzame rebel. Martin Niemöller op de kansel en op het podium (Kampen 1996).