Geopolitics in the Danube region: Hungarian reconciliation efforts, 1848-1998

Central and Eastern Europe has a long history of, on the one hand, ethnic conflicts and, on the other, of a revolutionary tradition against expansionism. Both have their roots in the geographical situation and ethnic composition of the region. All these problems have surfaced at times when the political status quo has been upset for some reason, such as after the two world wars and after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Both great powers bordering the Danube region - Germany and Russia - have striven to develop their own versions of confederations (Mitteleuropa and Pan-Slavic movements). Politicians and intellectuals of the countries affected have proposed various theories, and made initiatives for different forms of closer or looser confederative formations. The reasons behind the failure of these initiatives are examined, including such factors as ethnically-motivated political antagonism, and the lack of economic complementarity.