| |||||
| Capital (and largest city) |
Timişoara/Temeschwar | ||||
| Language official |
Roumanian, German, Serbo-Croat, Hungarian | ||||
| others | Yiddish | ||||
| President of the Executive Council | |||||
| Chair of the People's Council | |||||
| Currency | BanatThaler | ||||
The Banat Republic is a landlocked county in south central Europe bordered by Roumania, Hungary, and Jugo-Slavia.
Formation
Following the armistice ending hostilities in World War I and the perceived imminent collapse of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire during the New York Peace Accords many wanted to maintain the integrity of the multiethnic Banat region especially after the proclamation by Karl I of the formation of a federative state. Many of the nationalities of the Empire sought complete independence and on October 31st military councils were established by the different nationalities living there: Romanian, Hungarian, German, Jewish, and Serb. On November 1st Otto Roth announced the creation of the Republic of Banat. It's constitution proclaimed the Banat People's Council, which would have representatives from each ethnic group. The council had 20 members from the city council of Timişoara, the capital of Banat, 60 from the military national councils, 40 from workers councils, and 70 from bourgeois parties. Then an executive council of 20 was elected.
Military squads and a civil guard were organized on November 4th in order to take control of the country.
At first only Roumania recognized the Banat Republic. The Romanian plurality, which disagreed with the formation of the Banat Republic at first was convinced to support it through negotiations by November 5th, and a delegation of Romanian diplomats convinced Romania to recognize the country on November 10th. The Hungarian parliament, having de facto severed ties with Austria next was hesitant to recognize a country within its own former borders but was forced to do so when Germany issued the statement "Der Banater Volksrat ist die einzige Regierung des ehemaligen Kronenlandes von Banat." Despite this awkward statement, Germany communicated clearly an intention to prevent any bloodshed in the region or the outbreak of war between or among the de-facto independent Hungary, the State of the South-Slavs, and Roumania which all had claims to the territory. Additionally Germany sought to protect the sizable ethnic German plurality and manage the situation in the unstable Austria-Hungary. This statement effectively guaranteed borders of the republic whether as a sovereign nation or, at that time preferably, part of Austria-Hungary. The Banat Republic was not recognized at the New York Peace Accords (nor was Jugo-Slavia, Wilson choosing only to receive separate Austrian, Czech, and Hungarian delegations from "Austria-Hungary") The Banat Republic independence was confirmed during the Second Congress of Berlin in 1922.
Flag and Arms
The colours of the Banat represent a combination of the traditional colours of Wallachia, Danube Swabians, the Southern Slavs, and the Hungarians representing the principle ethnic groups in the Republic. The Arms were adapted from the arms of the Tenes county with the Imperial eagle, Cross of St Stephen, and the lion representing the historical regions, and the five short towers of the castle the five principal ethnic groups of the republic.
Serbian civil war
During the Kosovo war of independence Banat found itself nearly at war with Serbia and internal strife due to the ethnically divided Banat government and Serbian minority similar to the situation in Jugo-Slav province of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Political affiliation seemed to be divided primarily along ethnic lines with the largest ethnicities except for the Germans (Romanians, Serbs, and Hungarians) wanting to join Romania, Serbia, or Hungary respectively. Banat is still independent, because no ethnicity ever manages to reach a majority.
Later
The Banat Republic is a member of the European Economic Community
This alternate history related article is a stub. Please add suggestions on the talk page.
|
This article discusses real people. Some information may diverge from their real life. Propose any changes to talk page. |