While most ethnic maps use symbols that show the ethnic group that makes up the majority, Jenő Cholnoky in 1903 published a map that showed the ratio of nationalities based on the census of 1900. Showing the majority can be very useful if the symbol can represent a small enough area in order to show the mixed ethnicity of the population. If however the scale if the map is small, this will homogenise the ethnically mixed areas on the map. The symbols on the map made by Cholnoky cover one district each and show the percentage of the population belonging to a certain ethnic group. At the time this map was regarded as the most accurate map showing the ethnic composition of Hungary, and was even published in numerous atlases before the First World War. The method was so accurate that another map was published using this method in 1918 based on the census of 1910. The map does not show the density of the population. A new feature of the 1918 map is that a density of population map was added in the bottom left hand corner of the sheet. While the first publication became very popular, and was published numerous times using different colour schemes, the 1918 map is hardly known. This is mostly due to the fact that in 1920 the Ethnographic map of Hungary based on the density of the population was published by Paul Teleki, which did show the density of the population on the same map as the ethnic structure, making the map far more popular and well known than the 1918 map. The Teleki map was also the only map made by Hungarians that was seen during the peace talks ending the First World War, adding to its popularity. This paper will present the forgotten map made in 1918, which is the best depiction of the ethnically mixed areas. It can be clearly seen on the map, that no border along ethnic lines can be drawn in many places, especially in the Banat.

János Jeney
Institute of Hungarian Research

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ID Abstract: 831