List of presidents of Czechoslovakia

The president of Czechoslovakia (Czech: prezident Československa, Slovak: prezident Česko-Slovenska) was the head of state of Czechoslovakia, from the creation of the First Czechoslovak Republic in 1918 until the dissolution of the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic on 1 January 1993.

President of Czechoslovakia
Czech: Prezident Československa
Slovak: Prezident Česko-Slovenska
Presidential Standard (1918–1960)
Longest serving
Tomáš Masaryk
14 November 1918 – 14 December 1935
StyleHis Excellency
ResidencePrague Castle
Bratislava Castle
(1969–92)
AppointerFederal Assembly
Formation14 November 1918 (1918-11-14)
First holderTomáš Masaryk
Final holderVáclav Havel
Abolished20 July 1992 (1992-07-20)
Superseded byCzech Republic President of the Czech Republic
Slovakia President of Slovakia
DeputyPrime Minister of Czechoslovakia (1948–1992)

In periods when the presidency was vacant, most presidential duties were assumed by the prime minister.

The second section lists the leaders of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ) from 1948 to 1989. The post was titled as Chairman from 1948 to 1953, First Secretary from 1953 to 1971, and General Secretary from 1971 to 1989. After the 1948 coup d'état, the KSČ's leader was the country's de facto chief executive. However, three party leaders (Klement Gottwald, Antonín Novotný and Gustáv Husák) also served as president at some point in their tenures.

Presidents of Czechoslovakia (1918–1992)
Political parties
  Czechoslovak National Social Party (ČSNS)
  Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ)
  Civic Forum (OF)
Other factions
  Independent
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)		 Ethnicity Elected Term of office Political party
Took office Left office Time in office
(1918–1938)
1 Tomáš Masaryk
(1850–1937)		 Czech 1918
1920
1927
1934		 14 November 1918 14 December 1935 17 years, 30 days Independent
2 Edvard Beneš
(1884–1948)		 Czech 1935 18 December 1935 5 October 1938 2 years, 291 days ČSNS
(1938–1939)
3 Emil Hácha
(1872–1945)		 Czech 1938 30 November 1938 15 March 1939 105 days Independent
(1939–1945)
Emil Hácha became State President of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, a de jure autonomous region incorporated into Nazi Germany.[1][2]
Edvard Beneš proclaimed himself President within the Czechoslovak government-in-exile, which was the government of Czechoslovakia recognized by the Allies during World War II.
Jozef Tiso became President of the quasi-independent, pro-Nazi and clero-fascist Slovak Republic.
Avgustyn Voloshyn became President of the Carpatho-Ukraine few days before invasion and occupation by the Kingdom of Hungary.
(1945–1948)
2 Edvard Beneš
(1884–1948)		 Czech 1946 4 April 1945 7 June 1948 3 years, 64 days ČSNS
(1948–1989)
Official names: Czechoslovak Republic (1948–1960), Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (1960–1989)
4 Klement Gottwald
(1896–1953)		 Czech 1948 14 June 1948 14 March 1953 4 years, 273 days KSČ
5 Antonín Zápotocký
(1884–1957)		 Czech 1953 21 March 1953 13 November 1957 4 years, 237 days KSČ
6 Antonín Novotný
(1904–1975)		 Czech 1957
1964		 19 November 1957 22 March 1968 10 years, 124 days KSČ
7 Ludvík Svoboda
(1895–1979)		 Czech 1968
1973		 30 March 1968 29 May 1975 7 years, 60 days KSČ
8 Gustáv Husák
(1913–1991)		 Slovak 1975
1980
1985		 29 May 1975 10 December 1989 14 years, 195 days KSČ
(1989–1992)
Official names: Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (1989–1990), Czech and Slovak Federative Republic (1990–1992)
9 Václav Havel
(1936–2011)		 Czech 1989
1990
1992
(failed)		 29 December 1989 20 July 1992 2 years, 204 days OF

General secretaries of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (1948–1989)

Except for the final office-holder, the leader of the KSČ was de facto the most powerful person in the country during this period.

Title: Chairman (1948–1953) and First Secretary (1953–1971).

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)		 Ethnicity Term of office
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Klement Gottwald
(1896–1953)		 Czech February 1948 14 March 1953 5 years, 41 days
2 Antonín Novotný
(1904–1975)		 Czech 14 March 1953 5 January 1968 14 years, 297 days
3 Alexander Dubček
(1921–1992)		 Slovak 5 January 1968 17 April 1969 1 year, 102 days
4 Gustáv Husák
(1913–1991)		 Slovak 17 April 1969 17 December 1987 18 years, 244 days
5 Miloš Jakeš
(1922–2020)		 Czech 17 December 1987 24 November 1989 1 year, 342 days
6 Karel Urbánek
(born 1941)		 Czech 24 November 1989 20 December 1989 26 days

Timeline
Václav HavelGustáv HusákLudvík SvobodaAntonín NovotnýAntonín ZápotockýKlement GottwaldEdvard BenešEmil HáchaEdvard BenešTomáš Garrigue Masaryk

Presidential standards
  • 1918–1939, 1945–1960
    1918–1939, 1945–1960
  • 1960–1990
    1960–1990
  • 1990–1992
    1990–1992

See also
Politics of Czechoslovakia
Constitution
  • Executive
  • Legislative
Elections
Administrative divisions
States
Dissolution
Foreign relations

References
  1. Rare 1943 Third Reich facts booklet
  2. Heavily illustrated rare big original 1943 Nazi book on Eastern Europe and Asia Archived 2009-04-10 at the Wayback Machine
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