Download Meeting 8

Political and Social History of CEE in 20th Century
Meetimg 8. (26.10.2016)
The Second World War – Czechoslovakia, Hungary. The
differences between the various CE countries.
Czechoslovakia
1939
13 March – Hitler demands that Slovakia declare independence
14 March – Slovak parliament declares independence
15 March – Nazi troops enter Czech territory
16 March – Hitler proclaims a decree about the forming of the “Protectorate of Bohemia
and Moravia”
23 March – signing of “protective treaty” between Nazi Germany and Slovakia; a secret
economic agreement follows
By occupying Czechoslovakia, Germany gained 2.175 field canons, 469 tanks, 500
anti-aircraft artillery pieces, 43.000 machine guns, 1.090.000 military rifles, 114.000
pistols, and about a billion rounds of ammunition and three millions of anti-aircraft
grenades.
Czech industry was made to work for Germany and some branches (metallurgy)
were moved out of the coutry (Linz, Austria).
16 April – calling to life of Czechoslovak Committee in England headed by Jan Masaryk
18 April – first anti-Semitic laws in Slovakia
4 July – Nuremberg laws introduced in the Protectorate
21 July – Slovak constitution passed
3 September – Czech and Slovak legion formed in Poland
29 September – beginning of forming of Czechoslovak armed forces in France
28 October – demonstrations in Prague commemorating the independence of
Czechoslovakia; one student -–J. Opletal killed
17 November – Nazi authorities close all universities; 9 students are executed; 1200
students are detained in concentration camps
17 November – Czechoslovak Committee is recognized by France
20 December – Czechoslovak Committee is recognized by Great Britain
1940
9 July – Czechoslovak temporary government formed in London; recognized by British
government on 21 July
11 November – declaration of Polish and Czechoslovak governments in exile about
future federation
1941
23 January – a decree of the government of Protectorate about forced labor for men
between 18-50 years of age
26 June – Slovakia declares war on USSR
30 July – US recognizes Czechoslovak government in London
9 September – Slovak government issues “Jewish code”
27 September – R.Heydrich becomes the deputy Protector; on 28th he introduces Martial
Law (till 19 January 1942)
16 October – first transport of Jews from Prague to ghetto in Łódź; in all approximately
78,000 Jews were murdered during the war of the 117,500 living in Czech lands before
the war.
1942
25 March – first transport of Jews from Slovakia to extermination camps (999 women to
Auschwitz) till October 20; resumed on September 30, 1944.
In all some 70,000 Jews were deported and probably 105,000 exterminated in total, (i.e.
77% od Slovak Jews).
27 May – an assault on Heydrich (Heydrich dies on June 4th) by Czech parachute
troopers dropped by London (Operation Anthropoid)
10 June – the village of Lidice wiped out (16 children survived); 173 (192) men killed;
women sent to concentration and labor camps and 104 children given German families to
be raised as Germans
24 June – the village of Lezaky wiped out (2 children survived)
5 August – British government considers its signature under the Munich Treaty void
29 September – the French National Front declares that it considers the Munich Treaty
void from the beginning
1943
30 January – first Czechoslovak troops formed in USSR leave for the front line
12 December – Czechoslovak – Soviet Friendship Treaty signed; 13- 23 December –
Benes conducts talks in Moscow
December – Slovak National Council called to life
1944
29 August – beginning of the Slovak uprising
1 September – first legal meeting of the Slovak National Council in Banska Bystrica
liberated by the Red Army
21 September – first Slovak city liberated by Soviet Army
26 November – the Ukrainian National Committees declare the merger with Soviet
Ukraine
1945
30 January – Czechoslovak government recognizes the Polish Temporary Government
22-29 March – Czech and Slovak politicians in Moscow issue a program and list of the
government of Czech and Slovak National Front
28 March – Soviet Army liberates first Czech city
4 April – forming of a new Czechoslovak government under p.m. Zdenek Fierlinger in
Košice
5 April – Košice program formulated
21 April – US troops liberate first towns on Czech territory
5/6 May – uprising in Prague
10 May – Czechoslovak government arrives in Prague
Hungary
1938
18 May – first anti-Semitic laws passed
21-23 August – Little Entente agree to Hungary’s equal military development
2 November – the First Vienna Award
1939
24 February – Hungary joins the AntiKomintern Pact
15 March – Hungarian Army enters Ruthenia
4 April – Slovakia cedes rest of Ruthenia to Hungary; Poland and Hungary have common
border
11 April – Hungary leaves the League of Nations
4 May – second anti-Semitic laws passed
1940
30 August – Second Vienna Award – Hungary acquires northern Transylvania (43
thousand sq km; 2,5 mln people)
20 November – Hungary joins the Berlin-Rome-Tokyo Axis
12 December – Hungary signs a treaty of friendship with Yugoslavia
1941
2/3 April – p.m. Teleki commits suicide not being able to avoid Hungarian participation
in war
11 April – Hungarian army attacks Yugoslavia (5 days before Germany) – Hungary
reaches pre-World War I border; in the years 1938-1941 Hungary grew by about 80
thousand sq. km
27 June – Hungary declares war on USSR
7 December – Great Britain declares war on Hungary
13 December – Hungary declares war on USA
1942
Hungary sends 200,000 soldiers to the Russian front and 100,000 occupation and logistic
troops
1943
January – Hungarian Army beaten at Woronez (about 150,000 killed; 90 % of equipment
lost)
September – secret negotiations with the Allies
1944
19 March – German Army occupies Hungary
The occupation of Hungary by German forces in March 1944 was carried out as Operation Margarethe I.
Hungary was an ally of Nazi Germany, but Prime Minister Miklós Kállay, with the knowledge and
approval of Regent Miklós Horthy, had been discussing an armistice with the Allies. Adolf Hitler found out
about these discussions and, feeling betrayed by the Hungarians, ordered German troops to implement
Operation Margarethe to capture critical Hungarian facilities.
mid-April – deportation of Jewish population – by mid-July over 430 thousand Jews
taken to extermination camps (mostly in Poland)
May – the so-called Hungarian Front of Communists formed
24 August – all political activity banned; many Hungarians arrested
12 September – Hungarian Communist Party reactivated
September – Seged program formulated (Hungarian National Front formed)
11 October – Hungary signs an armistice in Moscow
15 October – Horthy announces the withdrawal from war
22 December – General Bela Danloki Miklos’s government formed in Debrecen
(coalition government accepted by Moscow)
1945
17 February – Soviet Troops enter Budapest
15 March – temporary government announces land reform
4 April – Hungary liberated by the Red Army
4 November – first post-war elections to the parliament