Klement Gottwald (23 November 1896 – 14 March 1953) was a Czech communist politician, who was the leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia from 1929 until his death in 1953–titled as General Secretary until 1945 and as Chairman from 1945 to 1953.
They had one daughter, Marta. === First World War === From 1915 to 1918 Gottwald was a soldier in the Austro-Hungarian Army.
They had one daughter, Marta. === First World War === From 1915 to 1918 Gottwald was a soldier in the Austro-Hungarian Army.
In the summer of 1918, Gottwald deserted from the army.
Czechoslovakia 1918–88: Seventy Years from Independence (Springer, 1991). Taborsky, Edward.
From 1920 to 1921 he worked in Rousinov as a cabinetmaker. ==Career== === Sports instructor and journalist === After the collapse of the Union of Workers sports associations (SDTJ), the Communist-oriented party of the organization split off in 1921 and created the Federation of Worker's Sports Unions (FDTJ).
In accordance with the 1920 Constitution, Gottwald took over most presidential functions until 14 June, when he was formally elected as President. ==Leadership of Czechoslovakia== Gottwald initially tried to take a semi-independent line.
From 1920 to 1921 he worked in Rousinov as a cabinetmaker. ==Career== === Sports instructor and journalist === After the collapse of the Union of Workers sports associations (SDTJ), the Communist-oriented party of the organization split off in 1921 and created the Federation of Worker's Sports Unions (FDTJ).
In June 1921, he participated in the first Spartakiada in Prague.
In September 1921 he moved from Rousinov to Banská Bystrica, where he became the editor of the communist magazine "Hlas Ľudu" (Voice of the people).
In 1922 he moved to Vrútky, where by decision of the KSČ Central Committee, they merged a number of communist magazines and their editors together.
In 1924, the editorial staff finally moved to Ostrava, where Gottwald finally resettled. === Beginning of political activity === In 1926, Gottwald became a functionary of the Communist Party, and editor of the Communist Press.
In 1924, the editorial staff finally moved to Ostrava, where Gottwald finally resettled. === Beginning of political activity === In 1926, Gottwald became a functionary of the Communist Party, and editor of the Communist Press.
From 1926 to 1929 he worked in Prague, where he aided the Secretariat of the KSČ to form a pro-Moscow opposition against the then in power anti-Moscow leadership.
Since 1928 he was a member of the Comintern.
Klement Gottwald (23 November 1896 – 14 March 1953) was a Czech communist politician, who was the leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia from 1929 until his death in 1953–titled as General Secretary until 1945 and as Chairman from 1945 to 1953.
From 1926 to 1929 he worked in Prague, where he aided the Secretariat of the KSČ to form a pro-Moscow opposition against the then in power anti-Moscow leadership.
In September and October 1938 Gottwald was one of the main leaders of the opposition against the adoption of the Munich Agreement. === Exile to the USSR === After the banning of the Communist Party Gottwald emigrated to the Soviet Union in November 1938.
While there, he opposed the party policy of backing the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact of 1939.
After the attack on the Soviet Union in June 1941, Soviet leadership saw the front against fascism as a great opportunity to assert themselves in Czechoslovakia, promoting interest in supporting Gottwald after the liberation of Czechoslovakia.
In 1943 Gottwald agreed with representatives of the Czechoslovak-government-in-exile located in London, along with President Edvard Beneš, to unify domestic and foreign anti-fascist resistance and form the National Front.
Klement Gottwald (23 November 1896 – 14 March 1953) was a Czech communist politician, who was the leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia from 1929 until his death in 1953–titled as General Secretary until 1945 and as Chairman from 1945 to 1953.
This proved helpful for Gottwald as it helped secure Communist influence in post-war Czechoslovakia. === Return to Czechoslovakia and events leading up to the coup === In 1945, Gottwald gave up the general secretary's post to Rudolf Slánský and was elected to the new position of party chairman.
On 10 May 1945 Gottwald returned to Prague as the deputy premier under Zdeněk Fierlinger and as the chairman of the National Front.
He was the first leader of Communist Czechoslovakia from 1948 to 1953. He was the 14th Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia from July 1946 until June 1948, the first Communist to hold the post.
In March 1946, he became prime minister after leading the KSČ to a 38% share of the vote.
We will expel for good all descendants of the alien German nobility." == Coup d'état == By the summer of 1947, however, the KSČ's popularity had significantly dwindled, particularly after the Soviets pressured Czechoslovakia to turn down Marshall Plan aid after initially accepting it.
He was the first leader of Communist Czechoslovakia from 1948 to 1953. He was the 14th Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia from July 1946 until June 1948, the first Communist to hold the post.
In June 1948, he was elected as Czechoslovakia's first Communist president, four months after the 1948 coup d'état in which his party seized power with the backing of the Soviet Union.
Most observers believed Gottwald would be turned out of office at the elections due in May 1948.
The endgame began in February 1948, when a majority of the Cabinet directed the Communist interior minister, Václav Nosek, to stop packing the police force with Communists.
Husák was rehabilitated in the 1960s and became the leader of Czechoslovakia in 1969. In a famous photograph from 21 February 1948, described also in The Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera, Clementis stands next to Gottwald.
Antonín Zápotocký, who had been prime minister since 1948, succeeded Gottwald as president. In tribute, Zlín, a city in Moravia, now the Czech Republic, was renamed Gottwaldov after him from 1949 to 1990.
Antonín Zápotocký, who had been prime minister since 1948, succeeded Gottwald as president. In tribute, Zlín, a city in Moravia, now the Czech Republic, was renamed Gottwaldov after him from 1949 to 1990.
When Vladimír Clementis was charged in 1950, he was erased from the photograph (along with the photographer Karel Hájek) by the state propaganda department. ==Death== Gottwald was a long-time alcoholic and suffered from heart disease caused by syphilis that had gone untreated for several years.
Slánský and Clementis were executed in December 1952, and hundreds of other government officials were sent to prison.
Klement Gottwald (23 November 1896 – 14 March 1953) was a Czech communist politician, who was the leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia from 1929 until his death in 1953–titled as General Secretary until 1945 and as Chairman from 1945 to 1953.
He was the first leader of Communist Czechoslovakia from 1948 to 1953. He was the 14th Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia from July 1946 until June 1948, the first Communist to hold the post.
Shortly after attending Stalin's funeral on 9 March 1953, one of his arteries burst.
He died five days later on 14 March 1953, aged 56.
Husák was rehabilitated in the 1960s and became the leader of Czechoslovakia in 1969. In a famous photograph from 21 February 1948, described also in The Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera, Clementis stands next to Gottwald.
In 1962 the personality cult ended and it was no longer deemed appropriate to show Gottwald's body.
There are accounts that in 1962 Gottwald's body had blackened and was decomposing due to a botched embalming, although other witnesses have disputed this.
Husák was rehabilitated in the 1960s and became the leader of Czechoslovakia in 1969. In a famous photograph from 21 February 1948, described also in The Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera, Clementis stands next to Gottwald.
Zmiiv, a city in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, was named Gotvald after him from 1976 to 1990. A major square and park in Bratislava was named Gottwaldovo námestie after him, later becoming Námestie Slobody (Freedom square) immediately following the Velvet Revolution.
A bridge in Prague that is now called Nuselský Most was once called Gottwaldův Most, and the abutting metro station now called Vyšehrad was called Gottwaldova. A Czechoslovak 100 Koruna banknote issued on 1 October 1989 as part of the 1985–89 banknote series included a portrait of Gottwald.
A bridge in Prague that is now called Nuselský Most was once called Gottwaldův Most, and the abutting metro station now called Vyšehrad was called Gottwaldova. A Czechoslovak 100 Koruna banknote issued on 1 October 1989 as part of the 1985–89 banknote series included a portrait of Gottwald.
His body was cremated, the ashes returned to the Žižka Monument and placed in a sarcophagus. After the end of the communist period, Gottwald's ashes were removed from the Žižka Monument (in 1990) and placed in a common grave at Prague's Olšany Cemetery, together with the ashes of about 20 other communist leaders which had also originally been placed in the Žižka Monument.
Antonín Zápotocký, who had been prime minister since 1948, succeeded Gottwald as president. In tribute, Zlín, a city in Moravia, now the Czech Republic, was renamed Gottwaldov after him from 1949 to 1990.
Zmiiv, a city in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, was named Gotvald after him from 1976 to 1990. A major square and park in Bratislava was named Gottwaldovo námestie after him, later becoming Námestie Slobody (Freedom square) immediately following the Velvet Revolution.
This note was so poorly received by Czechoslovaks that it was removed from official circulation on 31 December 1990 and was promptly replaced with the previous banknote issue of the same denomination. In 2005 he was voted the "Worst Czech" in a Czech television poll (a program under the BBC licence 100 Greatest Britons).
Czechoslovakia 1918–88: Seventy Years from Independence (Springer, 1991). Taborsky, Edward.
This note was so poorly received by Czechoslovaks that it was removed from official circulation on 31 December 1990 and was promptly replaced with the previous banknote issue of the same denomination. In 2005 he was voted the "Worst Czech" in a Czech television poll (a program under the BBC licence 100 Greatest Britons).
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