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After the First World War, in October 1918, Czechoslovakia was established as an independent sovereign state. The new republic consisted of the Czech lands of Bohemia and Moravia, the former Austrian controlled part of Silesia, and Hungarian Slovakia. For twenty years democracy flourished in Czechoslovakia and the country became one of the most prosperous and industrialized in Eastern Europe. During the 1920s and 1930s the Czechoslovak government attempted to industrialize Slovakia. These efforts were largely unsuccessful, however, due in part to the worldwide economic slump of the 1930s. In many respects developments during this period favored the Czech majority over the Slovak minority. For example, most positions in state administration, education and the economy were filled by Czechs. Slovaks, who were greatly outnumbered by the Czechs, differed in many important ways from their Czech neighbors. The Slovak economy was more agrarian and less developed than its Czech counterpart; most Slovaks were practicing Catholics while the Czech leadership believed in limiting the power of the church, and the Slovak people had generally less education and experience with self-government than the Czechs. These disparities, compounded by centralized governmental control from Prague, left many Slovaks disappointed with the structure of the new state. | After the First World War, in October 1918, Czechoslovakia was established as an independent sovereign state. The new republic consisted of the Czech lands of Bohemia and Moravia, the former Austrian controlled part of Silesia, and Hungarian Slovakia. For twenty years democracy flourished in Czechoslovakia and the country became one of the most prosperous and industrialized in Eastern Europe. During the 1920s and 1930s the Czechoslovak government attempted to industrialize Slovakia. These efforts were largely unsuccessful, however, due in part to the worldwide economic slump of the 1930s. In many respects developments during this period favored the Czech majority over the Slovak minority. For example, most positions in state administration, education and the economy were filled by Czechs. Slovaks, who were greatly outnumbered by the Czechs, differed in many important ways from their Czech neighbors. The Slovak economy was more agrarian and less developed than its Czech counterpart; most Slovaks were practicing Catholics while the Czech leadership believed in limiting the power of the church, and the Slovak people had generally less education and experience with self-government than the Czechs. These disparities, compounded by centralized governmental control from Prague, left many Slovaks disappointed with the structure of the new state. | ||
In 1938, the Nazis invaded Czechoslovakia and established a pro-Nazi, nominally independent state in Slovakia. The ultra Slovak nationalist president, Father Jozef Tiso, allowed Hitler to occupy Slovakia and cooperated with him through the war. Following the Second World War, the state of Czechoslovakia was reestablished. In elections in May 1946, the Communists emerged as the strongest political party and from 1948 until 1989 the country was ruled by a Communist government. In 1989, the wave of political reform that swept through central and eastern Europe quickly led to significant changes in the political structure of Czechoslovakia. By November of 1989, the Communist leadership stepped down and, in December 1989, a new government was established. Free elections were held in 1990 but there was apprehension about how the Czechs and the Slovaks would work together. Other elections in June 1992 revealed a growing rift between the two national parliaments and efforts to find a compromise at the federal level fell apart. In July 1992, the Slovak parliament voted in favor of complete sovereignty for the country. In November 1992, the federal parliament voted to dissolve Czechoslovakia as of 31 December 1992, and on 1 January 1993 the Slovak and Czech Republics became two separate, independent states. | In 1938, the Nazis invaded Czechoslovakia and established a pro-Nazi, nominally independent state in Slovakia. The ultra Slovak nationalist president, Father Jozef Tiso, allowed Hitler to occupy Slovakia and cooperated with him through the war. Following the Second World War, the state of Czechoslovakia was reestablished. In elections in May 1946, the Communists emerged as the strongest political party and from 1948 until 1989 the country was ruled by a Communist government. In 1989, the wave of political reform that swept through central and eastern Europe quickly led to significant changes in the political structure of Czechoslovakia. By November of 1989, the Communist leadership stepped down and, in December 1989, a new government was established. Free elections were held in 1990 but there was apprehension about how the Czechs and the Slovaks would work together. Other elections in June 1992 revealed a growing rift between the two national parliaments and efforts to find a compromise at the federal level fell apart. In July 1992, the Slovak parliament voted in favor of complete sovereignty for the country. In November 1992, the federal parliament voted to dissolve Czechoslovakia as of 31 December 1992, and on 1 January 1993 the Slovak and Czech Republics became two separate, independent states.<ref name="profile">The Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Family History Record Profile: Slovakia,” Word document, private files of the FamilySearch Content Strategy Team, 1991-1999.</ref> | ||
Historical Slovak counties with their Hungarian equivalent: | Historical Slovak counties with their Hungarian equivalent: | ||
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[[Image:Slovak historical borders.jpg|thumb|left|300px]] | [[Image:Slovak historical borders.jpg|thumb|left|300px]] | ||
== References == | |||
{{reflist}} | |||
[[Category:Slovakia]] [[Category:History]] | [[Category:Slovakia]] [[Category:History]] | ||