Non à Trianon
Media: Here's a 101-year-old Trianon in Franco-German broadcasting company Arte's trilingual version. Raise awareness, whether or not from a linguistic perspective, on what is Europe's tragedy and how long it has endured until the present day. Let's put it progressively and acknowledge a (West) European hiatus.
„Ungarns Trauma. Europas Problem?“ (ORIGINAL, verfügbar 22.6.21 - 22.7.21)
« Le traité de Trianon, un traumatisme hongrois » - traduction 🇫🇷 (ENTENTE)
‘Hungary's Trauma’ - translation into 🇬🇧 (ENTENTE)
In 2021, Central German Broadcasting company MDR produced a documentary on Hungary. After the broadcast, 'Ungarns Trauma. Europas Problem' could be watched online from 22 June until 22 July. Shorty after, the production went west. The Association Relative à la Télévision Européenne, publicly known as ARTE produced French and English-language editions.
In both cases, the intriguing production's title was substantially altered. According to the Franco-German broadcasting company, 'Le traité de Trianon, un traumatisme hongrois' would do. A similar nationalisation was adapted in English: 'Hungary's Trauma'. By doing so, the the one and only transnational television company chose unquestioning compliance with Brexit England. Why would the one and only transnational television company reduce an East-West European subject to national frameworks?
In the documentary, the Treaty of Trianon, Hungary's Versailles is being thematised as an essential history for understanding the people and politics of this Central European country. It was produced in memory of the recent First World War anniversaries, in particular the Versailles/Trianon centenary on 4 June 2020. Historical considerations must have played a role in ARTE's decision in France, the venue of the 1919 Peace Conference as well as the four subsequent treaties, such as Trianon. Knowing that the war was waged between the Central Powers (Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire) and the Franco-British Entente, mnemonic and cross-border actors may be expected to go beyond the trenches a century later. Would the respective audiences really be bored, if not flabbergasted by a programme such as 'Hungary's Trauma: Europe's Problem'? Why cut off the East German producers?
AN EXAMPLE OF REPRESENTING THE ENTENTISTISCHE* NARRATIVE OF HISTORY AND MEMORY
Yes, it seems that correct translations are deemed problematic for French and British audiences. Together with you we would like to address the intriguing question – why?
* Von Thomas Mann 1919 benutzte Bezeichnung für angelsächsisch geprägte Abfassung der Kriegsgeschichte. W. Martynkewicz, 1920. Am Nullpunkt des Sinns, S. 90.
As it was demonstrated the Aufa100 founding manifesto, this generally contended history is tabooed in Germany. This may explain why the company's German editors in Baden Baden tended to follow their colleagues in Paris and nearby Strasbourg instead of showing support to their authentic countrymen from the New Länder.
With no delay, Aufa100 contacted ARTE in early summer. Weeks went by without any feedback. While we kept posting the tragic case, an echo of the historic humiliations from the perspective of Hungary and Germany, on social media, several copies of our request were forwarded. After almost five months, the company gave feedback on X, then Twitter.
Conclusions
1. ARTE is not to be regarded as a transnationally European broadcaster, but as an apparently western-centred one.
2. Hungary's trauma is definitely to be seen as European problem here and now.
3. Call for a neutrality historiography. This ARTE story stresses the need for a transnational process of coming to terms with the past. As it was rightfully stated in the East German documentary: Es wurde nicht aufgearbeitet. Consequently, this appeals not only to historians or politicians, but also to journalists, museum directors and persons engaged in the cultural sector.
Zitat aus „Ungarns Trauma. Europa's Problem?“: „Es wurde nicht aufgearbeitet, ...“
Not to be disregarded: Here is a Hungarian view on today and history.
June 4, 1920. Five months after the Treaty of Versailles implementation (10.I.1920), Britain, its Imperial Delegation and G. Clemenceau dictate the Treaty of Trianon (no negotiations) on HUNGARY. In between is the U.S. Senate endorsement of its November 1919 opting-out vote (19.III.1920). Cartoon: Who were the men in the suit, who actually stabbed the angel of peace? Why were they left anonymous by the (British) cartoonist?
Registered: more than 600 views of our June 4th, 2020 LinkedIn post.
Contents, figures and illustrations by Peter de Bourgraaf