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Cechy, Bohemia, Moravia, Holy Roman Empire, CSSR, CSR...


Once upon a time not too long ago Bohemia (Cechy) and Moravia (Morava) were free. This happened in 1918-1938 and in 1945-1948.
In 1990 they had another chance....

Origins
The first inhabitants of the Czech lands were fish. That's because the country, at the time, was covered by a prehistoric ocean - thanks to which it is possible to find some very nice fossils of trilobytes in the Czech Republic today.

The prehistoric settlement of the present-day Czech Republic by people culminated in the fourth century B.C. with the arrival of the Celts, the first modern human inhabitants of this territory that we know of. The Celts were chased away by Germanic Marcomanni and Quadi tribes from the west and the Romans from the south.

From probably the sixth century AD on, the Slavic peoples settled, in several waves of migration, into the regions which had been conveniently abandoned by the Germanic tribes.

Czech legend goes on to say that Cech's people were happy in the Czech lands, and after a few generations had passed, the Slavs of Bohemia had a new leader - a guy by the name of Krok, who lived at Vysehrad (which means "high castle" and is today the site of the Czech National Cemetery). Krok had three beautiful daughters. Kazi, the oldest, was a healer who knew the secrets of the plants and herbs. Teta was high priestess, and Libuse had special powers which allowed her to see the future.

6th Century
Being surrounded by people who wanted to impose their language, culture, beliefs, and who had less arable land and fewer resources, was perilous. Natural boundaries (forests and mountains) provided some protection, but not enough, and invasions were defended on all fronts. They endured religious reformations after counter-reformations...

In the 1300's
Through marriage, the Czech King Charles IV became head of the Roman Empire, and Prague and czech lands became the distant seat. Universities, architecture, arts and sciences flourished, while Czech culture and language was essentially preserved.

Alas the conquest attempts continued- vikings, german tribes,
Crusaders, Ottomans. Using tall lookout towers on hilltops, The Moravians successfully defended the Czech region from the Ottomans, and thus the Tatars and Huns were prevented from passing Central Europe.

1918
After the Hapsburgs were defeated in World War I, Czechs built a successful Republic, which politically resembled the USA federal republic, with an elected president, Tomas Masaryk.
Not forgetting the past, the Czech army was perhaps the best prepared European army in 1938, and industrial facilities included the second largest tank-producing facilities of its time. (Reference.)

Despite the previous atrocities, the Czech Republic became one of the most thriving and open free markets in the world, with foreigners and minorities able to legally gather in groups, own businesses and property, and even conduct schools in foreign languages.
This again brought opportunity seekers, envy and opposition.
Sudetenland was the name used by Germans for Krusne Hory and other Czech, Moravian and Silesian lands where the Germans encroached, entrenched, forayed, penetrated, permeated, and settled.
Soon this "minority" claimed persecution.
Adolf Hitler wrote in 1924: "People of the same blood should be in the same Reich. When the territory of the Reich embraces all Germans, then the moral right will arise to acquire foreign territory."

An analogous situation is occurring in the USA: Florida, New York and California are experiencing increasing levels of quasi-immigrant populations over only the past 20 years.
Already there is hortatory language in Mexico and the USA for California to be annexed by Mexico.





How would the UN rule?



September 1938
Similarly as the U.N. was doing with Hussein in the last 10 years of the 20th Century, Neville Chamberlain of England adopted an appeasement policy.
Although Winston Churchill urged for military buildup in Britain, and later stated that, "There was never a war more easier to stop," Chamberlain met with Hitler and
signed away Czechoslovakia, claiming "Peace in our time."

Chamberlain stated: "How horrible…that we should be digging trenches…because of a quarrel in a far-away country between people of whom we know nothing…" (radio talk 27th September 1939.) His "Piece of Paper," signed both by Chamberlain and Hitler, was later called a "scrap of paper" by Hitler.

Countless families' factories, homes and belongings were sequestered by the Nazis, as Czechs were forced to move beyond the new border.
Much needed heavy industry and natural resources, including coal and uranium mines, were suddenly under the control of the Germans. Production increased and working conditions "declined," as the Nazi War Machine accelerated unopposed. The factories that produced Czech Skoda tanks suddenly equipped several of the German tank divisions in the campaigns of 1939/1940 and on. "History teaches that all conquerors who have allowed their subject races to carry arms have prepared their own downfall by doing so," wrote Hitler.


March 1939

Six months after the appeasement, German troops took over the rest of Czechoslovakia, taking control of all oil refineries, steel mills, chemical plants, etc.
Appeasement had failed utterly.
Poland and much of Europe was next.
Six years of misery followed.




May 1945 This is a place where Russian and Czech soldiers fought a critical battle with the Germans during the final months of World War II.
This is another place where Russian and Czech soldiers died fighting the Germans.

1946
After the war, Czechoslovakia again had a booming economy, but that was not appreciated by all. Communists made appealing promises to idealistic workers, and won in parliament elections. However the promises were neglected and the laws suddenly changed and sequestering began anew.
This is a place where Communist Police killed Czech citizens who peacefully supported the democratically elected President Benes, who was deposed.


CSSR - Ceskoslovenská Socialistická Republika

No comment needed.
Anyone who advocates socialism should go live in a socialist country for a while.
Emil Zatopek, the winner of gold medals at several olympics, showed support for a democratic movement, and was sent to work in a uranium mine for six years.

1968 - Prague Spring
Dubcek and the people again spoke their minds, but the Warsaw Pact Allies crossed the border into Czechoslovakia and crushed a peaceful revolution.
CSSR was no match.




Twenty more years of oppression and elitism continued. Thanks to USA President Ronald Reagan's pressure and the communist pillaging, young idealists who had not endured previous brutalities surprised the regime with their numbers.



1989- Ceská Republika
Slovakia was abandoned and the Czechs had another attempt to promote economic prosperity.
Although President Havel began the decimation of key industries and the "tunnelling" of funds from the country, the steady sell off of resources to foreign hands has kept the economy rolling.
Where were the profitable industries and national heritage sold? Where did the money go?

Recently
Czechs believe that they are the "center" of Europe, with Prague as an attractive tourist bonanza. The past fifteen years have showed hope of fame and fortune descending into citizens laps.
However the loss of self-sufficiency in food crops and industrial production, the craving for foreign goods and brands, and political ties to former enemies has quietly cost the demise of much culture and originality, and ensured the grip of globalization and EU Fiefdom in this small land.

After honest businessmen give up, world leaders begin the trend to visit other locations.
As a century ago, businesses can once again thrive with the educated and talented work force. Unfortunately, whereas in the last Century businesses looked toward the USA for their model for business law and order, now their practices seem to resemble the German way of doing business, where bribes are tax deductable, instead of criminal. Even before they have slipped into the EvilUnion, the Czechs have handed over their major industries, monuments and media to Germany, Holland and other former adversaries.

Now the future sees a growing resurgence of political promises and of opposition groups... Havel Miroslav Macek & David Rath
Democrats in Gelsenkirchen NPD & Iranian flags in Regensburg, Bavaria
Hungarians protest Socialist Government

Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed;as they are in almost every kingdom of Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword;because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any bands of regular troops that can be, on any pretense, raised in the United States. -Noah Webster in "An Examination into the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution," 1787, in Paul Ford, ed., Pamphlets on the Constitution of the United States, at p. 56 (New York, 1888).

I will harm you the most when I leave you in the hands of academics. - Gengis Khan (1200's)

The refusal to confront gathering dangers can increase rather than reduce future peril. -Donald Rumsfeld (2005)


Views expressed in this page are not necessarily those of anyone whom is known by anyone associated with this webpage.
However the author holds strong distaste for the term "Czechia".

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