Slovak Soviet Republic

Slovak Soviet Republic Slovenská republika rád (Slovak) Szlovák Tanácsköztársaság (Hungarian) Словацька Радянська Республіка (Ukrainian)
16 June - 7 July 1919
Flag Emblem
Motto: "Proletari šickich krajin, spojte še!" "Workers of the world, unite!"
Anthem: "Internacionála" The Internationale
Slovak Soviet Republic
Status	Puppet state of the Hungarian Soviet Republic
Capital	Prešov
Common languages	Slovak (Šariš dialect) Hungarian Ukrainian
Government	Soviet socialist republic
Chairman of the Revolutionary Government Council
• 1919	Antonín Janoušek
Historical era	Interwar period
• Proclaimed	16 June 1919
• Military intervention	7 July 1919
ISO 3166 code	SK
Preceded by Succeeded by Czechoslovak Republic (1918–1938) Hungarian Soviet Republic Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic Czechoslovak Republic (1918–1938)

The Slovak Soviet Republic (Slovak: Slovenská republika rád, Hungarian: Szlovák Tanácsköztársaság, Ukrainian: Словацька Радянська Республіка, romanized: Slovats'ka Radyans'ka Respublika, literally: 'Slovak Republic of Councils') was a short-lived Communist state in southeast Slovakia in existence from 16 June 1919 to 7 July 1919. Its capital city was Prešov, and it was established and headed by Czech journalist Antonín Janoušek. It was the fourth communist state created in history.

History

In 1918, Czechoslovak troops occupied northern Hungary up to the demarcation line set by the Entente Powers. Upon the communist takeover of Hungary in March 1919, and the subsequent Romanian invasion that only halted at the Tisza river, Czechoslovakia also crossed its demarcation line in late April. However Hungary successfully repulsed their attacks, and in June launched a counter-attack into Upper Hungary (today mostly Slovakia) known as the Northern Campaign. In the occupied territory, the soviets helped set up a Slovak Soviet Republic out of collaborating Slovak communists. Throughout its brief existence, it was ambiguous if it was an autonomous part or fully independent of Hungary, or what its exact borders are.

Throughout June, the Paris Peace Conference pressured Hungary to withdraw to its demarcation lines, offering Romania would do the same in turn. Hungary eventually agreed, ceasing hostilities on 24 June, the withdrawing to the demarcation line by July. With that the Slovak Soviet Republic also ceased to exist, and its territory was incorporated into Czechoslovakia. A similar sounding state called the Slovak Socialist Republic existed during the existence of Czechoslovakia, between 1969 and 1990, succeeded by the Slovak Republic until 1992 and on 1 January 1993, Czechoslovakia collapsed into the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Proclamation of the Slovak Soviet Republic in Prešov

SRR Memorial in Prešov

See also

• Hungarian Soviet Republic (Council Republic of Hungary)
• Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic
• German Revolution of 1918–1919
• Spartacist uprising

Bibliography

• Toma, Peter A. (1958). "The Slovak Soviet Republic of 1919". American Slavic & East European Review. 17 (2): 203–215. doi:10.2307/3004167. JSTOR 3004167.