View source for Slovak Soviet Republic

{{Short description|Socialist state in southeast Slovakia (1919)}}{{About|the short-lived 1919 socialist state in Slovakia|the state under communist-ruled Czechoslovakia|Slovak Socialist Republic}}{{Infobox country
| native_name            = {{native name|sk|Slovenská republika rád}}<br/>{{native name|hu|Szlovák Tanácsköztársaság}}<br/>{{native name|uk|Словацька Радянська Республіка}}
| conventional_long_name = Slovak Soviet Republic
| common_name            = Slovakia
| status                 = [[Puppet state]] of the [[Hungarian Soviet Republic]]
| p1                     = Czechoslovak Republic (1918–1938)
| flag_p1                = Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg
| p2                     = Hungarian Soviet Republic
| flag_p2                = Red flag.svg
| p3                     = Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic
| flag_p3                = Flag of Ukrainian SSR (1919-1929).svg
| s1                     = Czechoslovak Republic (1918–1938)
| flag_s1                = Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg
| image_flag             = Socialist red flag.svg
| symbol_type            = [[Red star|Emblem]]
| image_coat             = Red star.svg
| national_anthem        = "Internacionála"<br/><small>[[The Internationale]]</small><br/>[[File:Internationale orchestral arrangement.ogg|centre]]
| national_motto         = "Proletari šickich krajin, spojte še!"<br /><small>"[[Workers of the world, unite!]]"</small>
| capital                = [[Prešov]]
| common_languages       = {{hlist|[[Slovak language|Slovak]] ([[Šariš]] dialect)|[[Hungarian language|Hungarian]]|[[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]]}}
| government_type        = [[Soviet republic (system of government)|Soviet socialist republic]]
| title_leader           = Chairman of the Revolutionary Government Council
| leader1                = [[Antonín Janoušek]]
| year_leader1           = 1919
| era                    = Interwar period
| event_start            = Proclaimed<!--by secular organization of Communist party in Prešov-->
| date_start             = 16 June 1919
| event_end              = Hungarian withdrawal
| date_end               = 7 July 1919
| life_span              = 1919
| image_map              = Nepkoztarsasag.png
| image_map_caption      = <!--Location of the Slovak Soviet Republic-->{{legend2|#FF9999|Slovak Soviet Republic}}
}}

The '''Slovak Soviet Republic''' ({{langx|sk|Slovenská republika rád}}, {{langx|hu|Szlovák Tanácsköztársaság}}, {{langx|uk|Словацька Радянська Республіка|Slovatska Radianska Respublika|Slovak Republic of Councils}}) was a short-lived [[communist state]] in southeastern [[Slovakia]] in existence from 16 June 1919 to 7 July 1919.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://worldstatesmen.org/Slovakia.html |website=World Statesmen |title=Slovakia}}</ref> Its capital city was [[Prešov]],{{sfn|Toma|1958|p=207}} and it was established and headed by Czech journalist [[Antonín Janoušek]]. It was the [[List of communist states|fourth communist state created in history]].

The Slovak Soviet Republic was created under the influence of the [[Hungarian Soviet Republic]] during the [[Revolutions of 1917–1923|transitional wave of communist protests and revolutions]] after the [[October Revolution]] in 1917 and [[World War I]]. It was dependent on [[Budapest]], and in the background of its creation were efforts to restore the [[Kingdom of Hungary]] - which had disappeared shortly before at the end of 1918 - by the [[Hungarian Soviet Republic]].

It was the first attempt to establish a [[Dictatorship of the proletariat|proletarian state]] in Slovakia.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Vietor|first=Martin|title=Slovenská sovietska republika : prvý pokus o nastolenie diktatúry proletariátu na území Československa|publisher=Slovenské vydavateľstvo politickej literatúry|location=Bratislava|year=1959}}</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Vyhlášení Slovenské republiky rad.gif|thumb|250px|Proclamation of the Slovak Soviet Republic in [[Prešov]] (16 June 1919)|left]]
In 1918, Czechoslovak troops occupied northern Hungary up to the demarcation line set by the Entente Powers. After the [[Hungarian Soviet Republic|communist takeover of Hungary]] in March 1919, and the subsequent Romanian invasion that only halted at the [[Tisza|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 (SSR) out of collaborating Slovak communists.  The highest Slovak representative proclaimed, on 16 June:<blockquote>"Today the [[proletariat]] in Slovakia has proclaimed a republic; we have seized power, relying on the workers and the armed council of the proletariat."</blockquote>Throughout its brief existence, it was ambiguous if it was an autonomous part or fully independent of Hungary, or what its exact borders were. It was mostly populated by ethnic Hungarians. According to Jaroslav Šebek:<blockquote>“Although the state was created under the guise of spreading both communist and revolutionary ideas, it can also be said that it was a cover for the renewal of [[Hungarians in Slovakia|Hungarian influence in Slovakia]].”</blockquote>The government of the SSR issued a decree on the [[Means of production|socialization of the means of production]], the nationalization of factories with over 20 workers, large estates and financial institutions. It developed a plan for the creation of new production relations in agriculture, stopped the activities of normal courts and replaced them with “revolutionary tribunals”, nationalized schools, established the Slovak “Red Army” and the security corps “Red Guard”. However, due to the short duration of the SSR, these communist measures could not be implemented. The existence of the SSR was tied to the fate of the [[Hungarian Soviet Republic]]. The goal of the SSR and the HSR was the unification and creation of a communist restored Hungary. [[Béla Kun]] said in his speech in [[Košice]] on 10 June 1919:<blockquote>"We [[Bolsheviks]] are for the integrity of Hungary. No change in borders will satisfy us, we want Hungary as a whole."</blockquote>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, withdrawing to the demarcation line by July. With that the Slovak Soviet Republic also ceased to exist, and its territory was incorporated into Czechoslovakia.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hofbauer |first1=Hannes |author1-link=:de:Hannes Hofbauer |title=Slowakei. Der mühsame Weg nach Westen |last2=Noack |first2=David X. |date=2012 |publisher=Promedia |isbn=978-3-85371-349-5 |location=Vienna |pages=40–41 |language=de |trans-title=Slovakia: The arduous path to the west}}</ref>{{sfn|Toma|1958|p=203}} 

== Memorial ==
[[File:Slovakia Town Presov 248.jpg|thumb|none|250px|Slovak Soviet Republic Memorial in Prešov]]

== See also ==
{{Portal|Slovakia|Soviet Union|Ukraine|Hungary|Communism}}
* [[Hungarian Soviet Republic]] (Council Republic of Hungary)
* [[Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic]]
* [[German Revolution of 1918–1919]]
* [[Spartacist uprising]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{cite journal |last=Toma |first=Peter A. |title=The Slovak Soviet Republic of 1919 |journal=American Slavic & East European Review |date=1958 |volume=17 |number=2 |pages=203–215|doi=10.2307/3004167 |jstor=3004167 }}

{{Czechoslovakia timeline |state=expanded}}

{{Slovakia topics}}
{{Dissolution of Austria–Hungary}}
{{Socialist states}}
{{coord missing|Slovakia}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Communism in Slovakia]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1919]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1919]]
[[Category:Early Soviet republics]]
[[Category:1919 in Slovakia]]
[[Category:Former socialist republics]]
[[Category:Former countries of the interwar period]]
[[Category:Short-lived countries]]
[[Category:Hungarian Soviet Republic]]

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