The book presents biographies of national leaders of Central and South-Eastern Europe who found themselves at the forefront of history during a turning point for the entire continent, the central event of which was the First World War. It was with her that the heroes of this work (heads of independent states and leaders of peoples that were part of empires opposing each other) pinned their hopes for a final solution to “their” national question, and in its integral form. In military conditions, they fought for its solution, but with varying degrees of success, and as a result they found themselves: some exalted to heaven, and some ostracized. And in the interwar period, not everyone was at the peak of influence in their countries. There were also those who, precisely after the World War, experienced the collapse of illusions and former power (Ferdinand of Bulgaria, Enver Pasha); and those who never held government positions (T. Alexandrov), or flashed across the political horizon like a meteor (P. P. Skoropadsky). But all of them were brought together under a single cover by “one but fiery passion” - the desire to realize their “national ideal” once and for all.

Contents of YugoslaviaA. A. Silkin. King of Yugoslavia Alexander Karadjordjevic. L. Shemyakin. Nikola Pašić: at the intersection of unitarist and federalist aspirationsA. A. Silkin. “Croatian Apostle” Stjepan RadicN. S. Pilko. Political life of Anton KoroshetsBulgariaO. N. Isaeva. King of the Bulgarians Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-GothaR. P. Grishina. “Legendary patriot” Todor Alexandrov: Between Bulgaria and MacedoniaGreeceK. N. Semenov. Eleftherios Venizelos - in pursuit of “Greater Greece” RomaniaM. D. Ereshchenko. King Ferdinand I - the unifier of the Romanian lands. N. Vinogradov. Romanian Sphynx Ionel Bratianu TurkeyR. R. Subaev. Ishmael Enver Pasha and his modifications of the Turkish national ideaPolandL. S. Lykoshina. The founder of the “Piast” concept of development of Poland, Roman DmowskiG. F. Matveev. Józef Pilsudski and the formation of an independent Polish stateUkraineE. Yu. Borisenok. Hetman of All Ukraine Pavel Petrovich SkoropadskyCzechoslovakiaE. P. Serapionova. The first president of Czechoslovakia, Tomas Garrigue Masaryk. P. Serapionova. Karel Kramář is a politician from several eras. P. Serapionova. Man-legend Milan Rastislav Stefanik: scientist, politician, generalHungaryN. A. Astashin. Miklos Horthy - admiral in his labyrinth A. I. Puskas. Political and statesman of Hungary Pál TelekiAppendices: Letters from Prime Minister P. Teleki to Regent M. Horthy