Rusyns and Ukrainians in Czechoslovakia (1918–1938)

During World War I, Rusyn leaders had reached an agreement with Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk to secure autonomy to Subcarpathian region within a future Czechoslovak state.

The Paris Peace Conference had also stipulated earlier that year that Subcarpathian Rus be granted full autonomy and promised the territory a diet having legislative power in all matters of local administration.

Other grievances included the placement of the western boundary—which left 150,000 Rusyns in Slovakia—and the large numbers of Czechs brought to Subcarpathian Rus as administrators and educators.

The Ukrainophiles were represented by the local Social democratcs and the National Christian Party led by Avgustyn Voloshyn.

They were represented by the Unified Magyar Party, which consistently received ten percent of the vote in the region and was in permanent opposition to the government.

The communists, strong in the poor province, attempted to appeal to the Ukrainian element by espousing union with Soviet Ukraine.

The elections of 1935 gave only 37 percent of the Rusyn vote to political parties supporting the Czechoslovak government.