• CR is part of the austrian hungarian empire

• Germanization and Recatholization of the “Czech Land”

• Czechs are living in multiethnical empire

• lack of representation of the Czechs in politics etc

• but: industrial power of the empire

• imbalance: no power / presentation in politics but at the same time responsible for the wealth due to the economy there

• the CR was important for the austrian/hungarian empire

• biggest industrial power in the empire

• geographically it suited well: armes, manifactures, cars etc in the middle of the empire

• economic powerhouse

• czechs (as many others) were fighting for the empire

• political system became more authoritan & more repressive

• czechs started to have more national feelings, started to fight against the empire (didnt want it to surivive the WW)

• end of war: dissolution of the empire

• Bolsheviks took over the power, replace the empire —> the Soviets established their own government, the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR).

• “ensured” some sort of independence for the Czechs

• support from east and west

• french/british were afraid of “balkanization” so they supported the existence of the austrian hungarian empire

• Declaration of Washington

• president masaryk

• US supported Czechoslovak independence

—> Masaryk as the role model for post war Europe (democracy, independence of the state)

—> on purpose similar language to Declaration of independence to distinguish from Habsburger language/empire

—> in need of support from bigger/powerful countries to survive as a small country in between of bigger/more powerful ones

—> as a matter of practicism Czech and Slovaks become “alliance” after WW1 à even harder for two small countries like this alone à Czechs and Slovaks didn’t identify each others as members of the same country

• Biggest minority in Czechoslovakia: germans living at the border to Germany/Austria

• big change here from AH empire (were germans were the majority) to Czechoslovakia (germans as a minority)

• not that repressive movement against them (german schools,theaters, university, also ministery language

• no “Czechization”, mostly peaceful living

-  Hitler was elected: uses the narrative of the germans are living on the “wrong site of the border” —> wants to “reunifiy” Germany —> also uses this to convince other states of the unfair treatment of the germans “in need”

-  People living near the border at CS “Sudeten Germans” —> all germans voted for the Sudeten german party (Konrad hedlein => Head of Sudeten german party, close to hitler)

—> sudenten german party got the most votes (15%) !!! in this elevtion

- Hitler needed the Czech for the infrastructure for the planned war —> Czechs were “ready to fight” as soon as they heard about munich agreement

—> (Edward Beniz) president decided against resistance (controversy discussed: they didn’t have had a chance to fight against)

Head of sudenten german party

close to hitler

later: SS

- Austria becomes Germany (along the CS border: “threat” of German Empire)

- 09/1938: munich agreement (solved issue of the border issues) —> all countries afraid of war —> idea: sacrifice the parts of CR to the sake of peace

—> participating countries: Italy, Germany, France, Britain (no representation of CS)

—> Agreement: Hitler will take Sudeten territory for the exchange that he wont take more territory in Europe —> big part of CZ is gone

=> All the territories with over 50% of germans were invaded by Germany

- Local germans were welcoming Germans, CS not (George Kennan, impact of Munich agreement)

=> president of CR who decided against resistance (controversy discussed: they didn’t have had a chance to fight against)

• Soviets freed part of CR

• 1946: Communist Party of CS got 31,2 % votes (many arguments against “belonging to the west”: they betrayed them in munich, soviets are all slaws, freed part of it, wont do sth like the west to them)

• è Marshall Plan: US was offering money for all countries to rebuilt countries —> CR wanted to take it, then had a meeting in Moskow, after that they rejected the money ( no independence, Soviets have a lot of power over CR)

• 1948 definitive iron curtain (warsaw pact; dividing euorpe: West vs. soviet union)

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• collectivization of farmland

• nationalization of private companies and industries (from arms industry to book shops, coffee shops…)

• one party rule (communist party is the only one which can be voted for)

• —> with this: censorship (newspaper, radio, TV) —> only access: smuggled books, newspaper or “voice of America” —> most Czechs could access it as an alternative news source

• , curbing of civil society

• centralization of economy (central planning of goods, food)

  
  

• Failed economic promises? => communism/socialism promised well being, wealth etc —> but: early 1960ies shortcuts on food, energy …. (at the same time: destoried Germany was doing better in wealth etc with capitalism than CS with communism)

• people were disappointed with communism

•   Reformists In the Communist party: small market reforms (exp. Let farmers sell their own food fot the prices they think are suitable) could help the market for a jump start

• Spring 1968: market reforms, protests, open speeches etc

• Moskow was afraid of CS getting totally rid of Communism (which wasn’t even the plan of the people)

• saw it as a threat to the security of the soviet system —> Soviet Union sent their troops to CS as a sign of power

• destroy the aims of reform

• Communist party tries to relegatimise their existence —> many people left the communist party (people who support resistance etc) —> most people don’t trust politics anymore

• Consumer society: Supermarkets, modern housing —> trying to calm people down with material things à new form of legitimacy —> but: politically, socially everything controlled by government

• Communists trying to cooperate with the opposition bc it is supported by that many people

• leads to (“half”)free election: all the “freed” spots were taken by the solidarity movement

• also leads to the velvet revolution

  —>communists tried to maintain some positions in the future, knowing that they cant/ don’t want to fight all the people which are part of the revolution

• June 1990 (first election): Civic Forum (opposition parties againt communism) wins highly, communism wasn’t banned, they still maintain in the politics and still got second strongest party

• Czechoslovakia divided in Czech Republic and Slovakia

• Velvet Divorve 1993: the pragmatic association after war between CR and S ended

• Building the market: nationalization of buildings/companies etc —> people could buy “vouchers” —> Stocks —>participation in economy

• nato 1999

• eu 2004

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