Title in original language: „Slovensko Slovákom!“ (Protičeská rétorika slovenskej iredenty na príklade Františka Jehličku)
Author: Roman Holec
Title in English: “Slovakia belongs to the Slovaks!” (The Anti-Czech rhetoric used by Slovak irredentists; the example of František Jehlička)
Journal: Česko-slovenská historická ročenka 24, 1, 2022, pp. 31-63
Abstract: The life story of František Jehlička (1879–1939) is the story of a leading representative of the Hungarian irredentists; he would throughout his entire personal and professional life pragmatically change his political opinions and goals – depending on the political situation. In addition to Jehlička’s episodic involvement in Slovak political structures, the paper focuses in particular on his anti-Czechoslovak activities abroad, efforts to gain influence in Slovak domestic politics and ideas concerning the existence of Slovakia outside of Czechoslovakia, in the form of an independent state or within Poland or Hungary. Jehlička’s lifelong anti-Czech rhetoric turned into an obsession, characterised by one-sided argumentation and blatant lies. To a large extent, his language was identical to the rhetoric of currents of Slovak opposition against the common state, but his goals were different and mainly linked to Hungarian revisionism.
Keywords: František Jehlička, Hungarian irredentism, anti-Czechoslovak activities and rhetoric, proposal for Slovakia’s political future