German occupation of Czechoslovakia

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German occupation of Czechoslovakia

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The military occupation and annexation of Czechoslovakia by Nazi Germany (1938-1945).

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Origins & Early Life

The military occupation of Czechoslovakia by Nazi Germany began with the German annexation of the Sudetenland in 1938, continued with the creation of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, and by the end of 1944 extended to all parts of Czechoslovakia. Following the Anschluss of Austria in March 1938 and the Munich Agreement in September of that same year, Adolf Hitler annexed the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia on 1 October, giving Germany control of the extensive Czechoslovak border fortifications in this area. The incorporation of the Sudetenland into Germany left the rest of Czechoslovakia ("Rest-Tschechei" ) with a largely indefensible northwestern border. Also a Polish-majority borderland region of Trans-Olza which was annexed by Czechoslovakia in 1919, was occupied and annexed by Poland following the two-decade long territorial dispute. Finally the First Vienna Award gave to Hungary the southern territories of Slovakia and Carpathian Ruthenia, mostly inhabited by Hungarians.

Career & Major Achievements

On 14 March 1939, the Slovak parliament voted unanimously to establish an independent Slovak state and German troops preemptively marched into Ostrava to prevent the Poles from occupying the region. The following day, during a visit to Berlin, the Czechoslovak president Emil Hácha was coerced into signing away his country's independence as Hungary annexed the remainder of Carpathian Ruthenia. On 16 March, Hitler proclaimed the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia from Prague Castle, leaving Hácha as the nominal, but almost powerless, State President. Czechoslovakia was occupied by the Wehrmacht, and real power was vested in Hitler's personal representative, the Reichsprotektor. During the occupation, between 294,000 to 320,000 citizens were murdered, the majority of them Jews.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Reprisal killings were especially harsh after the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, including the infamous Lidice massacre. Large numbers were drafted for slave labour in Germany. In March 1944 Germany extended the occupation of Czechoslovakia to Hungary in Operation Margarethe, then to Slovakia in August 1944 following the Slovak National Uprising. The occupation ended with the surrender of Germany at the end of World War II. Hitler's interest in Czechoslovakia was largely economic.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1919: 1919 Milestone — Also a Polish-majority borderland region of Trans-Olza which was annexed by Czechoslovakia in 1919, was occupied and annexed by Poland following the two-decade long territorial dispute.
2. 1938: 1938 Milestone — The military occupation of Czechoslovakia by Nazi Germany began with the German annexation of the Sudetenland in 1938, continued with the creation of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, and by the end of 1944 extended to all parts of Czechoslovakia.
3. 1939: 1939 Milestone — On 14 March 1939, the Slovak parliament voted unanimously to establish an independent Slovak state and German troops preemptively marched into Ostrava to prevent the Poles from occupying the region.
4. 1944: 1944 Milestone — In March 1944 Germany extended the occupation of Czechoslovakia to Hungary in Operation Margarethe, then to Slovakia in August 1944 following the Slovak National Uprising.

Notable Quotes by German occupation of Czechoslovakia

“I am simply demanding that the oppression of three and a half million Germans in Czechoslovakia cease and that the inalienable right to self-determination takes its place.”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: German occupation of Czechoslovakia

True or False: “The Munich Agreement was solely focused on resolving border disputes between France and Germany.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The Munich Agreement involved the governments of France, the United Kingdom, and Czechoslovakia in addressing German expansionism.

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