Central and Eastern Europe since 1919 Book

Introductory note: the scope of this book x

Geographical equivalents xii

Politically inspired name changes xiv

Personal names xv

A brief guide to pronunciation xvi

Acknowledgements xviii

Section I The reordering of Europe 1

1.1 The background to 1919 2

1.2 Versailles, the establishment of the new order and its consequences 7

1.3 The concept and history of nationalism in eastern Europe 14

1.4 Authoritarianism, fascism and the problem of national minorities from 1919 to 1939 19

1.5 Anti-Semitism 24

1.6 The liberal tradition 26

1.7 Communism 29

1.8 Titoism 37

1.9 Politics since 1990 39

Section II Historical chronology of key events 45

2.1 Key events before Versailles 46

2.2 Key events from Versailles to the outbreak of the Second World War 50

2.3 Key events during the Second World War 61

2.4 Key events between the end of the Second World War and the death of Stalin 70

2.5 Key events during the Communist period 1953-89 85

2.6 Key events since the fall of Communism 96

Central and eastern Europe excluding Yugoslavia 96

2.7 The disintegration of Yugoslavia and its aftermath 113

Section III Thematic chronologies 139

3.1 The rise of authoritarianism 1919-39 140

3.2 Anti-Semitism: character, scale and scope 154

3.3 Wartime administration, collaboration, government and resistance 158

3.4 Post-war retribution and revenge 166

3.5 Communism 169

3.5.1 The post-war consolidation of Communist power 169

3.5.2 The purges and the show trials 179

3.5.3 The struggle between church and state 182

3.5.4 Orthodoxy and reform 1953-90 185

3.5.5 The reformed Communist Parties since 1990 188

3.6 Foreign affairs 191

3.6.1 Regionalagreements and alliances 1919-39 191

3.6.2 Wartime allegiances 196

3.6.3 The Communist period 198

3.6.4 Regional relations and relations with East and West since 1990 207

Section IV The nation states 213

4.1 Introduction 214

4.2 States and regions of central and eastern Europe: origins, characteristics and particularisms 215

4.3 The countries of 'further' eastern Europe 230

4.4 The impact of the EU, NATO and Russia since 1990 233

Section V Special topics 243

5.1 The economy 244

5.1.1 The economy 1919-39 244

5.1.2 The impact of the Second World War 247

5.1.3 Post-war reconstruction under Communist rule 248

5.1.4 The impact of 1990 252

5.1.5 The economy: recent developments 253

5.1.6 Comparative GDP 255

5.2 The environment 257

5.2.1 The Communist legacy 257

5.2.2 The impact of 1990 259

5.3 Human statistics 263

5.3.1 Population statistics 263

5.3.2 Ethnic minorities 264

5.3.3 War losses 265

5.3.4 The post-war migrations 266

5.3.5 Life expectancy in years (2003) 267

5.4 Culture 268

5.4.1 Cosmopolitanism and cultural nationalism 268

5.4.2 The Arts under Fascism and Communism 269

5.4.3 Post-war rebuilding of the national heritage 271

5.4.4 Linguistic politics 272

Section VI People 275

6.1 Office holders 276

6.1.1 Heads of State 276

6.1.2 Heads of government (prime ministers/premiers, unless otherwise indicated) 283

6.1.3 Heads of the Communist Party Politburo 294

6.2 Communist Party membership statistics 296

6.3 Major assassinations, suicides and political executions 298

6.4 Biographies 300

Section VII Glossary of specialist terms 327

Section VIII Historiography 335

Maps 345

Index 349