1921 Sopron plebiscite explained

Country:Hungary
Flag Year:1915
Yes Text:Austria
No Text:Hungary
Yes:8,227
No:15,334
Invalid:512
Electorate:26,879
Map:Sopron Plebiscite Map.svg
Map Size:250

The Sopron area plebiscite took place on 14–16 December 1921. In the plebiscite, the residents of an area of 257 km2, comprising Sopron and eight surrounding settlements, voted on whether to remain in Hungary or to join Austria. After World War I, that was the only plebiscite concerning disputed borders on territory of the former Kingdom of Hungary that was permitted by the Entente.[1] [2]

Participant settlements

The following settlements participated in the plebiscite. The Hungarian names are given, with their German counterparts in brackets:

Results

26,879 people were eligible to vote in the plebiscite. 24,063 of them voted. 15,534 voted for Hungary, while 8,227 voted for Austria. 512 ballots were invalid.

18,904 residents of Sopron had the right to vote in the plebiscite. (At the time of the plebiscite Sopron had 37,509 residents.) Here, with a turnout of 89.2%, a large majority (72.7%) voted for Hungary. However, in the 8 villages, the support for Austria was greater, with 5 villages voting for Austria. Only Nagycenk, Fertőboz and Kópháza voted for Hungary.

SettlementEligible
voters
Total votesInvalidFor Austria%For Hungary%
Sopron / Brennbergbánya18,99417,2983514,62027.212,32772.8
Ágfalva1,1488481868282.214817.8
Harka668581951790.4559.6
Fertőboz349342117422.325777.7
Kópháza9488133024330.055070.0
Fertőrákos1,5251,3703381260.752539.3
Sopronbánfalva1,5381,1773592581.021719.0
Balf6685951734960.422939.6
Nagycenk1,0411,039850.51,02699.5
Total[3] 26,87924,0635128,22734.915,33465.1

Notes and References

  1. Book: Irredentist and National Questions in Central Europe, 1913-1939: Hungary, 2v, Volume 5, Part 1 of Irredentist and National Questions in Central Europe, 1913-1939 Seeds of conflict. Kraus Reprint. 1973. 69.
  2. Book: Richard C. Hall. War in the Balkans: An Encyclopedic History from the Fall of the Ottoman Empire to the Breakup of Yugoslavia. ABC-CLIO. 2014. 309. 9781610690317.
  3. Zahlen nach: Oskar Helmer: 40 Jahre Burgenland. Ein Land wählt die Freiheit. Wiener Volksbuchhandlung, Wien 1961, S. 50.