Carpatho-Ukraine was a short-lived, unrecognized state that existed from 15 to 16 March 1939, immediately after Nazi Germany's occupation of Czechoslovakia. Khust served as the capital of Carpatho-Ukraine, and it was governed by the Soim; Avgustyn Voloshyn was its only president. The republic was proclaimed by Ukrainian nationalists as Czechoslovakia was occupied by the German army, but it was quickly occupied and annexed by Hungary after Adolf Hitler showed no signs of opposing Hungarian expansion. The region remained under Hungarian control until the end of World War II in 1945, when it became a part of Zakarpattia Oblast in the Ukrainian SSR (now Ukraine).
Background[]
Location of Carpatho-Ukraine
The Carpathian Ruthenia region was granted autonomy by Czechoslovakia soon after the 1938 Munich Agreement, as was Slovakia. In November 1938, Carpathian Ruthenia changed its name to "Carpatho-Ukraine". In November 1938, as a part of the First Vienna Award, Hungary annexed parts of southern Slovakia and Carpatho-Ukraine, and the Hungarians readied 350,000 troops for an invasion of Czechoslovakia if war broke out between Czechoslovakia and Nazi Germany. The transfer of these new lands to Hungary led to 290,000 Slovaks and 37,000 Rusyns falling under Hungarian control, as well as the Slovak city of Kosice. From November 1938 to January 1939, there were clashes between Hungarian and Czechoslovak troops along the border, and the Slovak nationalist Hlinka Guard took part in the clashes. Ethnic nationalism in Carpatho-Ukraine grew due to the inactivity of the Czechoslovak government in returning the occupied lands to Czechoslovak control. On 10 March 1939, the Hlinka Guard and Volksdeutsche demanded their independence from Czechoslovakia, and Slovak People's Party leader Jozef Tiso met with Adolf Hitler to discuss the situation. Hitler made it clear: either Slovakia could declare independence as a German puppet state, or it would be annexed by Hungary's large army on the border. On 14 March, Slovakia declared independence, and Hitler occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia that same day.
Independence[]
Carpatho-Ukraine followed in Slovakia's footsteps by proclaiming its own independence on 15 March 1939. Reverend Avgustyn Voloshyn became the President of Carpatho-Ukraine, elected by the national parliament, the Soim. The state language was Ukrainian, the modern Ukrainian flag was adopted as the flag of Carpatho-Ukraine, and its motto was "Ukraine has not yet perished." As the government was established, law and order broke down, and Adolf Hitler showed no signs of opposing a Hungarian annexation of Carpatho-Ukraine.
On 15 March 1939, 40,000 Hungarian troops under Andras Littay invaded Carpatho-Ukraine, facing the 2,000-strong "Carpathian Sich" irregular troops of the republic, as well as Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) volunteers. The Czechoslovakian military did not interfere, allowing for the Hungarians to easily crush the irregulars. On 17 March, the last Czechoslovak troops left Khust, and President Voloshyn fled to Romania. Carpatho-Ukraine was occupied by Hungary; captured Sich members would be tied up in groups of four by barbed wire and thrown into the Tysa River, while 600 Polish Sich volunteers from Eastern Galicia were turned over to the Polish Army for execution for illegally crossing the border. Carpatho-Ukraine had lasted for just under 24 hours.