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| History of Czech Republic |
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German King Otto I subsequently conquered Bohemia in 950, incorporating it into the Holy Roman Empire. In 1212, rule changed hands once again, with the Hapsburgs taking control of Bohemia and developing Prague into one of Europe's most important cities. In 1618, the people of Bohemia rose in protest against subjugation and lack of religious freedom, leading to the onset of the Thirty Years War. Through forced acceptance of Catholicism and German culture, Czechs lost both their rights and property, with the situation remaining unchanged for almost 300 years. In 1938, Hitler annexed the Sudetenland and as WWII progressed, thousands of Czech and Slovak Jews perished in concentration camps. Prague finally rose against German forces in 1945, liberating the city and re-establishing independence. The Communist Party was elected to power in 1946, bringing a decade of economic woes for the country, along with the imprisonment and execution of dissenters. Alexander Dubcek was elected president in the 1960s, introducing a democratic-based form of socialism, which invading Soviet armies later put to an end in 1969, imposing totalitarian rule. Internal dissent continued to plague the country, leading to a political divide in the government and the division of Czechoslovakia into two independent states: the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Prague was named capital of the new Czech Republic, with Havel as its president. Since that time, the government has applied rigorous economic policies that have been aided by a boom in the country’s tourism and a solid industrial base. In the interest of regional economic development, close ties have developed with Hungary, Poland and Russia. | |
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