The Republic of Czechoslovakia was re-established after World War II, but in the course of the Cold War it soon ended up as a satellite state of the Soviet Union. In 1960 it was renamed the Socialist Republic of Czechoslovakia (Československá socialistická republika in Czech and Slovak) and it remained that way until the Velvet Revolution in 1990.

[edit] Official names

1945–1960: Republic of Czechoslovakia (ČSR); short form Czechoslovakia
1960–1990: Socialist Republic of Czechoslovakia (ČSSR); Czechoslovakia
April 1990: Czechoslovak Federative Republic (Czech version) and Czecho-Slovak Federative Republic (Slovak version),
afterwards: Czech and Slovak Federative Republic (ČSFR, with the short forms Czechoslovakia (Czech version) and Czecho-Slovakia (Slovak version))
The official adjective form is Czechoslovak, not Czechoslovakian. (And likewise Slovak, not Slovakian although both -ian forms are standard in the English-speaking world)

The traditional name Československá republika (Republic of Czechoslovakia) was changed on July 11, 1960 (when the new constitution was put into effect) as a symbol of the "final victory of socialism" in the country, and remained so until the fall of socialism in Czechoslovakia. Disputes about the new name followed; see Czech and Slovak Federal Republic for details. Several other state symbols were changed in 1960.

[edit] History

Main articles: History of Czechoslovakia, 1945-1948, 1948-1968, 1969-1987 and 1987-1990

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 (the Sudetenland), 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 (the remaining) 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.

Image:Czechoslovakia.png

During World War II a Czechoslovak government-in-exile was established in London by Dr Edvard Benes, who was recognised as President of Czechoslovakia by the British and other Allied governments. He was returned to power as President when Czechoslovakia was liberated in 1945 and was re-elected in 1946.

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 in fact became the german and hungarian citizens during the occupation. (These provisions were cancelled for the Hungarians, but not for the Germans, in 1948). 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 (after the Munich Agreement, in December 1938, 97.32% of adult Sudetengermans voted for NSDAP in elections). 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, many married to Czechs, some anti-fascists, but also people required for the post-war reconstruction of the country remained in Czechoslovakia.

Ruthenia was occupied by (and in June 1945 formally ceded to) the Soviet Union. Three years later the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia seized power (1948–1989) following a 1946 parliamentary election in which the Communists emerged as the winner in the Czech lands (the Democratic Party was the winner in Slovakia) and the country came under the influence of the Soviet Union. Except for a short period in the late 1960s (the Prague Spring) 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. A number of ministries, such as Education, were formally transferred to the two republics. However, the centralized political control by the Communist Party severely limited the effects of federalization.

The 1970s saw the rise of the dissident movement in Czechoslovakia, represented (among others) 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 (up to a ban on any professional employment and refusal of higher education to the dissident's children), 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 dissolve the country into the Czech Republic and Slovakia, as of January 1, 1993.

[edit] Geography

Neighbours: Germany (1945–1990: West Germany and East Germany), Poland, from 1945 Soviet Union (1992: Ukraine), Hungary, Austria

Topography: 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.

[edit] Politics

Main article: Politics of Communist Czechoslovakia

After WWII, monopoly on politics held by Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. Gustáv Husák elected first secretary of KSC in 1969 (changed to general secretary in 1971) 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.

[edit] Basic characteristics

1945–1948: a country that generally respected democratic freedoms and was governed by a coalition government, with Communist ministers (including the prime minister and minister of interior) laying leading roles; territorially consisted of Bohemia, Moravia, and Slovakia
1948–1989: a Communist country with a centrally planned economy (from 1948 People's Republic, from 1960 Socialist Republic to 1989)
1969–1990: a federal republic consisting of the Czech Socialist Republic and the Slovak Socialist Republic;

[edit] Government

Main article: Government structure of Communist Czechoslovakia

Constitutions:

The 1948 Constitution (The Ninth-of-May Constitution) [a Communist one]
The 1960 Constitution (The Constitution of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic) [a Communist one till 1989] with amendments in 1968 (Czechoslovakia turned into a federation), 1971, 1975, 1978, 1989 (leading role of the KSC abolished) and several times during 1990-1992 (e. g. 1990 change of the name of Czechoslovakia, 1991 incorporation of the human rights charter)

[edit] Heads of state and government

[edit] International agreements and membership

After WWII, active participant in Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (Comecon), Warsaw Pact, United Nations and its specialized agencies, and Movement of Nonaligned Nations; signatory of conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe

Image:Czechoslovakia.png

[edit] Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of Czechoslovakia

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 (since 1970) 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 (without the word Socialist since 1990)

[edit] Economy

Main articles: Economy of Communist Czechoslovakia, 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 (mainly for livestock feed) 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Transportation and communications

Main article: Transportation in Czechoslovakia

[edit] Demographics

Main article: Population and Ethnic Groups of Czechoslovakia

[edit] Society and social groups

Main article: Society of Communist Czechoslovakia

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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 Slovakia

[edit] Health, 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.

[edit] Mass media

Main article: Mass media in Communist Czechoslovakia

The mass media in Czechoslovakia was controlled by the Communist party (KSČ). 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 KSČ control, all publications were reviewed by the government's Office for Press and Information.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Timeline

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	Czechoslovakia (or Czecho-Slovakia) \| 1918 - 1939; 1945 - 1992
Austria-Hungary (until 1918) (Bohemia, Moravia, a part of Silesia, northern parts of the Kingdom of Hungary (Slovakia and Carpathian Ruthenia)	Republic of Czechoslovakia (the first Republic; RČS) (1918-1938)	Sudetenland + other German territories (1938-1945) "Upper Hungary" territories of Hungary (1938-1945) </TD>		Czechoslovak Republic (ČSR) (1945-1960)	Socialist Republic of Czechoslovakia (ČSSR) (1960-1990) Czech Socialist Republic Slovak Socialist Republic	Czech and Slovak Federal Republic (ČSFR) (1990-1992) Czech Republic Slovak Republic	Czech Republic (since 1993) Slovakia (since 1993)
		Czecho-Slovak Republic (ČSR) incl. autonomous Slovakia and Transcarpathian Ukraine (1938-1939)	Protectorate (1939-1945) WWII Slovak Republic (1939-1945)
			(further) "Upper Hungary" of Hungary (1939-1945)	part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (1945/1946-1991)		Zakarpattia Oblast of Ukraine (from 1991)
		nazism		1948-1989 a satellite state of the Soviet Union
			govern. in exile

cs:Československá socialistická republika

sk:Československá socialistická republika zh:捷克斯洛伐克社会主义共和国

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Socialist Republic of Czechoslovakia

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