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Article Title: Relationships between Czechs and Slovaks in the United States during the First World War

Full Citation: Karel Pichlík, “Relationships between Czechs and Sklovaks in the United States during the First World War,” Nebraska History 74 (1993): 189-194

URL of article: http://www.nebraskahistory.org/publish/publicat/history/full-text/NH1993CARelationships.pdf Date: 3/23/2015

Article Summary: Pichlík describes the rapport of Czech and Slovak ethnic organizations in the United States during the fight for an independent Czechoslovakia. During this exceptional period the interests of their adopted country coincided with the aspirations of their Old World relatives.

Cataloging Information:

Names: Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, Albert Mamatey, Jan Janák, Milan Ratislav Štefánik, Štefan Osuský

Place Names: Slovakia, Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, Hungary, Russia

Czech and Slovak Organizations in the US: Slovak League, Bohemian National Alliance of America, Union of Czecho-Slovak Associations

Keywords: American Enlightenment; Czech Foreign Committee (later Czechoslovak National Council); Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk; Milan Ratislav Štefánik; Štefan Osuský; Cleveland Agreement, 1915; Kiev Memorandum, 1916; Pittsburg Agreement, 1918; Czechoslovak Army

Photographs / Images: fig 68: ZČBJ lodge Jan Kollár 101, near DuBois; fig 69: map of Europe showing the Czech lands; fig 70: Omaha author Jan Janák; fig 71: Woodrow Wilson and Tomáš Masaryk, depicted on the backdrop curtain from the Vyšehrad ZČBJ Hall, Niobrara; fig 72: group at the Stamford, Connecticut, recruiting center for the Czechoslovak Army in France; fig 73: Czech-American troops at the Stamford recruiting center

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CZECHS AND SLOVAKS IN THE UNITED STATES DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR

By Karel Pichlik

This article addresses the compli­ the circumstances, events, and deci­ In order that the Czech and Slovak cated and controversial history of sions at the origin of the Czechoslovak past may be better understood today, I cooperation between Czech-Americans Republic during the First World War. have decided in this article to address and Slovak-Americans during the First It is widely believed in Slovakia that the history of the mutual relationship World War in helping Czechs and the Czechs in the first Czechoslovak between American Czech and Slovak Slovaks overseas fight for an indepen­ Republic did not keep the promises and ethnic organizations during the fight dent Czechoslovakia. Eventually a agreements that were concluded in the for an independent Czechoslovakia. mutually perceived need for coopera­ United States between the Czechoslovak This struggle began in the spring of tion came to prevail over differences of National Council CCeskoslovens!ai 1915 when a group of Czech politi­ opinion regarding the nature and struc­ Narodni Rada) and representatives of cians, led by Professor Tomas Garrigue ture of the new Czechoslovak state; but American Czech and Slovak ethnic Masaryk, announced its intention to after independence was won, neither organizations. create an independent Czechoslovak these differences of opinion nor the means of their wartime resolution ever ceased to be topics for political discus­ sion and historical analysis.' Such reassessment has always involved the interests and somewhat different his­ torical experiences of two proud nationalities. On January 1, 1993, Czechoslovakia split into two independent states: the Czech Republic and the Slovak Repub­ lic. On the causes and probable conse­ quences of the establishment of these new republics, judgements and opin­ ions have been expressed which do not always fit the historical facts. Though most Czechs reluctantly agreed to allow this division to take place as the least undesirable of a number of bad alternatives, increasing numbers of Czechs began in 1992 to question the wisdom of their ever having entered into a common state with the Slovaks. Some Slovak publicists and commenta­ tors still seek to find the causes of the recent breakup of Czechoslovakia in

Dr. Karel Pichlik is director ofthe Fig.68. ZGBJ lodge Jan Kollar 101 near Dubois. Nebraska. whose members built their Historical Institute of the Army ofthe hall and theatre in 1921. is named after the Czech-language poet who promoted the Czech Republic in Prague unity ofall Slavic peoples. (D . Murphy)

189 ...... Kingdom of Bohemia, c.l400 ------Habsburg Empire, 1718 -"'-'" Austria-Hungary/ Austro-Hungarian Empire, 1914 confidence for two peoples fighting ..--_/- Czechoslovakia, 1919 together to create an independent state. --- Czech Republic, 1993 This idea gave expression to what appeared to be the most advantageous solution to the difficulties of maintain­ Warsaw ing Slovak national existence. At the time of the disintegration of the Habsburg Monarchy in October 1918, the primarily agrarian Slovak people did not possess the material means to achieve an independent national exist­ ence; and to have remained a part of Hungary would have meant subjecting themselves to a continuation of that aggressive Magyarization that had severely oppressed them from 1867 to 1918 and threatened their survival as a distinct Slavic nationality. 3 On the other hand, the idea of a unified Czechoslovak nation, both in its definition and possible implementation, was the source of serious disputes between Czechs and Slovaks at home and abroad. In the interest of defeating Germany and Austria-Hungary, these disputes were soft-pedaled during the war but were never resolved or over­ come.4 Although during the war, the idea of a 'unified nation gradually Fig.69. Map ofEurope showing the Czech lands. prevailed among the inhabitants of the Czech lands and Slovakia, the situation state on the basis of a British, French, vaks could build upon their coopera­ was more complicated among Czech and Russian victory in the war begun tion-forged by wartime necessity-to and Slovak immigrants, emigres, and by Germany and Austria-Hungary in create together a single, unified politi­ expatriates in Russia and the United August 1914 (fig. 69).2 Very concrete cal nation in spite of their speaking two States. Czech interests conditioned all efforts different but mutually intelligible For Slovaks residing in Russia, the to create this independent state through languages and having had different traditional idea of Pan-Slavic mutuality the combination of the provinces of cultural traditions and historical experi­ was still alive. Many of the Slovaks in Bohemia, Moravia, and Austrian ences. Surely this effort to create a Russia therefore advocated the creation Silesia with the counties of northern unified Czechoslovak nation was also of an independent Slovakia under Hungary, where most Slovaks lived. an expression of kinship, for which one Russian patronage and would even One Czech objective in joining could hardly find an analogy anywhere have preferred the eventual annexation Slovakia to the historic Kingdom of else in the world (fig. 68). For the of Slovakia to Russia over its integra­ Bohemia was to break out of German Czechs, uniting with Slovaks was also tion with the Czech lands in any encirclement by establishing a strategic a political necessity: only by this means Czechoslovak state. These Slovaks connection with Russia by means of a could they obtain overwhelming nu­ were, of course, supported by the high­ Slovak corridor. Many Czechs also merical superiority over the German­ est political authorities in Czarist Rus­ persuaded themselves or were per­ speaking minority of three million in sia, who saw in this Slovak affection suaded by the eloquence of T. G. the new Czechoslovak state. for Russia a possibility for realizing Masaryk to expect that, given sufficient The idea of a unified Czechoslovak Russian expansionistic goals and inter­ time and good will, Czechs and Slo­ nation was also a source of strength and ests in the eastern part of Central Europe.5

190 Pichlik . Czech and Slovak Relationships

In the United States, Slovak separat­ states of Illinois or Pennsylvania can­ nation in Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, ism and desire for national indepen­ not and may not interfere in the internal and Slovakia."9 dence had different roots. At the matters of New York state. "7 During the first year of the war, the beginning of the First World War, The same words - the United States greatest obstacle to close cooperation American Slovaks numbered approxi­ of Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, and between American Czech and Slovak mately one-fifth of all Slovaks world­ Slovakia - had already been published organizations and the leaders of the wide and constituted the most by Jan Janak, the editor of the Czech Czech political emigration, including consolidated and politically active Professor Masaryk, was the unwilling­ Slovak ethnic group in the world. ness of these organizations to commit Their opinions were influenced by the themselves to explicit political activity oppression of their fellow Slovaks in on behalf of the emigration. At this Hungary and by their own positive time, the Bohemian National Alli­ experiences with American democracy ance-unlike the Czech countrymen and federalism and the considerable (krajane) in Russia and the Slovak powers Americans delegated to popu­ League-had no political platform of larly elected and representative state its own. When in March 1915 Czech and local governments.6 At the same ethnic organizations from Chicago, time, American Slovaks had main­ New York, Cleveland, Detroit, Omaha, tained their ethnic solidarity and also and Cedar Rapids were uniting, they their conservative sentiments and decided that their political activity religiosity, encouraged among a sev­ should be restricted "to infonning enty percent majority by the Roman foreign countries about Czech goals Catholic' church and among a twenty and preparing the means by which the percent minority by the Lutheran and leaders of Czech political parties in Calvinist churches. Bohemia will be able to attain these The main ethnic organization of goals which only they can define for Slovaks in the United States was the themselves. "10 American Czechs Slovak League in America, founded in Fig.70. Omaha author Jan Janak also decided to s,upport Masaryk, while 1907 in Pittsburgh. Its president, wrote extensively on agricultural sub­ American Slovaks still professed to Albert Mamatey, said at the end of jects. (NSHS C998-66) speak for what they perceived to be the 1914: "We, Slovaks, will insist on self­ interests of the entire Slovak nation. government regardless of which state magazine, Osveta americka (American In spite of these differences, the we will become part of in the course of Enlightenment), in Omaha on August Bohemian National Alliance, within this war. This shall be our policy 12, 1914, in articulating the first public months of its founding, began cooper­ whether we will belong to Russia or be Czech-American proposal for Czech ating successfully with the Slovak obliged to remain in old Hungary, or political independence (fig. 70). He League. At a joint convention at whether we will become part of the gave a different interpretation to these Cleveland, Ohio, in October 1915, they 'Czecho-Slovak state' that Czechs are words than did Mamatey and therefore hammered out a common agreement hoping will be created." Mamatey to the nature of the proposed state. "to associate Czechs and Slovaks into a went on to express his opinion that "it Janak talked about the independence federal union of states with the full will be best for Slovaks to cooperate that he thought should be given to the autonomy of Slovakia."11 The signa­ with our Czech brothers for creating "Czechs" by a peace conference to tures of the representatives of both after this war something like the follow the Allied defeat of Gennany organizations appeared on the procla­ Czecho-Slovak United States, which and Austria-Hungary.8 Similarly, the mation of the Czech Foreign Commit­ will consist of Bohemia, Moravia, Bohemian National Alliance of tee (Ceskj komitet zahranicni) Silesia, and Slovakia. Together with America (Ceska narodni sdruzeni), published by Masaryk in November the Czechs, we Slovaks would fonn founded at Chicago in September 1914 1915 (fig. 30).'2 But cooperation one federal state; but besides that, we by predominately freethinking Czech between the Slovak League and the Slovaks would have our own self­ organizations, talked about "the right­ Bohemian National Alliance was con­ government, with which the Czech ful demands of the Czech nation," or tinually retarded by differences of brothers may not interfere, just as the about "the rights of the Czecho-Slavic opinion over what should be the proper

191 Nebraska History. FalllWinter 1993 relationship to krajane in Russia where, American Stefan Osusky subsidized this spite these fears, the situation devel­ in addition to the Union of Czecho­ National Council; in Russia, together oped unambiguously toward an agree­ Slovak Associations, a separate Slovak with Stefanik and representatives of ment on goals between the league and association, supported by the Russian Russian Czechs and Slovaks, Gustav the Czechoslovak National Council and government, had been founded with its Kosik signed in August 1916 the so­ ultimately toward coordination of their own program for creating an indepen­ called Kiev Memorandum, declaring activities on behalf of an independent dent Slovakia under Russian patronage. (1) "Czechs and Slovaks, being aware Czechoslovak state. These develop­ American Czechs put no trust in Rus­ of the fact that they are closely united ments were powerfully facilitated by sia. The conservative Slovak League by their interests as well as by culture important events elsewhere at the end hesitated to choose between the Slovak and by blood-relations, wish to develop of 1916 and the beginning of 1917, separatism espoused in Russia and the into a unified, politically integral, and especially the December 1916 answer platform advocating a joint democratic free nation," (2) Czech and Slovak of the Entente to President Wilson's state with the Czechs, motivated by ethnic organizations had "formed and peace inquiry, an answer that declared Masaryk's idea of a unified Czechoslovak recognized the Czechoslovak National the "liberation of Czechoslovaks" to be nation. The Slovak League was not Council," (3) the council had also been an aim of the Entente; the fall of Rus­ satisfied with the Czech Foreign recognized by all qualified leaders of sian Czarism in the "February Revolu­ Committee's declaration that talked the nation in its old homeland, and (4) tion" of early March 1917; and the only about the Czechs' intention to the council is "the only responsible and declaration of war by the United States create a Czechoslovak state without qualified" representative of the Czech against Germany on April 4-6, 1917 specifically mentioning the Slovaks. 13 and Slovak people in their struggle for (fig. 71). During its ninth congress held in Czechoslovak independence. 14 With Czarist Russia out and the Chicago in February 1916, the Slovak In October 1916 the American Slo­ United States in the war, mutual activ­ League reiterated its adherence to the vak League rejected the Kiev Memo­ ity on behalf of Czechoslovak indepen­ 1915 Cleveland Agreement and in randum. Osusky then wrote to dence by the Bohemian National April 1916 decided to send two "am­ Masaryk about his worries that the Alliance and the Slovak League bassadors" to Europe, who "would Slovak League instead "might support became more intense. Recruiting of make first-hand connections with the our separatists in Moscow." But de­ volunteers for the Czechoslovak Army political authorities of the Entente" with the goal of informing them "about the demands of the Slovak nation." The league instructed its two delegates to be active "mainly in Russia." At the same time, the league rejected the opinion that the Union of Czecho­ Slovak Associations should be the only representative of the Czechs and Slo­ vaks in Russia, and designated the Slovak separatist association in Mos­ cow as the only representative of the Slovaks of Russia. After acquiring an understanding of the serious wartime situation in Europe, the two delegates from the Slovak League became adherents of the Czechoslovak National Council, as the Czech Foreign Committee had come to be called. One of its three leading executives was now a Slovak-the world-renowned astronomer and, since Fig.7l. Woodrow Wilson and Tomas Masaryk. heroes ofan independent Czecho­ 1914, French Army officer, Milan slovakia. as depicted on a bar.kdrop curtain from the Vysehrad 2GB] Hall of Rastislav Stefanik. In France the Slovak- Niobrara. Nebraska. (NSHS Museum 10146-27. C998.1-577)

192 Pichlik . Czech and Slovak Relationships

democratic Czechoslovak Republic. 17 "Czechoslovaks" became internation­ The Pittsburgh Agreement no longer ally famous when the Czechoslovak talked about any federal union of states Army, fighting in Russia against the or about Slovak autonomy--only about Bolsheviks, seized and then controlled Slovakia's right to "its own administra­ the Trans-Siberian Railroad, in effect tion, representative legislature, and dominating the whole of Siberia. The courts of law and to having Slovak mutual efforts of Czechs and Slovaks recognized there as the official lan­ in the United States concentrated on guage in schools, governmental admin­ supporting the Czechoslovak National istration, and public life." All of these Council in its diplomatic struggle for concessions and the insistence that the international recognition of Czechoslovakia be a "republic with Czechoslovakia by the Entente powers democratic institutions" were compat­ and the United States. The council ible with Masaryk's idea of a Czecho­ succeeded in achieving recognition

Fig.72. Group assembled at the main recruiting center for the Czechoslovak Army in France , located in Stamford, Connecticut. (Courtesy Historickj ustav ACR, Prague) of France started during the summer 1917, and was promptly organized in the United States by the resolute Czechoslovakist Stefanik and by Czech and Slovak officers from the Czecho­ slovak Army in Russia (fig. 72 and back cover). 15 From the spring of 1917 through the fall of 1918 in the United States, the movement for Czechoslovak indepen­ dence further consolidated itself as Czech Catholics joined in the struggle and the Slovak League agreed on founding an American branch of the Czechoslovak National Council. I6 Masaryk's arrival in the United States in May 1918 accelerated and intensi­ fied what had been a gradual uniting of Czech-American and Slovak-American interests. His triumphal journey Fig.73. Czech-American troops at the Stamford, Connecticut, recruiting center. (Courtesy Historickj ustav AeR, Prague) through Chicago and several other Czech and Slovak urban centers culmi­ slovak nation. A very important addi­ during September and thereupon nated in May at Pittsburgh in an agree­ tion to the Pittsburgh Agreement speci­ constituted itself as the provisional ment (Pittsburskti dohoda) by the fied that "detailed enactments of law on Czechoslovak government. 19 Masaryk Bohemian National Alliance of the establishment of the Czechoslovak declared Czechoslovak independence in America, the National Alliance of state are consigned to the liberated the Washington Declaration of October Czech Catholics, and the Slovak Czechs and Slovaks and their legiti­ 14,1918, followed by a ceremony in League in America to adhere to a mate representatives."IB Independence Hall in Philadelphia. program to create a common In the second half of 1918, the term Among the first diplomats of the now

193 Nebraska History. FailIWinter 1993 internationall y -recognized Czecho­ the Czechs vis-a-vis the Germans and Wilsonian Diplomacy and Propaganda slovak government were representa­ the Slovaks vis-a-vis the Hungarians. (Princeton, N.J .: Princeton University Press, 1957). tives of both American Slovaks and Antagonism between Czechs and American Czechs: Stefan Osusky, a Slovaks became more noticeable after 5 Pichlfk, Zahranicni odboj, 47-58. Slovak, became the Czechoslovak the war was over. Superficial and one­ 6 These issues are discussed at greater ambassador in Great Britain; and Karel sided interpretations of the wartime and length by Ference, "Slovak Immigration." Pergler, an Iowa Czech, became postwar relationships between Czechs 7 Pichlfk, Zahranicni odboj, 67-68. Czechoslovak ambassador to the and Slovaks in the United States be­ 8 Osveta americkti, Omaha, Nebr., Sept. United States.20 came part of the argument of Slovak 12, 1914, article by Jan Janak. This article is Allied defeat of the German and autonomists and separatists in Czecho­ also cited by Pichlfk, Zahranicni odboj, 61­ 62. On developments in Omaha, see also the Austro-Hungarian armies in the fall of slovakia during the 1920s and 1930s. chapter titled "Omaha v cele" ("Omaha in the 1918 was the most important prerequi­ Similar interpretations reappeared in Lead"), in Vojta Benes, Ceskoslovenskti site for Czechoslovak independence; the quarrels between Slovak-American Amerika v odboji (Prague: Pokrok, 1930), but Czechs and Slovaks would not have opponents and supporters of the Slovak 130-36. achieved Allied recognition of their Republic during the period March 15, 9 Pichlflc, Zahranicni odboj, 62-64. independence had they not settled their 1939, to December 21 , 1941. The 10 Ibid., 64. differences of opinion and organized same or very similar interpretations are " Ibid., 66-67. military units to fight with the Allies still being invoked in today's disputes 12 Ibid., 144-58. against the Central Powers. And, by between Czechs and Slovaks. And as contributing funds, recruiting soldiers, usual, simplistic, one-sided, and highly . 13 On the complicated situation among krajane in Russia and the reaction of Ameri­ providing moral support, and applying emotional arguments have been gaining can Czechs and Slovaks, see Pichlflc, political pressure to American and greater popular support than have the Zahranicni odboj, 54-59, 150-58. sober and factual interpretations of other 'Allied governments, American 14 Ibid., 223-34. Czechs and Slovaks helped contribute historians. 15 An attractive recruiting poster-appeal­ to the achievement of Czechoslovak ing to prospective American Czech and independence (fig. 73). Notes Slovak recruits-by the Czech artist Vojtech Preissig is reproduced in color on the back In the history of Czechs and Slovaks I In May 1991 in Prague, when Bruce cover of this issue of Nebraska History. The Garver and I talked about my presenting a in the United States, the First World original of this poster is in the Czech Heri­ paper on this topic to the 1992 UNL Sympo­ War was an exceptional period in tage Collection of the archives of the Univer­ sium on Czech Immigration, we never sus­ sity of Nebraska-Lincoln. which the national interests of their pected just how relevant this topic would adopted country coincided with the become with regard to the developments of 16 Pichlflc, Zahranicni odboj, 374. aspirations of their Old World kinfolk 1992 and 1993 in the Czech and Slovak 17 Ibid., 372-87. to national independence. Immigrant republics. 18 Ibid., 376-77. ethnic organizations transcended the 2 Much of what follows is based on re­ framework of their usual peacetime search done for my book, Zahranicni odboj, 19 Ibid., 440-51. 1914-1918, bez legend (The [Czech and 20 Pergler wrote a short account of the activities and became, domestically, an Slovak] Resistance Movement Abroad, 1914­ struggle for independence and his part in it: important political lobby and, interna­ 1918, without any Legends), (Prague: Svo­ Charles Pergler, America in the Struggle for boda, 1968), a work republished in Prague in tionally, an important source of support Czechoslovak Independence (Philadelphia: 1991. for Czech and Slovak political emigres Dorrance, 1926). in their struggle for international recog­ 3 In this issue of Nebraska History, Gre­ nition of an independent Czechoslovakia. gory Ference's article on "Slovak Immigra­ tion to the United States in Light of Only gradually did these organizations American, Czech, and Slovak History," unite in pursuit of this objective and for addresses the political and psychological the duration of the war overcome their consequences of the oppression of the Slo­ political, religious, and, above all, vaks by the Hungarian government from ethnic differences and antagonisms. 1867 to 1918. They soon recognized that resolution of 4 The efforts of American Czechs and Slovaks in support of the creation of an most of these differences was a prereq­ independent Czechoslovakia are discussed in uisite for Allied recognition of Czecho­ the context of U.S. foreign policy by Victor slovak independence and that postwar S. Mamatey, The United States and East unity would be necessary to strengthen Central Europe, 1914-1918: A Study in

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