Czechoslovak Socialist Republic

Czechoslovak Republic
(1948–1960)
Československá republika
Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
(1960–1990)
Československá socialistická republika
1948–1990
Motto: 
Pravda vítězí / Pravda víťazí
"Truth prevails"
Anthem: Kde domov můj (Czech)
’Where my home is’

Nad Tatrou sa blýska (Slovak)
’Lightning Over the Tatras’
The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic in 1989
The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic in 1989
StatusSatellite state of the Soviet Union and member of the Warsaw Pact
Capital
and largest city
Prague
50°05′N 14°25′E / 50.083°N 14.417°E / 50.083; 14.417
Official languages
Religion
Demonym(s)Czechoslovak, Czechoslovakian
Government
General Secretary 
• 1948–1953
Klement Gottwald
• 1953–1968
Antonín Novotný
• 1968–1969
Alexander Dubček
• 1969–1987
Gustáv Husák
• 1987–1989
Miloš Jakeš
• 1989
Karel Urbánek
• 1989–1990
Ladislav Adamec
President 
• 1948–1953 (first)
Klement Gottwald
• 1989–1990 (last)
Václav Havel
Prime Minister 
• 1948–1953 (first)
Antonín Zápotocký
• 1989–1990 (last)
Marián Čalfa
LegislatureNational Assembly
(1948–1969)
Federal Assembly
(1969–1990)
Historical eraCold War
25 February 1948
9 May 1948
11 July 1960
21 August 1968
1 January 1969
24 November 1989
23 April 1990
• End of the Government of National Understanding
27 June 1990
Area
• Total
127,900 km2 (49,400 sq mi)
Population
• 1986 estimate
15,600,000
HDI (1990 formula)Steady 0.931[1]
very high
CurrencyCzechoslovak koruna (Kčs)
Drives onright
Calling code42
Internet TLD.cs
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Third Czechoslovak Republic
Czech and Slovak Federative Republic
Today part of
  • a. ^ All permanent non-Soviet members of the Warsaw Pact, except Romania, were "European colonies".[2]

The Czechoslovak Socialist Republic,[a] known from 1948 to 1960 as the Czechoslovak Republic,[b] Fourth Czechoslovak Republic, or simply Czechoslovakia, was the Czechoslovak state from 1948 until 1989, when the country was under communist rule, and was regarded as a satellite state in the Soviet sphere of interest.[3]

Following the coup d'état of February 1948, when the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia seized power with the support of the Soviet Union, the country was declared a socialist republic when the Ninth-of-May Constitution became effective. The traditional name Československá republika (Czechoslovak Republic), along with several other state symbols, were changed on 11 July 1960 following the implementation of the 1960 Constitution of Czechoslovakia as a symbol of the "final victory of socialism" in the country.

In April 1990, shortly after the Velvet Revolution of November 1989, the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic was renamed to the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic. On 10 December 1989, the National Government of Understanding was established with Marián Čalfa as Prime Minister, replacing a Ladislav Adamec led communist government, with a cabinet in which the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia held 10 of 21 seats, compared with the 15 of 20 seats they had held in the previous cabinet. The Communist Party continued to hold a strong plurality in government until democratic elections in June 1990 where the Civic Forum claimed victory, and a new government was formed on 27 June by Prime Minister Čalfa which led the government until its end.

  1. ^ "Human Development Report 1990" (PDF). Human Development Reports.
  2. ^ Vladimir Tismaneanu, Marius Stan, Cambridge University Press, 17 May, 2018, Romania Confronts Its Communist Past: Democracy, Memory, and Moral Justice, p. 132
  3. ^ Rao, B. V. (2006), History of Modern Europe Ad 1789–2002: A.D. 1789–2002, Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd.


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