Bohemia

Quick Facts: Who was Bohemia?

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Bohemia

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Historical region of the Czech Republic, central to Slavic culture and political development.

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Origins & Early Life

Bohemia ( boh-HEE-mee-ə; Czech: Čechy [ˈtʃɛxɪ] ; German: Böhmen [ˈbøːmən] ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohemian kings, including Moravia and Czech Silesia, in which case the term refers to the historical cultural and political space of the Czech people. The smaller region is then referred to as Bohemia proper as a means of distinction. The 9th century Bohemian principality became a part of Great Moravia, and then an independent Duchy of Bohemia, which became a kingdom in the Holy Roman Empire. This subsequently became a part of the Habsburg monarchy and the Austrian Empire.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

After World War I and the establishment of an independent Czechoslovak state, the whole of Bohemia became a part of Czechoslovakia, defying claims of the German-speaking inhabitants that regions with German-speaking majority should be included in the Republic of German-Austria. Between 1938 and 1945, these border regions were annexed to Nazi Germany as the Sudetenland. The remainder of Czech territory became the Second Czechoslovak Republic and was subsequently occupied as the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia until the end of World War II, after which Bohemia became part of the restored Czechoslovakia. In 1968, the Czech lands (including Bohemia) were invaded by Warsaw Pact troops sent by the Soviet Union and stayed under occupation as the Czech Socialist Republic until the Velvet Revolution in 1989. In 1990, the name was changed to the Czech Republic, which became a separate state in 1993 with the breakup of Czechoslovakia.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Until 1948, Bohemia was an administrative unit of Czechoslovakia as one of its "lands" (země). Since then, administrative reforms have replaced self-governing lands with a modified system of "regions" (kraje), which do not follow the borders of the historical Czech lands (or the regions from the 1960 and 2000 reforms). However, the three lands are mentioned in the preamble of the Constitution of the Czech Republic: "We, citizens of the Czech Republic in Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia..." Bohemia had an area of 52,065 km2 (20,102 sq mi), and today is home to about 6.9 million of the Czech Republic's 10.9 million inhabitants. Bohemia was bordered in the south by Upper and Lower Austria (both in Austria), in the west by Bavaria (in Germany), and in the north by Saxony and Lusatia (in Germany and Poland, respectively), in the northeast by Silesia (in Poland), and in the east by Moravia (also part of the Czech Republic). Bohemia's borders were mostly marked by mountain ranges such as the Bohemian Forest, the Ore Mountains, and the Giant Mountains; the Bohemian-Moravian border roughly follows the Elbe-Danube watershed.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1938: 1938 Milestone — Between 1938 and 1945, these border regions were annexed to Nazi Germany as the Sudetenland.
2. 1948: 1948 Milestone — Until 1948, Bohemia was an administrative unit of Czechoslovakia as one of its "lands" (země).
3. 1960: 1960 Milestone — Since then, administrative reforms have replaced self-governing lands with a modified system of "regions" (kraje), which do not follow the borders of the historical Czech lands (or the regions from the 1960 and 2000 reforms).
4. 1968: 1968 Milestone — In 1968, the Czech lands (including Bohemia) were invaded by Warsaw Pact troops sent by the Soviet Union and stayed under occupation as the Czech Socialist Republic until the Velvet Revolution in 1989.
5. 1990: 1990 Milestone — In 1990, the name was changed to the Czech Republic, which became a separate state in 1993 with the breakup of Czechoslovakia.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Bohemia

True or False: “The name Bohemia was originally derived from the Celtic tribe known as the Boii.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While named after the Boii, the modern Czech name 'Čechy' is derived from the Slavic ethnic group that settled in the area.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Bohemia