The Transformation of the Characteristics of Border Regions at the End of the 20th Century in West Hungary

Abstract

The western border of Hungary, the Austrian-Hungarian state border was borned in the frame of the peace-treaty end the first World War similarly the other borders of the country. However there are significant differences in its historical process and the main characteristics. Between the wars, when the surrounding countries, newly formed or transformed nation-states aimed at increasing the separating role of the new border, the border between Austria and Hungary didn't hinder the continuation of everyday relations. Under the socialism this borderline became the separator obstacle of two big world system. The strictly defend western border regions missed from the important development programmes and former traditionally well-developed regions came to peripheral situation. After the system transformation in 1989-1990 the location of the region became more significant again and now considerable part of the Austrian-Hungarian border region became front-rank area of Hungarian development. This study likes to present the changes of the last decade on the basis of the results of earlier researches. It contains the transforming economy in comparison to the developing trends of the neighbouring Austrian areas (Burgenland), the transforming society, the changing cross-border co-operation and the future possibilities.