Since the collapse of the cold war structure , regional integration into the new European framework has been attempted. On the other hand , after the collapse of the socialist system which had suppressed the initiatives of ethnic minorities , tendencies of reviving ethnic identities have become apparent. This paper examines the significance of ethnic minority groups as contributors to the regional integration of Central Europe, treating the case of the German minority in Hungary (Hungary

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... ) . There is potential for minority groups to foster a multilingual and multicultural society, to stimulate personal and material exchanges between regions, and to play a part as mediators of regional integration by way of capital dispersion, regional specialization of the economy or correction of social inequalities . Since they play an important role in the process of the regional integration of Central Europe , more attention should be given to minority groups.