Luc Corbani
David Green
Blog Post 1
Feb. 6, 2022
Czech Republic’s National Identity
The definition of national identity is one that fluctuates and changes over time, that can apply to each individual of a certain country in a different manner. The Oxford English Dictionary defines “national identity” as “a sense of a nation as a cohesive whole, as represented by (the maintenance of) distinctive traditions, culture, linguistic or political features, etc.” (Oxford English Dictionary). National identity gives people a sense of belonging to a nation and thus a sense of pride to belong to the said nation. Furthermore, the construction of national identity is a process, one that spans decades, centuries, and even millennia for certain countries, through the transmission and preservation of unique cultural and historical traditions. Conquered or fallen nations, historically, lost their national identity, sometimes permanently (such as Yugoslavia). Others, however, lost their identity only to regain it years later, such as the Czech Republic, which we will be studying.
Czechia’s historical context
The first primary aspect that contributed to the construction of Czech nationalism is its historical context. Prior to World War 1, the Czech Republic was known as the Czech lands. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, those who identified as Czech found it crucial to revive the Czech language and culture. At the beginning of the 17th century, Habsburgs Germanized the Czech lands (also referred to as Bohemia) after winning the Battle of White Mountain (Musée protestant). This led to opposition of religions among the Protestants who were practically all Czech against Habsburg Catholicism: “the defeat at White Mountain was a crucial event in Czech history, the moment when Bohemia lost its independence and religious freedom.” (Musée protestant) The loss to the Habsburgs meant there was soon to be violent religious oppression throughout the nation which led to a rise in anger in the Czech people and the will to revive the Czech cultural traditions and religion.
“Othering” between the Slovaks and Czechs
Czechoslovakia was a former country in Central Europe encompassing Slovakia and what is commonly known today as Czechia, founded in 1918 at the end of World War I as the Austrian Hungarian empire met its demise. It was a singular nation combining two nations, known today as the Czech Republic and Slovakia. This could have led to a devastating conflict between Czechs and Slovaks due to the potential loss of the national identity of the people: Slovaks and Czechs are both ethnic groups, and since there was an opposition of ethnicities within the nation, Slovaks were deemed as “others” in the eyes of the Czech people, and vice versa.
One thing to note about Czechia is that prior to rupturing with Slovakia due to socio-political reasons, to this day the Czech and Slovak people remain brotherly Slavik nations with strong ties and similar cultures. As World War II began, Hitler began his campaign of expansion known as the expansion of “lebensraum” for the Aryan population. At the end of the 1930s, the regions of Bohemia and Moravia fell to the Germans. Soviet involvement would soon propel the communist party within Czechoslovakia to the top of the poles. Pushing through a 1948 coup d’état that led to the founding of Czechoslovak’s socialist republic as the communists took over the nation. The following decades would keep the Czechoslovak republic under a repressive communist regime, and this was a ticking time bomb. Václav Havel was elected on December 29, 1989, as a member of the democratic party in Czechoslovakia. After the communist party suffered a crushing defeat in the elections the solidification of a new anti-communist government was clear. Following the democratization of Czechoslovakia, came a period known as the Velvet divorce. Czechoslovakia had to face a new problem, as tensions rose, the divide between the Czechs and Slovaks was imminent but crucially peaceful. Amazingly, the Czechs and Slovaks had a strong amicable love for each other but both sides disagreed on how to move forward after communism, ultimately leading to the non-violent uncoupling of both countries which are known today as Slovakia and Czechia. Peaceful separation is astonishingly rare in history and the people of those countries still appreciating one another is something that can not be slid under the rug. “The asymmetric relationship between Prague and Bratislava, therefore, continued until the fall of communism in 1989 and the decades-long failure to find a solution to the problem would ultimately help fuel the sentiment that led to the Velvet Divorce in 1993.” (McEnchroe)
Czechia’s Cultural Values to support its National Identity
Having the most medieval castles in Europe and a very dominant geographical location, Czechia’s history is extremely rich. Czechs also love music, food, and alcohol. The country has a thriving folk tradition but it’s the beer and the music that cement the nation together. It’s home to beautiful national parks and gorgeous small towns such as Prague and Cesky Krumlov. The history of the country creates a national identity for the people. Going back to the political conflict between Czechia and Slovakia, the people feel really attached to their country because of how much they’ve been through, not only during World War II, but the lasting effects on their prior nation Czechoslovakia and what their country has came to be today. The Slavik language is also a very distinguished language and different from the other languages in the world. Although it does contain the Latin alphabet, in total Czechia’s alphabet consists of 42 letters.
Conclusion
Czechia has faced many obstacles throughout its recent history in finding its own national identity. Between being bonded to their brother Slovakia to feeling a sense of betrayal. Czechia is now an independent country since January 1st, 1993.
References:
The rise and fall of Czechoslovakism. Radio Prague International. (2023, January 5). Retrieved February 11, 2023, from https://english.radio.cz/rise-and-fall-czechoslovakism-8771296
Central Europe and the rise of nationalism: The case of the Czech Republic. CIDOB. (n.d.). Retrieved February 11, 2023, from https://www.cidob.org/en/articulos/monografias/illiberals/central_europe_and_the_rise_of_nationalism_the_case_of_the_czech_republic
Heimann, M. (2011). Czechoslovakia - the state that failed. Yale University Press.
The curious side of modern Czech nationalism - JSTOR. (n.d.). Retrieved February 11, 2023, from https://www.jstor.org/stable/41133185
Auty, R. (1970). 2. changing views on the role of Dobrovský in the Czech National Revival. The Czech Renacence of the Nineteenth Century, 14–25. https://doi.org/10.3138/9781442632493-004
Protestantism in Bohemia and Moravia (Czech Republic). Musée protestant. (2022, October 26). Retrieved February 11, 2023, from https://museeprotestant.org/en/notice/protestantism-in-the-republic-of-czechoslovakia/
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