PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN THE CZECHOSLOVAK LEGAL ORDER (1918-1938)


                                           VÁCLAV VALE�

                         Právnická fakulta Západočeské univerzity v Plzni


                                         KAROLINA ADAMOVÁ



Key words

legal order of public holidays (Sundays, holidays), the Czechoslovak Republic (1918-1938)


The article consists of four parts: First chapter (Assumed Legal Regulations) is addressed to the
question of legal continuity in the new established Czechoslovakia with the broken Austro-Hungarian
Empire. The law Nr. 11/1918 of the Collection of Laws and Regulations, which tackled this question,
meant for the Czech Countries at least the temporary adoption of the legal regulation of
sanctification (celebration) of Sundays and holidays that were forced in the Habsburg Monarchy
(respectively Cisleithania) and were rather successful. The legal regulation of this question was
until 1918 solved especially by some edicts of 1771 issued by the pope Clement XIV and by the
empress Maria Theresa (setting up the number of festivities), the Sabbatical and Festival Rest Act
1895, the Interdenominational Act 1868 and marginally also some other legal rules (for example the
Civil Procedure Act 1895, the Code of Criminal Procedure 1873).


Because of some anti-Catholic affections in the Czech society that appeared soon after the 28th
October 1918 (though more than 80% population was catholic!), in 1919 was introduced in the
Czechoslovak parliament the quite radical draft law proposing cancellation almost all of the
festivities, which were 18–19 and their replacement by only three days of public holiday and by 5–7
days of paid holiday. The essential thesis of this intention that would significantly disadvantaged
employees and that was not passed at the end, describes the second chapter (Attack on the
Festivities).


 The third chapter (The Czechoslovak Public Holiday Act 1925) is concerned with the new
Czechoslovak legal regulation of public holiday of 1925. This law regulation quite sensitively kept
the most of fetes from before 1925 and further added category of red-letter-days (1st May, 5th and
6th July, 28th September and 28th October) significant in term of national, cultural and social
aspects. The provisions of the Law about sabbatical and festival rest of 1895 had referred also to
all of fetes and red-letter-days after 1925.


The fourth chapter (Conclusion) mirrors the short muse about the significance of the sabbatical and
festival rest that the first Czechoslovak Republic was still aware of.


Contact – email:

vales.vaclav@seznam.cz