Status prawny mniejszości narodowych na obszarze Czech w byłej Republice Czechosłowacji w latach 1918-1992

Abstract

The Republic of Czechoslovakia, since the moment of its establishment in 1918, had to deal with two problems - a significant percentage of national minorities residing on its territory and mutual coexistence based on the partnership of two main nations, Czechs and Slovaks. Despite the fact that during the twenty-year period between the two World Wars, Czechoslovakia was considered to be the model of a democratic nation, however, it was not fully successful in handling the problems of multi-nationality, which as a result was one the reasons that led to its collapse. After the Second World War, when Czechoslovakia found itself in the bloc of Communist countries, the nationality problem was marginalized. In the 1960s, especially after the establishment of the federal nation, the problem returned and its development continued until the end of the federation in 1992. The experience of the Republic of Czechoslovakia with national minorities did not cease along with the end of the federation. It can still be noticed in the contemporary legislations of both the Czech Republic and the Republic of Slovakia.