Page "Sopron" Paragraph 9

Following the breakup of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, ethnic Germans inhabited parts of four western Hungarian counties: Pozsony ( Pressburg in German ; Bratislava in Czech / Slovak ), Vas ( Eisenburg ), Sopron ( Ödenburg ) and Moson ( Wieselburg ).

These counties were initially awarded to Austria in the Treaty of Saint Germain ( 1919 ).

After local unrest, Sopron's status as part of Hungary ( along with that of the surrounding eight villages ) was decided by a controversial, local plebiscite held on December 14, 1921, with 65 % voting for Hungary.

Since then Sopron has been called Civitas Fidelissima (" The Most Loyal Town ", ), and the anniversary of the plebiscite is a city holiday.

However, the western parts of Vas, Sopron and Moson counties did join Austria and today forms the Austrian federal state of Burgenland, while Pressburg / Pozsony was awarded to Czechoslovakia.