Czech Republic History in 1905 – 1917
By the end of the 19th century, there were a number of political parties in Czech: the Czech National Party (including the conservative and the liberal fractions); the Czech Social Democratic Party; the progressives; the Agrarian party; the Christian Socialists; the National Socialists; and the Radical Progressives. All these parties promoted Czech national autonomy in its historical borders.
At the beginning of 20th century, the political freedom in Czech has been growing, and economy and cultural life were flourishing. Many famous Czech writers and artists lived and worked there, including Jan Neruda, Bedrich Smetana, Antonin Dvorak and Alfons Mucha.
In 1905, an agreement has been reached between the Czech majority and the German minority in Moravia. In Bohemia, a compromise with the Germans failed at the end of 19th century due to the resistance of a young and radical intelligentsia. In 1907, all Czech men got the right to vote (the women got this right only in 1919).
In 28.7.1914, Serbian nationalist Gavrillo Princip assassinated the heir to the Austrian throne Archduke Francis Ferdinand. As a result of this event, the World War I had broken out, while Princip was caught and imprisoned in Terezin Fortress.
In 1915, Czech and Slovak emigrant intellectuals and politicians formed the Czechoslovak military (the Czechoslovak Legions). The military fought on side of the Allies. The Czechoslovak Legions were located on the Italian, French, and Russian fronts. As part of their involvement in the Russian front, they fought against the Bolsheviks during the Russian Revolution (1917). About 4000 Czech and Slovak legion members were killed in Russia during World War I.
During the World War I, the democratic rights in Czech Republic were restricted by the Austrian-Hungarian rule. Active resistance to the Austrian-Hungarian rule has been punished, and many Czech political leaders were accused of betraying and imprisoned. However, Czech opposition to the monarchy has been growing. Tomas Garrigue Masaryk, the university professor, former Young Czech deputy and the future president of Czechoslovakia, took part in the independence movement for the forthcoming country. In 1916, Tomas Masaryk and his counterparts – Czech Edvard Benes and Slovak Milan Rastislav Stefanik - established the Czech (later Czechoslovak) National Council.
In 1916 Franz Joseph died.
In 1917 the Czech resistance and opposition to the war had strengthened and caused wave of strikes and peaceful and violent demonstrations. “The Good Soldier Schwiek” of Jaroslav Hasek suggests unique historical and sociological insights on that period.
In 1918 the World War I was over, and the defeated Austro-Hungarian Monarchy dissolved into national states.
