Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia: description, history, territory and interesting facts

The protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia is an artificial state formation that appeared in Europe on the eve of World War II. It arose as a result of the aggression of the Third Reich and continued to exist until the end of hostilities in the territory of Czechoslovakia.

According to the representatives of the Reich, the protectorate represented the interests of the German-speaking inhabitants of these lands, while the overwhelming majority of the population in this region were ethnic Czechs.

Start

In early October 1938 after the signing of the Munich agreements, the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia was annexed by fascist Germany. Five months after the annexation, Czechoslovakian President Emil Gahu was summoned to Berlin, where Hitler invited him to accept the occupation of Czechoslovakia without armed resistance.

The answer to Gahu no longer mattered. The annexation of Czechoslovakia to Germany was approved in advance by the higher ranks of the Reich, and after waiting for the winter, the Germans began annexation.

Annexation

March 13, 1939 in all periodicals in Germany were published materials allegedly indicative of the inhumane attitude of the Czechs to the Germans and the oppression of the speakers of the German language. Already on March 15, a German flag fluttered over Hradčina, the old residence of Czech kings. At the same time, the regular honor of the German army occupied Bohemia and Moravia. The third part of the country - Slovakia - was conditionally independent, but in fact also depended on Germany. The annexation was completed.

In March 1939 the decree of Adolf Hitler was signed, according to which certain areas of the former Czechoslovakia fell under the protectorate. Bohemia and Moravia became politically, economically and socially dependent on Germany. On the territory of the protectorate, German laws were in force, the country of the invader country controlled the country. The Czechs did not have their own internal troops, their regular army was also dissolved - henceforth the Germans took care of the security of the borders of Czechoslovakia.

The executive power in the country was supervised by a special protector appointed by the Reich. The first to hold this position was Constantine von Neurath. There was also a president who allegedly headed the protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. Throughout the time of the existence of this state formation, Emil Gahu remained his president.

Strengthening of positions

Initially, the power of fascist Germany could be called moderate. Of course, many parties were banned, and all Jews in the country were dismissed from their posts and transferred to an illegal position. Nevertheless, there were enterprises in the country, educational institutions were opened, libraries and cinemas worked. But gradually the country lost the remnants of formal independence and became a working appendage of the Third Reich.

Martial law

Gradually the situation changed. Military operations broke out, and Germany needed a large influx of cheap labor. The most accessible source for this was the protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.

To manage the industry in the occupied territories, special departments were organized. The Czechs had to work in the mining, metallurgical and defense industries, part of the Czech youth was deported to Germany. The production of consumer goods was curtailed, the capacities were directed to supply the German army. For the people there are organized rations and food cards.

On October 28, the whole of Czechoslovakia was stirred by mass protests by the intelligentsia and students. Protesters opposed the German occupation. The reaction of the German government was immediate. Mass arrests and arrests of political opponents and active citizens began. On November 17, secondary and higher educational institutions were closed. Student leaders were arrested and then executed. Hundreds of people without trial and effect were in concentration camps - so showed a "soft" protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.

The period of 1939-1945.

The outbreak of World War II placed the entire economic and social life in Czechoslovakia on a war footing. In order to stop the slightest protests and actions of disobedience, the internal forces that controlled the protectorate were completely reorganized.

Bohemia and Moravia became the stage of the career of one of the most active supporters of the Reich, Reinhardt Heydrich. He was appointed head of the Main Directorate of the Imperial Security Forces. The puppet prime minister of the protectorate, was arrested, and then shot - allegedly for anti-German activities. The Czech government was dissolved, and all secular public institutions were closed.

The German police, together with the SS forces, began persecuting Jews and dissidents. All persons of Jewish nationality were deported to concentration camps, and in the town of Terezin organized a ghetto, which existed until the very end of the war. Soon Heydrich was wounded, and then died. His successor, Kurt Dahluge, continued the policy of repression. Two villages - Ležáky and Lidice - were completely destroyed, and the residents were shot.

The machine of repression, torture and executions operated all the time. The repressive apparatus was led by well-proven SS officers - Max Rozshtok, Richard Schmidt and Ernst Khitsegrad. The protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, for the years of their service, lost about two hundred thousand people killed, tortured, missing. About 35,000 Czech workers were forcibly deported to Germany to work in military factories.

Conditional independence

Under the banner of the so-called liberation, the protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (1939-1945) tried to appear on the international scene as an independent state. In this pseudo-state printed their own money and went postage stamps. Ceham was even allowed to make his own laws. There was also a flag of the protectorate.

Bohemia and Moravia have chosen for their main symbol of the country ancient Slavic colors - white, blue and red. This combination of colors is the only thing that has survived since the annexation. After the end of World War II, the tricolor panel remained the national flag of Czechoslovakia.