HIB063n Political processes in Czechoslovakia 1949-1953

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Libor Svoboda, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Libor Svoboda, Ph.D.
Department of History – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of History – Faculty of Arts
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 6 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
Students will gain a basic orientation on the history of the founding period of communism in Czechoslovakia and other Soviet bloc countries at the turn of the 1940s and 1950s. They will also gain an overview of the organisation and development of political processes in Czechoslovakia after February 1948.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, the student will be able to: describe the political development of the countries of the Soviet bloc; compare the political processes in the individual countries of the Soviet bloc; orient himself in the political processes in Czechoslovakia, characterize and compare their stages and describe the role of the judiciary and the security apparatus.
Syllabus
  • 1. Czechoslovakia in 1945-1948, retributions.
  • 2. February Coup, Political development in Czechoslovakia 1948-1953.
  • 3. Political processes in the USSR.
  • 4. Political processes in the Soviet bloc countries (development, characteristics).
  • 5. Definition and characteristics of political processes, division by function. The role of the judiciary and security apparatus.
  • 6. Renewed retributions, Law for the Protection of the People's Democratic Republic No. 231/1948, 7. The first stage of political trials in 1948-1950.
  • 8. Action "Centre" trial of Milada Horakova and Co., second stage of political trials 1950-1952.
  • . 9. Preparation of political trials and the role of Soviet advisors.
  • 10. Trial of Rudolf Slánský and Co, Trials of the Communists.
  • 11. Rehabilitation.
Literature
  • VOREL, Jaroslav – ŠIMÁNKOVÁ, Alena. Československá justice v letech 1948 – 1953 v dokumentech, Díl I-III. Sešity Úřadu dokumentace a vyšetřování zločinů komunismu, č. 8-10. Praha 2003, 2004.
  • KAPLAN, Karel. Druhý proces : Milada Horáková a spol. - rehabilitační řízení 1968-1990. Vyd. 1. Praha: Karolinum, 2008, 582 s. ISBN 9788024614311. info
  • PERNES, Jiří. Krize komunistického režimu v Československu v 50. letech 20. století. 1. vyd. Brno: Centrum pro studium demokracie a kultury, 2008, 199 s. ISBN 9788073251543. info
  • Církevní procesy padesátých let. Edited by Jan Stříbrný. Kostelní Vydří: Karmelitánské nakladatelství, 2002, 278 s. ISBN 807192797X. info
  • StB o sobě : výpověď vyšetřovatele Bohumila Doubka. Edited by Karel Kaplan. Vyd. 1. Praha: Úřad dokumentace a vyšetřování zločinů komunismu, 2002, 439 s. ISBN 8090288588. info
  • KAPLAN, Karel and Pavel PALEČEK. Komunistický režim a politické procesy v Československu. 1. vyd. Brno: Barrister & Principal, 2001, 253 s. ISBN 8085947757. info
  • KAPLAN, Karel. Největší politický proces : "M. Horáková a spol.". 1. vyd. Praha: Ústav pro soudobé dějiny AV ČR, 1995, 347 s. ISBN 808527048X. info
  • KAPLAN, Karel. K politickým procesům v Československu 1948-1954 : dokumentace komise ÚV KSČ pro rehabilitaci 1968. 1. vyd. Praha: ÚSD AV ČR, 1994, 214 s. ISBN 80-85270-28-5. info
  • KAPLAN, Karel. Sovětští poradci v Československu 1949-1956. Praha: ÚSD AC ČR, 1993, 146 s. ISBN 80-85270-26-9. info
  • KAPLAN, Karel. Zpráva o zavraždění generálního tajemníka. 1. vyd. Praha, 1992, 303 s. : i. info
  • LONDON, Artur. Doznání : v soukolí pražského procesu. Praha: Československý spisovatel, 1990. ISBN 8020202137. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, class discussion
Assessment methods
Colloquium
Language of instruction
Czech
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2021.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/HIB063n