Encyclopedia
Czechoslovakia was a country in
Central Europe that existed from 1918 until early 1993 . On January 1, 1993, Czechoslovakia peacefully split into the
Czech Republic and
Slovak Republic Slovakia.
Basic characteristics
Form of state:
- 1918–1939: a democratic republic consisting of the regions Bohemia, Slovakia, Czech Silesia and Carpatho-Ukraine
- 1939–1945: after annexation of Sudetenland by Germany in 1938, split into the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and the Slovak Republic
- 1948–1989: a Communist country with a centrally planned economy
- 1969–1989: a federal republic consisting of the Czech Socialist Republic and the Slovak Socialist Republic;
- 1989–1993: a federal republic consisting of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic;
Neighbours:
Germany ,
Poland, from 1945
Soviet Union ,
Romania ,
Hungary,
AustriaTopography: Generally irregular terrain. Western area is part of north-central European uplands. Eastern region is composed of northern reaches of Carpathian Mountains and Danube Basin lands.
Climate: Predominantly continental but varied from moderate temperatures of Western Europe in the west to more severe weather systems affecting Eastern Europe and the western Soviet Union in the east.
Official names
- 1918–1920: Czecho-Slovak Republic or Czechoslovak Republic ; short form Czecho-Slovakia or rarely Czechoslovakia
- 1920–1938 and 1945–1960: Czechoslovak Republic ; short form Czechoslovakia
- 1938–1939: Czecho-Slovak Republic; Czecho-Slovakia
- 1960–1990: Czechoslovak Socialist Republic ; Czechoslovakia
- April 1990: Czechoslovak Federative Republic and Czecho-Slovak Federative Republic ,
- afterwards: Czech and Slovak Federative Republic
- Note that the official adjective form is Czechoslovak, not Czechoslovakian.
History
Main article:
History of CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia arose in October 1918 as one of the succession states of
Austria-Hungary at the end of
World War I. It consisted of the present-day territories of the
Czech Republic,
Slovakia and
Carpathian Ruthenia . Its territory included some of the most industrialized regions of the former Austria-Hungary, it was a
democratic republic throughout the pre-
World War II period, but was characterized by ethnic problems. The ethnic problems were due to the fact that the second and third largest ethnic groups were not satisfied with the political and economic dominance of the
Czechs, and that most Germans and
Hungarians of Czechoslovakia never really accepted the creation of the new state.
Many Germans, Hungarians and Poles, but also some Slovaks, felt disadvantaged in Czechoslovakia, because the political elite of the country introduced a centralised state and most of the time did not allow political autonomy for the ethnic groups. This policy, combined with increasing Nazi propaganda especially in the industrialised German speaking Sudetenland, led to increasing unrest among the Non-Czech population.
Before WWII, Czechoslovakia became
Hitler's target. After the
Munich Agreement of 1938, Hitler's troops occupied the ethnic-German border regions of
Bohemia and
Moravia , Hungary received territory in southern Slovakia, and the Slovak and Ruthene regions received an autonomous status for a while. Finally Czechoslovakia ceased to exist in March 1939, when Hitler occupied the remainder of the
Czech lands and Slovakia was forced to declare independence. During the
Second World War the Czech lands were designated the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and were ruled directly by the German state. The newly independent Slovak state became an ally of Nazi Germany. Slovakia's troops fought on the Russian front until the summer of 1944, when the Slovak armed forces staged an uprising against their government. German forces crushed this uprising after several months of fighting.
After
World War II, pre-war Czechoslovakia was reestablished, The Benes decrees concerned the expropriation of wartime "traitors" and collaborators accused of treason but also all ethnic Germans and Hungarians. They also ordered the removal of
citizenship for people of German and Hungarian ethnic origin who were treated collectively as collaborators with the former
Nazi regime. . This was then used to confiscate their property and
expel around 90% of the ethnic German population of Czechoslovakia. These people were remained collectively accused of supporting the Nazis and his affiliation to the
Third Reich in 1938. Almost every decree explicitly stated that the sanctions did not apply to anti-fascists although the term
Anti-fascist was not explicitely defined . Some 250,000 Germans, some anti-fascists, but also people required for the post-war reconstruction of the country remained in Czechoslovakia.
Ruthenia was occupied by the Soviet Union. Three years later the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia seized power following a parliamentary election in which the Communists emerged as the winner and the country came under the influence of the
Soviet Union. Except for a short period in the late 1960s the country was characterized by the absence of democracy and relative economic backwardness compared to Western Europe, although its economy remained more advanced than those of its neighbors in Eastern Europe. In the religious sphere,
atheism was officially promoted and taught. In 1969, Czechoslovakia was turned into a
federation of the
Czech Socialist Republic and
Slovak Socialist Republic. Under the federation, social and economic inequities between the Czech and Slovak halves of the state were largely eliminated.
The 1970s saw the rise of the dissident movement in Czechoslovakia, represented by
Václav Havel. The movement sought greater political participation and expression in the face of official disapproval, making itself felt by limits on work activities , police harassment and even prison time.
In 1989, the country became a democratic country again through the
Velvet Revolution. In 1992, the federal parliament decided to split the country into the
Czech Republic and
Slovakia, as of January 1, 1993.
From creation to dissolution — overview
Heads of state and government
- List of Presidents of Czechoslovakia
- List of Prime Ministers of Czechoslovakia
- see also Communist Party of Czechoslovakia — Leaders
International agreements and membership
After WWII, active participant in Council for Mutual Economic Assistance ,
Warsaw Pact,
United Nations and its specialized agencies, and
Movement of Nonaligned Nations; signatory of
conference on Security and Cooperation in EuropeAdministrative divisions
Main article: Administrative divisions of Czechoslovakia- 1918–1923: different systems on former Austrian territory and on former Hungarian territory : 3 lands [zeme] Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia + 21 counties [župy] in today's Slovakia + 2? counties in today's Ruthenia; both lands and counties were divided in districts [okresy]
- 1923–1927: like above, except that the above counties were replaced by 6 counties [župy] in today's Slovakia and 1 county in today's Ruthenia, and the number and frontiers of the okresy were changed on these 2 territories
- 1928–1938: 4 lands [in Czech: zeme / in Slovak: krajiny]: Bohemia, Moravia-Silesia, Slovakia and Subcarpathian Ruthenia; divided in districts [okresy]
- late 1938–March 1939: like above, but Slovakia and Ruthenia were promoted to "autonomous lands"
- 1945–1948: like 1928–1938, except that Ruthenia became part of the Soviet Union
- 1949–1960: 19 regions [kraje] divided in 270 districts [okresy]
- 1960–1992: 10 regions [kraje], Prague, and Bratislava; divided in 109–114 districts [okresy]; the kraje were abolished temporarily in Slovakia in 1969–1970 and for many functions since 1991 in Czechoslovakia; in addition, the two republics Czech Socialist Republic and Slovak Socialist Republic were established in 1969
Population and ethnic groups
Main article: Population and Ethnic Groups of Czechoslovakia
Religion
Main article: Religion in Communist Czechoslovakia
In 1991: Roman Catholics 46.4%, Evangelic Lutheran 5.3%, Atheist 29.5%, n/a 16.7%, but there were huge differences between the 2 constituent republics – see
Czech Republic and
SlovakiaHealth, social welfare and housing
Main article: Health and Social Welfare in Communist Czechoslovakia
After WWII, free health care was available to all citizens. National health planning emphasized preventive medicine; factory and local health-care centers supplemented hospitals and other inpatient institutions. Substantial improvement in rural health care in 1960s and 1970s.
Politics
Main articles: and Politics of Communist Czechoslovakia
After WWII, monopoly on politics held by Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.
Gustáv Husák elected first secretary of KSC in 1969 and president of Czechoslovakia in 1975. Other parties and organizations existed but functioned in subordinate roles to KSC. All political parties, as well as numerous mass organizations, grouped under umbrella of National Front of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. Human rights activists and religious activists severely repressed.
Government
Main article: Government structure of Communist Czechoslovakia
Constitutional development
Czechoslovakia had the following
constitutions throughout its history :
- Temporary Constitution of November 14 1918 [democratic], see:
- The 1920 Constitution [democratic, in force till 1948, several amendments], see:
- The 1948 Constitution [a Communist one]
- The 1960 Constitution [a Communist one till 1989] with amendments in 1968 , 1971, 1975, 1978, 1989 and several times during 1990-1992
Society and social groups
Main article: Society of Communist Czechoslovakia
Education
Main article: Education in Czechoslovakia
Education free at all levels and compulsory from age six to sixteen. Vast majority of population literate. Highly developed system of apprenticeship training and vocational schools supplemented general secondary schools and institutions of higher education.
Resource base
Main article: Resource base of Communist Czechoslovakia
After WWII, country energy short, relying on imported crude oil and natural gas from Soviet Union, domestic brown coal, and nuclear and hydroelectric energy. Energy constraints a major factor in 1980s.
Economy, foreign trade and financial system
Main articles: Economy of Communist Czechoslovakia and Economic History of Communist Czechoslovakia
After WWII, economy centrally planned with command links controlled by communist party, similar to
Soviet Union. Large metallurgical industry but dependent on imports for iron and nonferrous ores.
- Industry: Extractive and manufacturing industries dominated sector. Major branches included machinery, chemicals, food processing, metallurgy, and textiles. Industry wasteful of energy, materials, and labor and slow to upgrade technology, but country source of high-quality machinery and arms for other communist countries.
- Agriculture: Minor sector but supplied bulk of food needs. Dependent on large imports of grains in years of adverse weather. Meat production constrained by shortage of feed, but high per capita consumption of meat.
- Foreign Trade: Exports estimated at US$17.8 billion in 1985, of which 55 % machinery, 14 % fuels and materials, 16 % manufactured consumer goods. Imports at estimated US$17.9 billion in 1985, of which 41 % fuels and materials, 33 % machinery, 12 % agricultural and forestry products other. In 1986, about 80 % of foreign trade with communist countries.
- Exchange Rate: Official, or commercial, rate Kcs 5.4 per US$1 in 1987; tourist, or noncommercial, rate Kcs 10.5 per US$1. Neither rate reflected purchasing power. The exchange rate on the black market was around Kcs 30 per US$1, and this rate became the official one once the currency became convertible in the early 1990s.
- Fiscal Year: Calendar year.
- Fiscal Policy: State almost exclusive owner of means of production. Revenues from state enterprises primary source of revenues followed by turnover tax. Large budget expenditures on social programs, subsidies, and investments. Budget usually balanced or small surplus.
Transportation and communications
Main article: Transportation in Czechoslovakia
Mass media
Main article: Mass media in Communist Czechoslovakia
The mass media in Czechoslovakia was controlled by the Communist party . Private ownership of any publication or agency of the mass media was generally forbidden, although churches and other organizations published small periodicals and newspapers. Even with this informational monopoly in the hands of organizations under KSC control, all publications were
reviewed by the government's
Office for Press and Information.
Sports
The Czechoslovakia national football team was a consistent performer in the international scene, with 8 appearances in the
FIFA World Cup Finals, finishing in second-place in
1934 and
1962. The team also won the
European Football Championship in
1976 and came in third in
1980.
The Czechoslovakian national ice hockey team has won many medals from the world championships and olympic games.
The famous
tennis players
Ivan Lendl and
Martina Navrátilová were born in Czechoslovakia.
Culture
See:
Postage stamps
Czechoslovakia's first issue
See also
- Former countries in Europe after 1815
External links
