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in October 1918 making the (Sudeten) Germans living inthe now Czechoslovak lands
of Bohemia and Moravia aminority(Tampke 2003: xv, 34, 36; Zdenek Benes 2002: 36,
37, 38, 39). Despite some rejection regarding their new status, especially as most had
hoped tobelong to one ofthe bigger German nations to the west, by the 1920s the
Sudeten Germans had mostly accustomed themselves with the situation and enjoyed
rather many rights incomparison to other national minorities. In 1926, two German
parties, in acoalition with Czechoslovak parties, even entered the government. Bythen,
political cooperation followed the pragmatism ofsocio-economic considerations rather
than nationalistic sentiments. But, this short phase ofnormalization ended abruptly with
the outbreak of the Great Depression in 1929. The German speaking parts of Czechoslovakia
were hit especially hard and unemployment rates skyrocketed, which, as in
other European regions, led toaresurgence ofright wing nationalist parties (Tampke
2003: xv,xvi,46; Zdenek Benes 2002: 83).
The relations of Czechoslovakia toWeimar Germany before the outbreak of the Second
World War had been ‘correct but always fragile’. Germany had too many internal and
international problems todevelop any ambition incalling into question its eastern borders;
very much tothe dismay of some of the more radical forces in the Sudeten German
Parties who hoped for support from their strong German neighbour (Tampke 2003:
49). This situation changed drastically when Germany under Hitler was starting to
remilitarize and grow economically strong, increasing its attractiveness for the Sudeten
Germans that were faring bad economically and socially since the outbreak ofthe great
depression. The German leadership onthe other hand not onlysaw it as one of its major
goals toexpand German territory to the east, but also strongly disliked the cooperation
between Czechoslovakia and France. In an attempt toappease German ambitions, the
Allies agreed tothe secession of the German speaking parts ofCzechoslovakia toHitler
Germany atthe Munich Conference in 1938. This however could only delay German
advances to the east. In March 1939 German troops invaded Czechoslovakia. The six
years ofbrutal oppression that followed left deep marks onthe population ofthe Protectorate
asthe Czech part of former Czechoslovakia was called from now on (Zdenek
Benes 2002: 100). Not only Jews and Czechoslovak citizens that were not deemed fit
for Germanisation, but also opponents of Hitler’s Nazi party and communists were
attacked, deported and often killed. Resistance movements were brutally crushed
(Tampke 2003: 57, 69). The Sudeten Germans, while not necessarily strong supporters
of Hitler, celebrated their ‘homecoming’.