The Peace Treaty signed with Hungary in 1920 proved to be the Apple of Eris for Central Europe: the root of animosities between the Hungarians and their neighbors. The loss of purely or predominantly Hungarian-populated areas, and the ill-treatment of the Hungarian national minorities, both before and after the Second World War, is still a painful wound for the Hungarians. With the collapse of the communist system, both Hungary and its neighbors turned into liberal democracies, and it was hoped that genuine reconciliation would be possible between the peoples of Central Europe.
The primary goal of Prime Minister József Antall's government was integration with the democratic world and the achievement of a dual objective: good, preferably friendly relations with all neighboring countries, while supporting and promoting the struggle of the Hungarian minorities in the Carpathian Basin for equal rights and the safe future of their communities. Géza Jeszenszky, foreign minister in the Antall and then Boross governments, presents the history of Hungary's neighborhood policy between 1990 and 1994, drawing on documents in his possession and his own speeches, writings, notes, and memories. His book is both a memoir and a historical analysis. It discusses successes such as the Visegrád Cooperation initiative and the restoration of historical friendship with Croatia. It answers the question of whether, amid the breakup of three neighboring federations, a change in Central European borders was conceivable. In light of the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war, Hungary's "Eastern policy" at the time, its relationship with Russia and Ukraine, deserves special attention. The last chapter, an epilogue, summarizes the author's activities after 1994 to heal the trauma of Trianon.
The English version of the Hungarian edition, with non-Hungarian readers in mind, is shorter in places and more detailed in others than the original. Maps and visual documentation of the author's activities aid in understanding the story.
