Czechoslovak Hockey Riots (1969)
Encyclopedia
The Czechoslovak Hockey Riots were a short lived series of protests, mildly violent on occasion (several people were injured), that took place in response to the 1969 World Ice Hockey Championships
.
After Soviet invasion into Czechoslovakia
political ideals of Prague Spring
were slowly but steadily replaced by politics of accommodation to demands of Soviet Union
. People in Czechoslovakia, unable to find other ways to express their opinion, reacted with few very visible but ultimately ineffective manifestations of disagreement.
On March 21 and 28, 1969, the Czechoslovak
national ice-hockey team beat the Soviet team in the 1969 World Ice Hockey Championships
in Stockholm
. Throughout Czechoslovakia
, possibly 500,000 fans crowded the streets of their cities to celebrate the wins. In some places, particularly Prague
, the celebrations turned to protests against the Soviet military who continued to occupy the country after the Warsaw Pact
invasion the previous August. While the majority of these demonstrations were peaceful, some turned violent as protesters attacked Soviet military units. In Prague, protesters ransacked the Soviet Aeroflot
office, though some have suggested they were encouraged by State Security
agents.
The protests were suppressed by Czechoslovak military and police, now under full control of the hardliners from the Communist Party. The events were used as a pretext to oust remaining leaders symbolizing Prague Spring from power. Among them, Alexander Dubček
was forced to resign as First Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
, to be replaced by Gustáv Husák
who started politics of "normalisation
".
No active protests against presence of Soviet troops occurred thereafter. During years of normalisation citizens of Czechoslovakia saw hockey matches with Soviet Union as a quiet, symbolic way of protest. Police forces were regularly set on alert but never used.
1969 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1969 World Ice Hockey Championships was the 36th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships, which also doubled as the 47th European ice hockey championships. For the first time the Pool A, B and C tournaments were hosted by different nations:...
.
After Soviet invasion into Czechoslovakia
Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia
On the night of 20–21 August 1968, the Soviet Union and her main satellite states in the Warsaw Pact – Bulgaria, the German Democratic Republic , Hungary and Poland – invaded the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic in order to halt Alexander Dubček's Prague Spring political liberalization...
political ideals of Prague Spring
Prague Spring
The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II...
were slowly but steadily replaced by politics of accommodation to demands of Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. People in Czechoslovakia, unable to find other ways to express their opinion, reacted with few very visible but ultimately ineffective manifestations of disagreement.
On March 21 and 28, 1969, the Czechoslovak
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
national ice-hockey team beat the Soviet team in the 1969 World Ice Hockey Championships
1969 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1969 World Ice Hockey Championships was the 36th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships, which also doubled as the 47th European ice hockey championships. For the first time the Pool A, B and C tournaments were hosted by different nations:...
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. Throughout Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic was the official name of Czechoslovakia from 1960 until end of 1989 , a Soviet satellite state of the Eastern Bloc....
, possibly 500,000 fans crowded the streets of their cities to celebrate the wins. In some places, particularly Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, the celebrations turned to protests against the Soviet military who continued to occupy the country after the Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
invasion the previous August. While the majority of these demonstrations were peaceful, some turned violent as protesters attacked Soviet military units. In Prague, protesters ransacked the Soviet Aeroflot
Aeroflot
OJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the flag carrier and largest airline of the Russian Federation, based on passengers carried per year...
office, though some have suggested they were encouraged by State Security
State Security (Czechoslovakia)
In former Czechoslovakia, State Security or StB / ŠtB, was a plainclothes secret police force from 1945 to its dissolution in 1990...
agents.
The protests were suppressed by Czechoslovak military and police, now under full control of the hardliners from the Communist Party. The events were used as a pretext to oust remaining leaders symbolizing Prague Spring from power. Among them, Alexander Dubček
Alexander Dubcek
Alexander Dubček , also known as Dikita, was a Slovak politician and briefly leader of Czechoslovakia , famous for his attempt to reform the communist regime during the Prague Spring...
was forced to resign as First Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, in Czech and in Slovak: Komunistická strana Československa was a Communist and Marxist-Leninist political party in Czechoslovakia that existed between 1921 and 1992....
, to be replaced by Gustáv Husák
Gustáv Husák
Gustáv Husák was a Slovak politician, president of Czechoslovakia and a long-term Communist leader of Czechoslovakia and of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia...
who started politics of "normalisation
Normalization (Czechoslovakia)
In the history of Czechoslovakia, normalization is a name commonly given to the period 1969 to about 1987. It was characterized by initial restoration of the conditions prevailing before the reform period led by Alexander Dubček , first of all, the firm rule of the Communist Party of...
".
No active protests against presence of Soviet troops occurred thereafter. During years of normalisation citizens of Czechoslovakia saw hockey matches with Soviet Union as a quiet, symbolic way of protest. Police forces were regularly set on alert but never used.