Pittsburgh Agreement
Encyclopedia
The Pittsburgh Agreement paved the way for the creation of the state of Czechoslovakia
and was signed by a group of 20 Czechs, Slovaks
, and Rusyns
on May 31, 1918. The agreement, signed in the Moose Hall in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, declared the intent of the American representatives of Bohemia
, Moravia
, Slovakia
, and Czech Silesia
, to create an independent state to be known as Czecho-Slovakia, as spelled in the document, and is often compared to the United States
' Declaration of Independence
.
On October 18, 1918, the primary author of the agreement, T. G. Masaryk, declared the independence of Czechoslovakia. He was elected the first President
of an independent Czechoslovakia in November 1918.
Because the biggest group of politically-active Slovaks was in the United States, when the Czechs and Slovaks decided to come together in a nation state, the agreement was signed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The Pittsburgh Agreement proclaimed that the groups would work for mutual independence to form one country: “Czecho-Slovakia.” The document guaranteed autonomy for Slovaks under one state including the right to create an assembly. The Martin Declaration created by the Slovak National Council provided for Slovak assent in joining a united Czecho-Slovak Republic. In 1920, the Constitution of the Czechoslovak Republic was adopted by the National Assembly without provision for an autonomous Slovak entity.
A subsequently signed calligraphic version was donated on September 9, 2007 to the John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, at a public ceremony attended by Representatives of many Slovak
and Czech
cultural organizations and Sokol
s, as well as government officials from Slovakia
, The Czech Republic, and The United States of America. This copy remains in the History Center's collection, but many copies of the calligraphic version are present in various places worldwide.
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...
and was signed by a group of 20 Czechs, Slovaks
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
, and Rusyns
Rusyns
Carpatho-Rusyns are a primarily diasporic ethnic group who speak an Eastern Slavic language, or Ukrainian dialect, known as Rusyn. Carpatho-Rusyns descend from a minority of Ruthenians who did not adopt the use of the ethnonym "Ukrainian" in the early twentieth century...
on May 31, 1918. The agreement, signed in the Moose Hall in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, declared the intent of the American representatives of Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
, Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, and Czech Silesia
Czech Silesia
Czech Silesia is an unofficial name of one of the three Czech lands and a section of the Silesian historical region. It is located in the north-east of the Czech Republic, predominantly in the Moravian-Silesian Region, with a section in the northern Olomouc Region...
, to create an independent state to be known as Czecho-Slovakia, as spelled in the document, and is often compared to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' Declaration of Independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
.
On October 18, 1918, the primary author of the agreement, T. G. Masaryk, declared the independence of Czechoslovakia. He was elected the first President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of an independent Czechoslovakia in November 1918.
Because the biggest group of politically-active Slovaks was in the United States, when the Czechs and Slovaks decided to come together in a nation state, the agreement was signed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The Pittsburgh Agreement proclaimed that the groups would work for mutual independence to form one country: “Czecho-Slovakia.” The document guaranteed autonomy for Slovaks under one state including the right to create an assembly. The Martin Declaration created by the Slovak National Council provided for Slovak assent in joining a united Czecho-Slovak Republic. In 1920, the Constitution of the Czechoslovak Republic was adopted by the National Assembly without provision for an autonomous Slovak entity.
A subsequently signed calligraphic version was donated on September 9, 2007 to the John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, at a public ceremony attended by Representatives of many Slovak
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
and Czech
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
cultural organizations and Sokol
Sokol
The Sokol movement is a youth sport movement and gymnastics organization first founded in Czech region of Austria-Hungary, Prague, in 1862 by Miroslav Tyrš and Jindřich Fügner...
s, as well as government officials from Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, The Czech Republic, and The United States of America. This copy remains in the History Center's collection, but many copies of the calligraphic version are present in various places worldwide.
Signatories
- Albert Mamatey (Slovak)
- Ivan Bielek (Slovak)
- Ján Janček, Jr. (Slovak)
- Matúš Gazdík (Slovak)
- Milan Getting (Slovak)
- Ján Pankúch (Slovak)
- Gejza H. Mika (Slovak)
- Michal Bosák (Slovak)
- Ignác Gessay (Slovak)
- Rev. Jozef Murgaš (Slovak)
- Jozef Hušek (Slovak)
- Rev. Ján Kubašek (Slovak)
- Andrej Schustek (Slovak)
- Rev. L. Jozef Karlovský (Slovak)
- Rev. Pavel Šiška (Slovak)
- J. A. Ferienčík (Slovak)
- Ivan Daxner (Slovak)
- Tomáš G. Masaryk (Czech)
- Karel Pergler (Czech)
- Ludvík Fisher (Czech)
- B. Simek (Czech)
- J. J. Zmrhal (Czech)
- Josef Martínek (Czech)
- Hynek Dostál (Czech)
- Rev. Oldřich Zlámal (Czech)
- Vojta Beneš (Czech)
- Rev. Innocent Kestl (Czech)
- Jan Straka (Czech)
- Dr. Joseph P. Pecivál (Czech)
External links
- Original Pittsburgh agreement on Czechoslovakia to return to Pittsburgh February 27, 2007 PopCityMedia.com website.
- Important dates from the life of T.G. Masaryk, the first president of the ČSR, Consulate General of Czech Republic in Montreal
- History of Slovakia Embassy of the Slovak Republic in the United States of America
- Pittsburgh Agreement, University of Pittsburgh