get-to-know-cz: Quick history: Munich agreement and the Second Republic Previously: The First R
get-to-know-cz: Quick history: Munich agreement and the Second Republic Previously: The First Republic | The crisis of the First Republic On 23rd September 1938 the new Czechoslovak government announced mobilization of army and two days later rejected Hitler’s demands to give up Czechoslovak bordeland. On 26th September Chamberlain sent his negotiators to Berlin, followed by a letter that said “you can get everything important without war and without delay”. From the left to the right: British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, French Prime Minsiter Édouard Daladier, German Führer Adolf Hitler, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, and Italian Foreign Minister Count Gian Galeazzo Ciano pictured before signing the Munich Agreement. Afterwards Hitler gave approval to the meeting of representatives of Germany, Italy, Great Britain and France - the last two actual “allies” of Czechoslovakia (especially France), which is why the whole thing got the nickname “Munich Betrayal”. On 29th September 1938 all representatives agreed that Czechoslovakia has 10 days to cede the border territory inhabited by Germans (“Sudetenland”) to Germany. Despite being present in Munich at the moment, no Czechoslovak representatives were invited for this deal. That’s why the titles of Czech newspapers the next day said: “about us without us” (o nás bez nás). By the way this term is well known even now and is used at times when decisions are made abroad about our country without considering our opinion. On 30th September Czechoslovak government accepted the Munich Agreement. This meant the end of the First Czechoslovak Republic. The acceptance of Munich Agreement had large impact on the country. Germany occupying the borderlands also meant the 40% loss of industrial enterprises, paralysis of the traffic, and taking over Czechoslovak border fortifications (which were of course build against Germany itself). The Munich Agreement however had a addition about „other minorities“, not long after followed by Viennese arbitration where Slovakia lost 20% of its land to Hungary. Poland too joined the territorial claims on Czechoslovakia and took Těšín (Czesyn). Sudeten Germans destroying border poles. Sudetenland was officially added to the Reich. Second picture: Czech refugees moving to the inland from their confiscated homes. Soon president Beneš abdicated and flew to Great Britain. The new president was elected Emil Hácha. The Second Republic (1938 - 1939) Truncated Czechoslovakia existed only briefly. The official title was changed to Czecho-Slovak Republic and Slovaks got their much desired autonomy. The Slovak nationalist party HSĽS, headed after the death of Andrej Hlinka by Jozef Tiso, was also gaining on influence. After the occupation of the border prevailed among Czechs large scepticism and depression, often referred to as the loss of national “backbone.” In public scene were mostly seen careerists and the right wing. New conservative agrarian government tried to reconcile with Germany while seeking to preserve the Republic. All Czech parties were merged into two and democracy was slowly dying out. During this time also started the persecution of the Jews. Hitler still wanted the whole Czechoslovakia but he was bound by agreements with the Allies to not invade. Hitler then realized that if Czechoslovakia ceases to exist he won’t break any deals while taking it. He used long-standing disagreements between Czechs and Slovaks to break the country from the inside without lifting even single gun. Jozef Tiso, previously nominated for president of the autonomous Slovak government (but in the end not elected), was invited to Berlin where he was under pressure forced to choose between Hungarian occupation or declaring “independence”. That’s why on 14th March 1939 was declared the independent Slovak state. Tiso (first picture) was threatened with Hungarian invasion, although Hungary attacked Slovakia anyway. Hácha (second picture) was threatened with bombing of Prague, which wasn't even possible with the weather that day. After Slovakia’s declaration of independence Czechoslovakia stopped existing. President Emil Hácha was invited to Berlin day after Tiso where he under similar pressure (Hácha even collapsed during this meeting) signed that Czech lands accept the protection of Reich. The whole thing is pretty ironic if you realize that Germany was the very country Czechoslovakia was arming itself against in the years before. On March 15 1939 at 6 o’clock in the morning began occupation of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia. That was the end of the Second Republic. You’ll see what this “protection” really meant in the next post. Next: Protectorate Bohemia and Moravia -- source link