Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia or Czechoslovakia was a republic in central Europe, emerged from the collapse of the Danube monarchy ( Austria-Hungary ) after the First World War.On January 1st 1993 followed a (peaceful) division into the Czech Republic and Slovakia .

Content

 * 1 Name and spelling
 * 1.1 Name
 * 1.2 Spelling
 * 2 History
 * 2.1 interwar
 * 2.2 1945-1990
 * 2.3 Disintegration
 * 3 Timeline
 * 4 See also

[Name edit ]
In the history of Czechoslovakia has had several names:
 * First Czechoslovak Republic ( Czech : Československá republika, abbreviated CSR) was the name from 1918 to 1938.
 * Second Czechoslovak Republic ( Czech : Československá republika, abbreviated CSR) was the name from 1938 to 1939.
 * Czechoslovak government-in-exile (Czech: prozatímní státní zřízení Československé) was the name of the government in exile between 1939 to 1945 and was only recognized by the Allies .
 * Third Czechoslovak Republic ( Czech : Československá republika, abbreviated CSR) was the name from 1945 to 1960.
 * Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (Czech: Československá republika socialistická abbreviated CSSR) was the name from 1960 to 1990;
 * Czech and Slovak Federal Republic (Czech: Česká a Slovenská republika federativní abbreviated CSFR) was named after the Velvet Revolution of 1990 to the disintegration of the state.

[Spelling edit ]
The spelling Czechoslovakia (Czech / Slovak: Česko-Slovensko) was the official [source?] spelling during following periods: The name was originally similar to "Austria-Hungary" composed, but often obsolete and gave it preferred the simpler Czechoslovakia (officially throughout most of the state history). Today, the Czech Republic known as Czechoslovakia (Czech: Československo) according to the official Czech spelling rules, while in Slovakia still "Czechoslovakia" (Slovak: Česko-Slovensko) calls. In Dutch-speaking region, most authorities prefer the spelling variant with a dash. In Flanders, the spellings Czechoslovak and Czech Slo v akije Oslo v akije frequently.
 * 1) 1918 to 1920 (according to some historians until 1923 )
 * 2) the end of 1938 until March 14 1939
 * 3) April 1990 until the demerger on December 31 1992 [source?]

History [ edit ]
Czechoslovakia emerged as a state after the breakup of Austria-Hungary, when it was the Austrian parts of Bohemia and Moravia merged with the Hungarian parts ofSlovakia and Ruthenia . The first president of Czechoslovakia was Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk .

[Interwar edit ]
Elevation map of Czechoslovakia between 1920 and 1938

Czechoslovakia has never really been a stable state, but there was always a strong national consciousness, despite the ethnic diversity of the country. In the census of1921 the population composition was as follows: There were also large minorities of Hungarians and Ruthenians (name for Ukrainians ) and smaller minorities of Jews and Poles .
 * Czechs 6.8 million (51.5%)
 * Germans 3.2 million (23.4%)
 * Slovaks 2.3 million (14%)

If steel board of Czechoslovakia became the Czech and Slovak handled, which the largest minority was excluded. The Slovaks felt discriminated. In all minorities led to a desire for autonomy or joining the motherland: Czech Republic was the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia annexed by Germany.
 * on 14 September 1918, the first president was appointed, called Tomas Masaryk
 * in 1938 it became Sudetenland incorporated into Nazi Germany after the Munich conference
 * Occupied Poland in 1938 Cieszyn
 * Ruthenia was given autonomy in 1938 and declared its independence in 1939, after which it was occupied within 24 hours Hungary
 * Slovakia declared in 1939 independently.
 * Southern Slovakia with large Hungarian minorities came in 1939 again in Hungary.

[1945-1990 Edit ]
After the war, the state of Czechoslovakia restored, initially again as parliamentary democracy . The German population was expelled and Ruthenia was the Soviet Union annexed. On 20 February 1948 the Communists seized power in Prague Coup . Paradoxically not be bloodshed and violence but under the cheers of about half of the population [1] .

In 1951 found purges within the Communist leadership. Among others, party secretary Rudolf Slánský was accused of Titoism hanged. A Stalinist regime under Antonín Novotný then remained until 1968 .

In 1968, a group of reformers in power, led by Alexander Dubcek . The objective was the development of a "communisme with a human face". This half-year, the Prague Spring called. Troops of the Warsaw Pactmade ​​in late August an end to the experiment.

In 1990 were the first free elections since the Second World War, in which the Communist Party received only 14% of the vote. Vaclav Havel became president. This transition period is called the " Velvet Revolution . "

Disintegration [ edit ]
With the disappearance of the dictatorship Slovaks saw their chance to demand more autonomy, because under communism the federal structure of Czechoslovakia was too often proved hollow. Slovaks, led byVladimír Mečiar (which is a coalition formed by the SNS) demanded a confederal state structure, but got no Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus, who asked the Slovaks choice: either a strong federation , orseparatism .

Slovakia declared on July 17 1992 sovereign, took on September 3 own constitution and officially divided the country on January 1 1993 . The split was celebrated in Slovakia, in the Czech Republic there were no celebrations.

See also [ edit ]

 * List of Presidents of Czechoslovakia
 * List of Prime Ministers of Czechoslovakia