Hungary was your typical Nazi eastern “ally.” Eastern Europe was mostly a conglomeration of small weak states after the break up of the Hapsburg Empire in 1918, and those states were keenly aware they were small and weak, but some of them did harbor regional ambitions. Despite these ambitions, the Partition of Poland taught Eastern Europe that they faced a choice between two masters, Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. During the “Phony War” Britain made some overtures of “guarantees” to these countries, but Poland’s fate clearly demonstrated that Britain was not a player in this game.
Since most of the leadership (economic, political, intellectual and social elites) were bourgeoise, the choice was a no-brainer. With Nazi Germany, they will have to put up with overbearing arrogant strutting Germans but still keep their positions of power and prestige in their countries. With Soviet Russia, they are headed for the Gulag at best or to be shot in the forest at worst.
So the Germans meet little resistance and open local encouragement as they infiltrate South-Central Europe and the Balkans. After all, it was Ribbentrop who recently brokered the “Vienna Award” that dismembered Romania and gave Transylvania to the Hungarians. So the Hungarians are clearly in Germany’s camp as the junior partner in an uneasy alliance. Romania is in Germany’s camp as the far lesser of two evils.
The volatile nature of Eastern European politics will have serious consequences for Germany. Yugoslavia will have a pro-British coup that throws out the pro-German government, which causes the Germans to move south through Yugoslavia and Greece. Bulgaria is a nominal “ally” with a pro-German government but takes no active role in any hostilities. The Hungarians and Romanians allow the Germans to invade the USSR from their countries, and also provide soldiers to fight with the Germans in the East. The Hungarians sent the 2nd Army, the Romanians sent the 3rd and 4th Armies east; where were the Hungarian 1st Army and the Romanian 1st and 2nd Armies? Their best units were at home glaring at each other across the Carpathians.
The Germans knew they could not have the Hungarians and Romanians fight side-by-side on the Eastern Front; so their solution was to separate them with an Italian Army (let’s see how that worked out). When the roof caves in on the Eastern Front in August 1944, Romania switches sides and their armies go after the Germans and Hungarians to reclaim Transylvania. The Romanians actually seem to have given a better account of themselves against the Hungarians than they did against the Soviets.
So that’s my German Balkans story in a nutshell. I am not aware of any books out there that discuss the war policies of the various Balkan countries, but such a book would be a welcome addition to my library.
That would be an interesting study. The Balkan countries really were at the whim on whomever was the most powerful neighbor at the time. Hungary, late in the war, were on the verge of switching side much like the Rumanians did, but were prevented from doing so by the Nazis. As a result they were completely overrun by their Soviet and Rumanian adversaries.
Thanks, much appreciated. Great posts.