This is a report on papers presented at a 1995 conference series concerned with population characteristics in Hungary. Descriptions are grouped according to time period, beginning with the late Middle Ages and early modern times. Aspects considered include history, population size and growth, ethnic composition, political events, migrations, and censuses.
Problems in studying the dynamics of the population of ethnic Hungarians in the former Yugoslavia are discussed. Topics covered include minority classification in census and survey data, measurements of language spoken, and problems with vital statistics data, particularly birth registries and the failure to record nationality of parents. The focus is on the autonomous region of Vojvodina.
Demographic trends among the Hungarian population in Slovakia and Czechoslovakia are analyzed. The period covered is 1921-1980. Special consideration is given to assimilation and cultural repression, as well as to other political factors. Implications for the future are discussed.
Migration trends in Hungary during the period 1500-1800 are reviewed. Consideration is given to demographic conditions in Hungary; emigration; migrant characteristics; and in-migration, with a focus on social, religious, and economic pressures to migrate to Hungary. Some problems with the data are briefly discussed.
The ethnic composition of the population of the former German Federal Republic is analyzed, with a focus on the numbers of Germans who emigrated from Hungary after World War II. Consideration is given to political factors behind the migration of ethnic Germans, and the effects of this migration on politics, economy, and social life in the Federal Republic of Germany.
The number and location of Slovaks living in Hungary from 1920 to 1941 is analyzed. The focus is on border changes between Hungary and Czechoslovakia as a result of treaties and wars, and how these affected the counting of the Slovak population.
Estimations of the size and characteristics of the Polish population living outside Poland are made. The focus is on the difficulties in collecting data on these expatriates, with examples given from several countries with large Polish populations. The author also describes how census questions on language spoken in the home, and on place of birth may be used in such estimations.
The author reviews problems in formulating scientific or official terms to describe minority populations. Examples of questions on race and ethnicity from censuses around the world are used as illustrations. The concepts of nationality, the nation, and the state are also discussed.
Data on the ethnic German population of Hungary for the period 1941-1980 are presented and analyzed. Data are provided by age, sex, educational level, and occupation. It is noted that in 1941, 302,000 persons of German nationality lived in Hungary; by 1980 that number had dropped to 31,000. Reasons for this significant decrease are discussed. (SUMMARY IN ENG)
Information is presented on the German population in Hungary between 1870 and 1941. The data are from censuses and other sources. Topics examined include population size and growth, emigration, birth and death rates, urban and rural population, and socioeconomic characteristics such as religion and occupation.
The author reviews historical sources of data on the population of the Saxon area of Transylvania, now a part of Romania. Population estimates for cities and districts at the end of the fifteenth century are presented.
The author reviews recent work on fertility trends in the Slavic lands that formed part of the Hapsburg Empire in Central Europe. The primary focus is on the Czech regions of Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia, for which substantive historical records have survived.
The author analyzes the data sources for the Hungarian National Archives for the years 1526-1780. A compilation of all the source types that have been used by historical demographers is included.
