First Czechoslovakian Republic

The First Republic Czechoslovakian (in Czech, První republika or První československá republika , in Slovak, Prvá česko-slovenská republika ) is the mode which the Czechoslovakia between its creation in 1918 knew and its dissolution following the Accords of Munich in 1938. It is preceded by the Austria-Hungary and is followed Second Republic Czechoslovakian, short interlude still democratic which lasts of October 1st, 1938 to the March 15th 1939, before is not founded the Protectorat of Bohemia-Moravie.

Birth

Czechoslovakia is born from the cutting-up of the Austria-Hungary enterriné by the treated Saint-Germain-in-Bush hammer at the conclusion of the First World War, on a national basis promoted by the Czech Tomáš Masaryk and Slovak the Milan Rastislav Štefánik, the Czechs and the Slovak ones cotoient German of Sudètes, Ukrainians, of the Poles and the Hungarians (without counting the Jewish minorities often German-speaking and the Rroms). In fact, no nation is really majority on " son" proper territory and the first years of independent Czechoslovakia are remembered by strong nationalist tensions which undermine the political life.

The German minority is not invited to take part in the development of the constitution of the new republic. Adopted in 1920, this one preaches the irredentism with Germany.

The first elections proceed the April 18th 1920 and, until the German annexation of 1938-1939, the populations of the Czechoslovakian Republic will be invited to take part in the various polls by respecting the calendar envisaged by the Constitution.

Territory and nationalities

According to the statistics of 1921,13 613 172 inhabitants live on the territory of the republic divided into:

Czech 51% of
23,4% of German of German Sudètes and of Slovak Carpates
14% of
5,5% of Magyar
3,4% of Ruthène S, Ukrainians and Russian
1,3% of Jewish German-speaking
1,4% of other minorities, of which Polish, Rroms, etc

It integrates the territories

Royaume of Bohemia (hitherto depend on the crown of Austria)
of the Slovakia and subcarpatic Ruthénie (hitherto dependant on the crown of Hungary

This irrefutable fact is denounced by the German minorities included in the new State and majority in certain areas, it is necessary to send the armed force to it to impose the new Slavic republic on it:

the Böhmerwaldgau (area of the Forests of Bohemia), in Bohemia of the south declares District ( Kreis ) Länder of High-Austria; managed by the Kreishauptmann (chief of district) Friedrich Wichtl (1872 - 1922) since October 30th, 1918,
the Deutschböhmen (Germanic Bohemia), in the North-East of Bohemia declares whole part of the new Austrian State and is managed by a Landeshauptmann : Rafael Pacher (1857-1936), from October 29th to November 6th, 1918 then by Rudolf Ritter von Lodgman von Auen (1877 - 1962) from November 6th to December 16th, 1918 (its capital, Reichenberg, are the last one has to be conquered by the Czechoslovakian army but its government continuous in exile first of all with Zittau in Saxony then with Vienna, until September 24th, 1919),
the Sudetenland (the Sudètes), in the north of the Moravie and in Silesia declares whole part of the new Austrian State and is managed by the Landeshauptmann Robert Freissler (1877-1950) from October 30th to December 18th, 1918 (date to which the Czechoslovakian ones occupy its capital, Opava),
the Deutschsüdmähren (Germanic Moravie of the south) proclaims District ( Kreis ) of the Low-Austria and is managed by the Kreishauptmann Oskar Teufel (1880 - 1946) of October 30th, 1918 until December of the same year when the Czechoslovakian troops take again the situation and the territories in hand.

The opposition between the Germans and the Czechs is latent throughout the Années 1920 and intensifies in the Années 1930. Sudètes initially separatists, express to them Irrédentisme in 1933 with the formation of a German Parti Sudètes taken along by its political leader, Konrad Henlein which claim, with the support of the Nazi Germany, fastening with the Third Reich and amplifies its requirements gradually. The crisis bursts following the Anschluss of Austria and Reich in 1938. It is then obvious that the next requirement of Hitler will be the reunification with Sudètes.

Government

Events

Czechoslovakia is a nail inserted in the back of Germany. It is the strategic vision seen by the State French Major. Also, the army of the country at the beginning financed and is continuously involved by French officers. The chief of Staff of the Tchécoslovaque army will be until 1924 the Général Pellet. The January 25th 1924, a military agreement is found, confirmed the October 16th 1925 by a promise of military aid.

The arrival of Hitler to the capacity in 1933 and the Anschluss with Austria in 1938 fact of fearing that Czechoslovakia, with its three German million of Sudètes concentrated on the margins of the countries bordering Reich and carried out by SdP, the party separatist of Konrad Henlein, is not the next one on the list. Hitler requires the retrocession of the Sudètes and obtains win at the time of the Accords of Munich: the 1^er October 1938, Sudètes are occupied. The March 15th 1939, it is all the Czech part which is occupied and becomes the protectorate of Bohemia-Moravie whereas Slovakia declares her autonomy under the crook of M {{gr.}} Tiso and that the Eastern end of the Republic is occupied by Hungary of the admiral Horthy. France was not reached to defend the country, in spite of mutual agreements of defense.

It is the one period end which, in spite of the ceaseless political problems (nationalist tensions inside, threat Bolshevik with the Eastern steps) and economic (crisis of 1929), is perceived like a golden age by the Czechs.

Sources

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