Czechoslovakia: 99 Years

Ninety-nine years ago, on Oct 28th, 1918, Czechoslovakia was created on the ruins of Austria-Hungary. This cartoon for kids explains the basics:



Charles I, grand-nephew of the long-lived emperor Francis Joseph I, came to the throne inwards 1916. He wanted a huge amount of autonomy for the nations of Austria-Hungary, he wanted to endure crowned the Czech virile mortal monarch (and he spoke Czech) but it was also late. In the belatedly Summer 1918, the fate of Republic of Austria in addition to Deutschland inwards the state of war deteriorated dramatically. The empires surrendered in addition to accepted the weather of the victors, including the United States of America of America

On Oct 28th, lots of happy people inwards elegant hats were on the streets. Czechoslovaks were capable of pushing the Austrian forces away from the centers of power. Things went smoothly.

United States of America of America president Woodrow Wilson had assumed the partition of Austro-Hungarian Empire to smaller countries at to the lowest degree from early on 1918. Prof Thomas Garrigue Masaryk became the commencement "daddy" president of Czechoslovakia because he did around of the difficult diplomatic run to convince the West that it's an optimal novel province for our region. Czechoslovakia forthwith became a modern republic amongst the executive, legislative, in addition to judicial branches of the government, amongst the novel Czechoslovak currency – which was the Europe's hardest currency past times the belatedly 1920s.




Masaryk's talks weren't e'er trivial. This documentary has shown a fascinating dialogue of Masaryk amongst David Lloyd George, the British finance minister, who was basically against the dissolution of Austria-Hungary. "Do you lot know why the tea is great? Because Great Britain is great! Do you lot know why we're looking frontwards to the eve fifty-fifty though nosotros read sour intelligence every morning? Because our empire is great." And (fishy) arguments similar that. Also the declaration that is typical for America these days: "We e'er had ane human being inwards Central Europe, the Austrian Emperor, to beak to us. Do you lot desire us to beak to x men instead?" Masaryk answered: "When they're representatives of x complimentary nations, it's better".

But D.L. George also made quite a precious analysis of Masaryk: "I know why you lot went abroad, Prof Masaryk. Because non Austrians but your ain Czechs would trounce you. You escaped from them. Please never exhibit them how much unlike from them you lot are, otherwise it volition endure a large mess." I genuinely handle amongst that entirely. Masaryk was substantially unlike from the average Czech – whether or non Masaryk was an illegitimate son of the emperor LOL.

Surprisingly, however, the dim prophesies past times D.L. George turned out to endure incorrect inwards the actual history. Masaryk remained dear every bit the "daddy of the nation" until his decease inwards 1937 (he resigned 2 years earlier) – in addition to the democratic Czechoslovakia born inwards 1918 died before long afterwards him.




As the cartoon at the top shows, Czechs in addition to Slovaks invented the novel meme that they were genuinely ane nation. That novel convention, "Czechoslovakism", made the Czechoslovak field dominant on the territory piece the other groups – Germans, Hungarians, Rusyns, Jews – were downgraded to mere minorities and, when it comes to their influence on the "existential" decisions of the country, minute shape citizens (well, upwardly to 1938 when Sudeten Germans became a higher race again). This optical suppression of the other minorities could conduct maintain been skillful inwards 1918 but it also placed a fourth dimension bomb nether Czechoslovakia – in addition to similar fourth dimension bombs were placed beneath all of Europe around 1918, afterwards all.

Bohemia was the around industrialized percentage of Austro-Hungarian Empire in addition to the 1920s inwards item were a wonderful catamenia for my country, bringing it to the top of Europe. Even when it was weakened past times the Great Depression inwards the 1930s, it remained a prosperous realm of culture in addition to happiness inside the increasingly fascist bounding main of Central Europe. The Munich Betrayal of 1938 ended those happy times.



Czechoslovak anthem sung inwards German

In comparing to Catalonia, Czechoslovakia had favorable weather to endure born. Austro-Hungarian Empire was only existence defeated inwards the the world state of war in addition to then it didn't conduct maintain much position out energy left to care additional, internal wars. The creation of Czechoslovakia – in addition to other countries – was basically approved inwards Vienna. However, about especial sources of pressure level made it easier for Czechoslovakia. Even before Czechoslovakia was created, it already had its ain impressive army, the Czechoslovak Legion, ane that has also won the Battle of Zborov. That battle had no long-term consequences past times itself but it must conduct maintain improved the ikon of the feasible modern Czechoslovak warriors.

1918 was a unlike the world than 2017 but Czechoslovakia was apparently no toothless king of beasts edifice on P.R. games, electronic governments, in addition to non-violent resistance. It had the correct mixture of the animate existence force, modern democratic in addition to industrial arrangements, skillful luck, in addition to favorable international province of affairs in addition to then that it could endure created every bit a spousal human relationship that hadn't existed before.

I was born inwards communist Czechoslovakia. Although the thought of ane Czechoslovak field was no longer "officially supported" when I was born, I became keen on it in addition to when it's purely upwardly to myself, I soundless reckon Czechoslovaks to endure ane nation. You know, it doesn't hateful that I am unable to interact amongst the generic people who notice it "obvious" that at that spot are 2 unlike nations. But I am only playing a game to about extent when I unambiguously approve of the form out existence of Czechs in addition to Slovaks. The form out existence is only about other random, suboptimal convention from my viewpoint.



In this 1929 "20th Century Fox" video, President-Founder Masaryk speaks inwards Czenglish in addition to praises the novel American technologies. He proposes a Wi-Fi signal to encompass all of Africa amongst the Internet, in addition to then that everyone tin heed to the audio of the jungle. Mark Zuckerberg lately stole this meme from Prof Masaryk.