Hungarians

The author deals with the image of Czechs and Slovaks in the works of Hungarian intelligentsia from Slovakia in the interwar period. He analyzes the studies and essays of seven significant representatives of Hungarian minority in Slovakia. They belonged to the members of the second generation of Hungarians in Slovakia who were born before the establishment of Czechoslovakia, however, they received their education in Czechoslovakia.

The aim of the study is the analysis of the stereotypes of Hungarians, Jews, Germans and Romanies that are portrayed in the Slovak literature of the 19th century. The primary sources of the text analysis are travel and ethnographic works published as separate titles as well as the articles issued in the periodical press. Some of the mentioned literary pieces were due to limited publishing and financial possibilities published only in student's manuscript magazines and humorous magazines.

This article deals with stereotypes of Czech nation and its neighbours as they were utilised by interwar Czech utopists. As they tried to persuade theirs readers they have to follow the commonsensical beliefs and values of their potential readers. Czech nation was their primary concern as well as its relationship with other nations – the future of the nation was more important than the proposed social organisation. Presented ethnic stereotypes were remarkably consistent with the authors offering socialist, capitalist or alternative future development.

National character (Nationalcharakter, Volkscharakter) as a category of scientific research had been solidly establishing itself in Austrian and Hungarian scientific discussions since the 80s of the 18th century. At the beginning it was the research subject of a complex scientific discipline known as statistics, or politics, (Statistik, Staatskunde). New scientific disciplines were formed during the first half of the 19th century. One of their goals was the examination and description of national character.