Czechoslovakia

I

Introduction

Czechoslovakia, former republic in Central Europe, in existence from 1918 until 1993. On January 1, 1993, Czechoslovakia ceased to exist and the Czech Republic and Slovakia emerged as independent nations. In terms of land, population, and economy, the Czech Republic absorbed two-thirds and Slovakia one-third of the former Czechoslovakia.

II

Government

A president, premier, and cabinet of ministers formed Czechoslovakia’s executive branch of government; a bicameral Federal Assembly performed all legislative functions; and a supreme court and a series of lower courts together functioned as the judicial authority. Once ruled solely by the Communist Party, the republic admitted more parties into the governmental system in 1990.

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) controlled the country’s military structure as stated in the Warsaw Pact. In 1991 all Soviet troops withdrew from Czechoslovakia. Prague served as the federal capital of Czechoslovakia and is now the capital of the Czech Republic.

III

Culture and Society

Czechoslovakia’s main cultural achievements took place primarily in the Middle Ages and after the 18th century. In the intervening three centuries, control by Germans resulted in the suppression of native achievement and forced many artists, musicians, and philosophers to live abroad. The 14th century laid the basis for a national style in painting, made famous by the unknown Master of Vyšší Brod and a distinctive style in architecture called the Vladislav Gothic. The 19th century witnessed a revival and further development of painting, music, and sculpture. The 1960s saw a return to prominence of Czechoslovakian films. The Shop on Main Street (1966), directed by Ján Kadár and Elmar Klos, and Loves of a Blonde (1965), directed by Miloš Forman, won general acclaim in the West.

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Traditional painting in Czechoslovakia during the 19th century was best exemplified by the works of Josef Mánes. The portrait painter Max Švabinský and the sculptor Josef Myslbek gained recognition around the turn of the 20th century. Josef Drahoňovský, who sculpted in various media, including glass, achieved prominence after World War I (1914-1918). Later in the 20th century František Kupka achieved a posthumous reputation as one of the pioneers of abstract painting, and Jiří Kilář established an international reputation for his witty collages.

Czech contribution to music has been of notable international importance. The composer Bedřich Smetana is known as the father of Bohemian national music; Antonín Dvořák, who was born in Bohemia, lived and worked in the United States for several years; Leoš Janáček is noted for his operas and songs, some of which were based on folk themes; and Bohuslav Martinů, whose symphonic music bears ethnic traces of its Czech origin, also lived and composed in the United States.

While the Communists ruled Czechoslovakia, the film, radio, television, telephone, and telegraph services were all state-owned. The ministry of information oversaw the editorial operations of all newspapers, and the ministry of communications was in charge of distribution. Besides the major Communist newspaper, Rudé Právo (Red Justice), nationally distributed daily newspapers included the organs of two parties allied with the Communist Party.

In the late 1980s the Central Council of Trade Unions, the governing body of the Revolutionary Trade Union Movement, encompassed 97 percent of the labor force. It was charged specifically with encouraging productivity, informing the government about labor needs, and providing recreation for workers. Membership and monthly dues were generally compulsory.

IV

History

For the early history of the former Czechoslovakia, see Czech Republic and Slovakia.

During World War I, Czech nationalist leaders Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk and Edvard Beneš formed a provisional government for a Czecho-Slovak republic with the support of Slovak leaders, including Milan Štefánik, and Allied powers. The republic of Czechoslovakia was established at Prague immediately after the war, on October 28, 1918. The new republic included the former imperial provinces of Bohemia, Moravia, part of Silesia, Slovakia, and sub-Carpathian Ruthenia.