Republic of the Danube

## Republic of the Danube *Republik Donau* (German) *Podunajská Republika* (Czech & Slovak) *Dunai Köztársaság* (Hungarian)

Flag of Danubia

Location of Danubia (in dark green) in the European Union (light green) within Europe (dark gray)

### Capital

Vienna (cultural)
 Prague (executive)
 Bratislava (Legislative)
 Budapest (Judicial)

### Official languages

German
 Czech
 Slovakian
 Hungarian

### Recognized languages

Polish
 Ukrainian
 Romani
 Italian

### Government

Federal parliamentary presidential republic

### History

Max Webbs: 1923
 First Constitutional draft: 5 November 1925
 Austria and Hungary unite: 26 March 1927
 Czechoslovakia joins: 14 June 1928
 Second Constitution: 18 February 1930
 Hungary leaves: 20 August 1936
 Anschluss of Austria: 13 March 1938
 Annexation of Czechia: 30 September 1938
 Republic of the Danube falls with Slovakia's annexation: 17 December 1939
 West-East Split: 26 May 1946
 Reunification: 15 September 1990
 EU Membership: 4 December 1995

### Currency

Euro
 Danubian Mark (1930-1939; 1946-2004)

### Date format

dd/mm/yy

The **Republic of the Danube**, often referred to as **Danubia** or **the Danube** (German: *Republik Donau*, Czech & Slovak: *Podunajská Republika*, Hungarian: *Dunai Köztársaság*) is a landlocked central European country lying between the Eastern Alps and the Carpathian mountains. The nation is made up of four autonomous states: Danubian Austria, Danubian Czechia, Danubian Slovakia and Danubian Hungary. The country borders Poland to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Liechtenstein and Switzerland to the west, Italy and Slovenia to the south-west and Germany to the north-west. The country occupies 304,807km2 making it the 12th largest country in Europe.

The Republic of the Danube emerged from the ruins of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1927 when the writings of Max Webbs became popular within the then independent nations of Hungary, Austria and Czechoslovakia. With more political backing, Austria and Hungary formed into the Republic of the Danube with Czechoslovakia joining in 1928, completing its borders. At first considered a temporary alliance to deal with German and potential Soviet aggression, it quickly became a strong political alliance with wide support from the public.

During the lead up to the Second World War, the Republic of the Danube faced a multitude of political turbulence during the 1930s. With Adolf Hitler's rise to power in Nazi Germany, the strategic nation had been eyed by both Germany and the Soviet Union. Hitler wanted to annex Austria, Czechia and parts of Slovakia while letting Hungary gain parts of Slovakia and Transylvania. Austria and Czechia were annexed by Germany in 1938 with Hungary leaving two years prior. Slovakia, left as the only member state, was taken over by Germany the following year.

The wartorn nation saw the tragedies of the Second World War inside its borders with several concentration camps and ghettos established and historic sites ravaged by bombings. Ultimately the nation would survive the war with Austria and Czechia being invaded by American forces after the Italian Campaign. The Soviet Union invaded from the east and took Hungary and Slovakia. Both the United States and Soviet Union had decided during the Yalta Conference to split the nation in two, forming the Republic of the Danube with Austria and Czechia and forming Danubian People's Republic.

With the fall of communism and revolutions across Europe in the late 1980s and the early 1990s the Danubian People's Republic faced its own month-long civil war which saw the ousting of the ruling communist government and the restoration of free elections. Less than three months after the western and eastern halves of the former country made an agreement to reunite, which commenced on the 15 September 1990. With miraculous economic success and a shining example of a multiethnic nation in Europe, the reunited Republic of the Danube would join the European Union in 1995, with a Eurozone agreement in 2004 and Schengen member in 2011.