- Slovaks in Czechoslovakia (1918–1938)
Whereas
Czechs wished to create a Czechoslovak nation,Slovaks sought afederal republic in 1918. The new Czechoslovak republic ("First Republic"), with its predominantly Czech administrative apparatus, hardly responded to Slovak aspirations for at least some form ofautonomy . In the Slovak view, Czech domination had simply replaced Hungarian, since Czechs who were unable to find positions in Bohemia or Moravia took over local administrative and educational posts in Slovakia. linguistic similarity and geographic proximity proved to be an inadequate basis for a nation-state. AProtestant minority of Slovaks (educated and influential in government) was generally sympathetic to the republic, but the SlovakCatholic clergy, the ruralbourgeoisie , and the peasantry wanted autonomy. The Slovak Republic duringWorld War II (1939-45) was, among other things, the culmination of Slovak discontent with Czech hegemony in the country's affairs (seeThe WWII Slovak Republic ).Political autonomy was a particularly grave issue for the Slovaks. In 1918
Tomáš Masaryk had signed an agreement withSlovak-Americans in Pittsburgh, promising Slovak autonomy. The provisional National Assembly (i.e. Czechoslovak parliament), however, agreed on the temporary need for centralized government to secure the stability of the new state. The so-called Hlasists, centered around the journal "Hlas" ("voice" in English), continued to favor the drawing together of Czechs and Slovaks. Although the Hlasists did not form a separate political party, they dominated Slovak politics in the early stages of the republic. The Hlasists' support of Prague's centralization policy was bitterly challenged by theSlovak People's Party . The party was led by the Catholic priestAndrej Hlinka . Hlinka argued for Slovak autonomy both in the National Assembly and at the Paris Peace Conference. He made Slovak autonomy the cornerstone of his policy until his death in August 1938.The Slovak People's Party was Catholic in orientation and found its support among Slovak Catholics, many of whom objected to the secularist tendencies of the Czechs. Religious differences compounded
secular problems. The Slovak peasantry had suffered hardships during the period of economic readjustment after the disintegration ofAustria-Hungary . Moreover, the apparent lack of qualified Slovaks had led to the importation of Czechs into Slovakia to fill jobs (formerly held by Hungarians) in administration, education, and the judiciary. Nevertheless, at the height of its popularity in 1925, the Slovak People's Party polled only 32 percent of the Slovak vote, although Catholics constituted approximately 80 percent of the population. Then, in 1927, a modest concession by Prague granted Slovakia the status of a separate administrative province, and the Slovak People's Party joined the central government in Prague. MonsignorJozef Tiso andMarek Gažík from Slovakia were appointed to the cabinet.Although Hlinka's objective was Slovak autonomy within a democratic Czechoslovak state, his party contained a more radical wing, led by
Vojtech Tuka . From the early 1920s, Tuka maintained secret contacts withAustria ,Hungary , and Hitler's National Socialists (Nazis). He set up theRodobrana (paramilitary organisation) and published subversive literature. Tuka gained the support of the younger members of the Slovak People's Party, who called themselves Nastupists, after the journal "Nastup". Tuka was arrested and tried in1929 , after which the Slovak People's Party resigned from the government in Prague as a sign of protest. The result of being in a centralised government while itself opposing centralisation caused a slight drop in the party's popularity. In 1935 it polled 30 percent of the vote and again refused to join the government. In 1936 younger members of the party criticised the pro-Soviet orientation of the Republic, favoring instead good relations with its closest neighbours, esp.Poland andAustria . In September1938 , the party was pressured by Hitler to press its demands forSlovak autonomy .For further details on this topic see
Slovak People's Party .
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