Czechoslovak Legions

"A red and white ribbon for Bohemia, a mortal skull for death, there is no life without the Czech state, freedom or death." It was the motto, energy and life philosophy of strikers, which is the name for members of the 1st Czechoslovak separate assault battalion.

general information

After the outbreak of fierce fighting between units of the legionary Czechoslovak Army Corps and the Soviet government in Russia in May 1918, after the so-called Chelyabinsk incident and insidious raids by Czechoslovak trains by Bolshevik units without a previous declaration of hostility, the corps' situation was all the more complicated because its troops fought the enemy's superiority in several isolated groups, far from each other along the Trans-Siberian highway ...

In March, we commemorate the anniversary of the retreat in Ukraine in 1918 and the battle of Bachmač. It was in the battle of Bachmač in Ukraine, where the Czechoslovak army, fighting in Russia in World War I for the establishment of an independent Czechoslovak state, defended this important railway junction during its evacuation from Ukraine to the east.

Fighting Czechoslovak legionnaires around Bachmač.

It loosely follows the article Alexander Bridge 1918, Lipjagy 1918 and partially precedes the article Samara 1918.

Biography of the cavalry colonel Miroslav Brož, the Russian legionnaire "Starodružiník" and the first republican cavalry officer, the last commander of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment "Siberian".

On May 14, 1918, an incident occurred in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk, which changed the course of our and world history.

"After the withdrawal of the Czechoslovak Army Corps from Ukraine, after the famous fighting near Bachmač in March 1918, there were difficult negotiations with the Soviet government to move the corps across Russia to the port of Vladivostok, from where the corps was to transport the corps to France on the Western Front. officially part of the Czechoslovak army in France) to continue the fight against Germany and Austria-Hungary, but the Soviet government tried to detain the Czechoslovaks and use their combat potential. enmity between the Soviet government and the Czechoslovak Army Corps. These events became the beginning of the most famous part of the history of the Czechoslovak army of Russia - the Siberian anabasis ... "

Milan Rastislav Štefánik is known as an astronomer, politician, Czechoslovak Minister of War, general and tireless fighter for the freedom of Czechoslovakia. However, the profession of military pilot also played an important role in his life. Above all, air operations over the Serbian front. As a fighter pilot, he experienced firsthand the collapse of the Serbian front and part of the tragic retreat anabasis through Albania.

About the famous Czechoslovak volunteers in the so-called Czechoslovak legions much has already been written, especially during the so-called First Republic. Members of Czechoslovak legions were then celebrated by law as national heroes. The Czechoslovak legionaries from Russia had the largest representation among them. And since they were as volunteers in the Russian Tsarist Army, they were taken for a very combat-ready military body in this army ...

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We have already written about the 1st Czechoslovak separate assault battalion. As for this martial art based on the traditions of strike (elite) units, it was still controlled by the Czech association in Czechoslovakia. an engineer battalion called the Czech Kornilovs (named after General Kornilov), who fought in the ranks of the White Guard Voluntary Army against Bolshevik Russia. Today, the Czech Kornilovs are a completely forgotten stage of our famous military history. Why?

Not much is known about the regiment, which was founded on the Don in 1918, it is mostly confused with the Kornilov Strike Regiment, with which it had nothing to do. What they have in common is that they fought side by side against the Bolsheviks. Here is the story of its origin, struggle and way home from the Russian Civil War.

French General Maurice Pellé was at the birth of the Czechoslovak army, claiming that he felt to be Czech.

The military field post is almost as old as the civilian. Its roots date back to the early 17th century. August 15, 1799, is considered the day of the official establishment of the British Army's field post office.

The so-called Chelyabinsk incident in the spring of 1918, which was the result of a series of provocations by the Soviet government in a tense situation, was followed by insidious raids by previously deliberately divided Czechoslovak trains without declaring hostilities in Marianovka, Irkutsk and Zlatoust by Soviet troops. This led to open hostility between the Czechoslovak Army Corps in Russia and the Soviet government, followed by the famous Siberian anabasis of Czechoslovak legionnaires in Russia.

The man who last commanded the so-called "Kornilov Battalion" , otherwise the Czechoslovak Engineering Regiment, which was established in January 1918 on the Don in General Kornilov's Voluntary Army. A man who personally took part in 59 battles with the Bolsheviks.

In the first half of 2013, the first volume of the four-volume pictorial monograph Czechoslovak Legion in Russia 1914–1920, prepared in a co-production of two publishers: EPOQUE 1900 and OUR MILITARY, is to be published. The realization of this extensive book project is made possible mainly by the helpfulness of the management of the Military Central Archive of Mgr. Col. Žikeš and PhDr. Baláž, where a large part of the photographs used come from.

Conquest of Kazan (Part 1)

After the famous battle of Zborov in July 1917 and the subsequent July battles of the so-called Tarnopol retreat, which is also the name of Czechoslovakia. made the soldier famous, the Czechoslovak Rifle Brigade had significant losses. After constant fighting, in which she proved herself fully, she was moved to the area of Volyn, where a strong Czech community lived, to rest and replenish her numbers...

Soon after the famous battle of Czechoslovak legionaries at Zborov was established within the new 2nd Division of the Czechoslovak army in Russia the 1st Independent Strike Battalion. First in the form of separate strike companies at the end of 1917, as an elite part of the Czechoslovak army. These companies were soon merged to form a separate battalion, which was directly under the command of the division. He had four infantry companies, one machine gun company, a pioneer mortar platoon and logistics. The emblem of the strike battalion, later very famous, was a mortal skull with crossbones on a red background.

If you think that it is unnecessary and that there is no need to deal with history and thinking about it in any way, keep in mind the old motto, which also applies in our dispute and in dealing with our neighbors. Some of whom try to convince us that we are just a nation of cowards and fools: If we want to destroy a nation, we must first destroy its morals and it will fall into our lap like a ripe fruit. And now I will let you wonder if this was said by Sun Tsu, the famous Chinese military leader and philosopher, or by V.I. Lenin.

Bloody War - Czechoslovaks 1918-20.

First defectors, later legionnaires. Bloody War - Czechoslovaks 1918-20.

The third was the Serbian flag - Czechoslovaks 1918-20.

Under the French flag - Czechoslovaks 1918-20

Under the allied flags of the USA and Canada - Czechoslovaks 1918-20.

Italian flag - Czechoslovaks 1918-20.

Fighting Czechoslovak legionaries of the 4th Rifle Regiment with the superiority of Soviet troops at Lipjag in June 1918.

Status at the end of 1919

Map overview of the main fighting of Czechoslovak legions in 1914-1920 abroad

Heavy fighting of Czechoslovak legionaries at Nizhny Tagil in the Urals with the Bolsheviks in 1918

Heavy fighting of Czechoslovak legionaries at Nizhny Tagil in the Urals with the Bolsheviks in 1918

Fighting Czechoslovak legionaries of the so-called Gajda group near Nizhnyudinsk in June 1918.

After the incident in May in Chelyabinsk and the raids on the Czechoslovak parts without a previous declaration of hostilities in Marianovka, Zlatoust and Irkutsk, the intentions of the Soviet government were already clear to the Czechoslovaks. It was clear that heavy fighting would come as part of the corps' defense and its intended route to the French battlefield, because the Soviet government would not release the Czechoslovak Army Corps from its controlled territory. The Soviet government wanted a well-armed, disciplined, and experienced army corps either to win over its promises or threats to fight its enemies, or to intern it and give it to Austria-Hungary as a possible "gift." Therefore, the Czechoslovaks no longer believed the false promises of the Bolsheviks after recent experiences. The Soviet government manifested itself against the Czechoslovak raid on Czechoslovak trains after previous delays and threats. clearly open hostility to the army corps. There was subsequently an open war between Czechoslovak army corps and the Soviet government.

In recent years, the media from time to time there are reports on the issue of the Russian golden treasure, which are either a direct accusation or suggest that perhaps part of it in the years 1918-1920 should have stolen Czechoslovakia. legionnaires. Most of these various "articles" and reports come from people who dealt with the topic in the vision of the "discovery of sensation" only very superficially, without trying to study even the most basic materials on the topic.

The Czechoslovak legions in Russia, together with the French and Italian legions, were among the most significant manifestations of foreign anti-Austrian resistance during the First World War. However, the effort to establish Czechoslovak troops in the states of the Allies in all cases encountered unclear war goals of the Allies and political pressures of various, mostly pro-Austrian oriented interest groups. However, thanks to developments on the Western and Southern fronts and the great political efforts of the members of the Czech Republic, all existing obstacles fell during 1917 in France and in 1918 in Italy. The Czechoslovak legions could subsequently begin to form in peace as a politically autonomous part of the national armies of these states.

The Czechoslovak legions in Russia, together with the French and Italian legions, were among the most significant manifestations of foreign anti-Austrian resistance during the First World War. However, the effort to establish Czechoslovak troops in the states of the Allies in all cases encountered unclear war goals of the Allies and political pressures of various, mostly pro-Austrian oriented interest groups. However, thanks to developments on the Western and Southern fronts and the great political efforts of the members of the Czech Republic, all existing obstacles fell during 1917 in France and in 1918 in Italy. The Czechoslovak legions could subsequently begin to form in peace as a politically autonomous part of the national armies of these states.

The foundations of the Czechoslovak legions in Russia began to form shortly after the outbreak of the First World War. In 1914, approximately 60-100 thousand Czech compatriots lived in the Russian Empire. Most of them were natives, but next to them, a large number of Czech specialists and engineers, who were still citizens of Austria-Hungary, had been employed in the Russian economy since the beginning of the century.

Since the very beginning of the Czechoslovak Republic, the Czechoslovak legions have been highlighted as the only strong point of stability and democracy in large areas of the Russian country. Relations between Czechoslovak soldiers were often presented almost as non-conflicting. Any disputes within the legions were often attributed more to unfortunate misunderstandings than to other, more objective causes.

The first stage of the existence of Czechoslovak Armed Forces movement in Russia was the period of the so-called Czech retinue. This relatively small military unit was a regular part of the Russian III. army. Its members were completely subject to Russian military orders, which strictly and very strictly defined the rules of life in the army. Despite all the restrictions, however, Czechoslovakia. volunteers in a gradually growing unit were able to create some elements of internal autonomy. However, it encountered a number of obstacles in its daily contact with the Russian environment. These were formed mainly by Russian officers of the Company and compatriots who had already lost their sense of belonging to the Czech nation.

The February Revolution brought Russia huge changes that did not escape the army. Deeply demoralized compatriots could be expelled from the 1st Czechoslovak Brigade. The existing tsarist system of troops was replaced by a reorganized revolutionary army. Elected regimental committees ( committees ) were established, and the activities of the commanders were supervised by political commissioners. Most of the existing military orders were abandoned and new administrative elements were introduced instead. According to František Polák, these were changes that were unheard of even by the widely applied degree of democratization for the armies of traditional democratic states. In the history of Czechoslovak troops in Russia played a key role.

The appearance of legions against the Bolsheviks pitted the Czechoslovak army into a new situation. While the existing independent administrative institutions were established only temporarily, with the knowledge that the army would soon switch to the French system, after the speech, the sovereign structure of the democratic administration of the legions began to be consistently organized. July 28, 1918 was the Congress of Czechoslovak troops adopted an amended French disciplinary code. The system of regimental committees and proxies was specified, and in the autumn of 1918 the reorganization of the Czechoslovak troops judiciary began. The armed performance changed the character of the army. Its ranks were supplemented by mobilized czechoslovak prisoners. The soldiers began to be visibly affected by the prolonged combat deployment.

At the turn of 1918 and 1919, Czechoslovak regiments withdrew on the Trans-Siberian railroad. This step was already demanded in the summer of 1918 at the Ufa negotiations on a unified Russian government, but the slow organization of Russian troops delayed it. Withdrawal of Czechoslovak army, among other reasons, was led by efforts to concentrate it in order to thoroughly reorganize. The basic steps to these changes were taken at the beginning of 1919 by M.R. Štefánik. The army was changed according to Western European standards. A number of revolutionary gains were canceled. A new disciplinary code has been issued. The army's response to these far-reaching changes was quite negative, and after a series of resistance, it culminated in the events of Irkutsk in mid-1919. Czechoslovak soldiers were driven by the idea of returning home throughout their stay on the railroad.

High-quality, organized facilities, which cover all the needs of the army, have always fundamentally influenced the successful management of all military operations. It was no different in Czechoslovak legions in Russia. The quality of supply and technical support played an important role, especially in the post-accession period, when the shattered Russian economy provided only part of its pre-war potential.

Until the exit,russian army provided all the needs of Czechoslovak troops. Until the February Revolution, in all of the Czechoslovak regiments was not in a single company economic officer from Bohemia. The supply of equipment and food to the Czech company was at a low level. Soldiers regularly received summer clothes for winter and winter for summer. The situation was not better even within the entire Russian army, where so-called fasting days were announced in times of food shortages. On such days, instead of the usual composition of food, only dried fish soup and begged porridge oiled with oil were served, which, according to some contemporary evidence, was almost indigestible food for Central Europeans. The rescue could be brought only by the regimental manager, who had the right at the expense of the regiment to provide improvements to the diet.

Unlike the supply, until the exit the Czechoslovak units did not create a great need to provide for itself of a technical nature. All care for weapons, ammunition and the satisfaction of all other needs of the army as a whole was fully provided by the Russian side. Already in prisoner of war organizations and subsequently in Czechoslovak units, however, the soldiers were able to repair parts of the equipment or variously adapt some tools to their technical needs. They showed a great deal of improvisation skills. After the performance, they were able to fully apply all their learned skills.

In the previous chapters, the methods of financing some components of Czechoslovak military and military organizations were marginally mentioned. The aim of the next chapter of this work is to shed light on the sources of finance by which Czechoslovak organization itself covered a large part of the expenses.

A small but important chapter in the history of the Czechoslovak troops in Russia also played Czechoslovak field post, which became the most reliable mediator of correspondence in the then Siberian Russia.

During the stay of Czechoslovak legions in Russia developed a broad-based cultural activity in their units. During each longer interruption of combat activities, music and theater performances, educational lectures, or sports events were held in the units.

In the Czech company, the effort to carry out cultural activities has manifested itself since the very beginning of the unit. However, compared to later cultural and educational activities, they have never reached such a boom. Their development was hindered by contemporary military orders, which conditioned individual activities with the permission of the commanding officer.

The February Revolution brought to the life of the Russian army a noticeable loosening of orders, which had a very positive effect on the cultural activity of the legions. Although just after the revolution, the same cultural activity continued as before 1917, the changes were reflected in the fact that between Czechoslovak soldiers Czech written literature, a welcome gift sent by American compatriots, also slowly began to flow. A significant change was the establishment of regimental and company committees. In addition to their economic functions, they also performed cultural and educational tasks. Their activity brought order and organization to the hitherto spontaneous and inconsistent activities. Their great contribution to the development of the cultural activities of the legions was significant until their dissolution in 1919.

Processing the history of Czechoslovak legions in Russia since the 1930s have focused mainly on military and political issues of their existence. A varied and diverse range of other possible perspectives on this issue remained practically out of the interest of historians. However, the thematically monotonous interpretation of the elaboration does not contribute much to the growth of a deeper interest in the study of Czechoslovak legions history.

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Literature

Conquest of Samara by Czechoslovak legionaries of the Pension Group in Russia in June 1918.

Heavy retreat struggles czechoslovak legionaries after the famous battle of Zborov in the summer of 1917 with the German army. The fighting led to access to Tarnopol, in the ongoing disruption of the Russian front. The Czechoslovak Rifle Brigade proved their high quality again in them.

In the famous battle of Zborov in 1917, the Czechs were on both sides of the trenches ...

In the northeast of Slovakia, in the Bardejov district, is the village of Stebnícka Huta, which became the scene of heavy fighting during the First World War. An event occurred in this village on April 3, 1915, which entered the political history of the Czechoslovak Republic. According to the official version, members of the Austro-Hungarian 28th Infantry Regiment then voluntarily ran to the Russian side of the front. This unit was known as the regiment of the " Prague Children " and its desertion was to be credited to members of the " Czech retinue ", who fought in the ranks of the Russian Tsarist army against the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. What part of this story is a legend and what actually happened at Stebnícka Huta?

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