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German Bohemia (Template:Lang-de; Template:Lang-cs) was a region in Czech Republic established after World War I. It included parts of northern and western Bohemia then largely populated by ethnic Germans. The important population centers were Reichenberg (today Liberec) Aussig an der Elbe (Ústí nad Labem), Teplitz-Schönau (Teplice), Dux (Duchcov), Eger (Cheb), Marienbad (Mariánské Lázne), Karlsbad (Karlovy Vary), Gablonz an der Neiße (Jablonec nad Nisou), Leitmeritz (Litoměřice), Brüx(Most), and Saaz (Žatec).

History

The ethnically based provinces of German Austria with German Bohemia in brown

Lands constituting German Bohemia were historically an integral part of the Habsburgs Kingdom of Bohemia. However, with the imminent collapse of Habsburg Austria-Hungary at the end of World War I, the areas of the Czech-majority Bohemia with an ethnic German majority began to take actions to avoid becoming incorporated into the new Czechoslovak state. On 27 October 1918, the Egerland region declared independence from Bohemia, one day before the independence of Czechoslovakia was proclaimed in the Bohemian capital of Prague.

On 11 November 1918, Emperor Charles I of Austria relinquished power. On 12 November, the ethnic German areas of the collapsing Austrian Empire declared themselves the Republic of German Austria, intending to unite with Germany. The Province of German Bohemia (German: Provinz Deutschböhmen) was formed from the portion of Bohemia populated by ethnic Germans, with the exception of the German areas in the Bohemian Forest Region, which were added to Upper Austria. The capital of the German Bohemia was at Reichenbach.

Near the end of November 1918, however, the Czechoslovak army invaded of German Bohemia and in December occupied the entire region, with Reichenbach falling on 16 December and the last major city, Leitmeritz, falling on 27 December 1918.

The status of the German areas in Bohemia and Moravia was settled by the 1919 peace treaties of Versailles and Saint-Germain-en-Laye, which declared they belonged to Czechoslovakia. The Czechoslovak Government granted amnesty for all activities against the new republic.

German Bohemia was then reintegrated into the Bohemian province of the First Republic of Czechoslovakia. It remained so until 1938, when it was surrendered to Nazi at the Munich Conference and was added to Sudetenland. Following the end of World War II, the area was returned to the Czechoslovakia. However, the majority of the remaining German population were forcibly expelled from Czechoslovakia. Many who had attempted to flee earlier were were killed or died by the attacking Czech and Soviet armies.

The region today has an almost entirely Czech population and the cities and towns are now known by Czech names. Refugee groups seeking compensation for their property losses had consistently been refused by the government of todays Czech Republic.

Notes and references

External links

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 {{unreferenced|date=January 2008}}
-'''German Bohemia''' ({{lang-de|Deutschböhmen}}; {{lang-cs|Německé Čechy}}) was a region in [[Czech Republic]] established, for a short period of time, after the World War I.  It included parts of northern and western [[Bohemia]] once largely populated by [[ethnic German]]s.  Important population centers were [[Liberec]] (Reichenberg), [[Ústí nad Labem]] (Aussig), [[Teplice]] (Teplitz-Schönau), [[Duchcov]] (Dux) , [[Cheb]] (Eger), [[Mariánské Lázne]] (Marienbad), [[Karlovy Vary]] (Karlsbad), [[Jablonec nad Nisou]] (Gablonz an der Neiße), [[Litoměřice]] (Leitmeritz), [[Most]] (Brüx) and, [[Žatec]] (Saaz).
+'''German Bohemia''' ({{lang-de|Deutschböhmen}}; {{lang-cs|Německé Čechy}}) was a region in [[Czech Republic]] established after [[World War I]]. It included parts of northern and western [[Bohemia]] then largely populated by [[ethnic German]]s.  The important population centers were Reichenberg (today [[Liberec]]) Aussig an der Elbe ([[Ústí nad Labem]]), Teplitz-Schönau ([[Teplice]]), Dux ([[Duchcov]]), Eger ([[Cheb]]), Marienbad ([[Mariánské Lázne]]), Karlsbad ([[Karlovy Vary]]), Gablonz an der Neiße ([[Jablonec nad Nisou]]), Leitmeritz ([[Litoměřice]]), Brüx([[Most]]), and Saaz ([[Žatec]]).
 ==History==
-[[Image:GermanAustriaMap.png|thumb|right|350px|The provinces of [[German Austria]] with German Bohemia in brown]]
+[[Image:GermanAustriaMap.png|thumb|right|350px|The ethnically based provinces of [[German Austria]] with German Bohemia in brown]]
-Lands constituting German Bohemia were historically an integral part of the [[Habsburgs]] [[Kingdom of Bohemia]] but, with the imminent collapse of Habsburg [[Austria-Hungary]] at the end of [[World War I]], areas of the [[Czechs|Czech]]-majority Bohemia with an ethnic German majority who began to take actions to avoid joining a new Czechoslovak state.  On 27 October 1918, the [[Egerland]] region declared independence from Bohemia and a day later the independence of [[Czechoslovakia]] was proclaimed in the Bohemian capital of [[Prague]].
+Lands constituting German Bohemia were historically an integral part of the [[Habsburgs]] [[Kingdom of Bohemia]]. However, with the imminent collapse of Habsburg [[Austria-Hungary]] at the end of [[World War I]], the areas of the [[Czechs|Czech]]-majority Bohemia with an ethnic German majority began to take actions to avoid becoming incorporated into the new Czechoslovak state. On 27 October 1918, the [[Egerland]] region declared independence from Bohemia, one day before the independence of [[Czechoslovakia]] was proclaimed in the Bohemian capital of [[Prague]].
+On 11 November 1918, Emperor [[Charles I of Austria]] relinquished power. On 12 November, the ethnic German areas of the collapsing Austrian Empire declared themselves the Republic of [[German Austria]], intending to unite with [[Germany]].  The '''Province of German Bohemia''' (German: ''Provinz Deutschböhmen'') was formed from the portion of Bohemia populated by ethnic Germans, with the exception of the German areas in the [[Bohemian Forest Region]], which  were added to [[Upper Austria]].  The capital of the German Bohemia was at Reichenbach.
+Near the end of  November 1918, however, the Czechoslovak army invaded of German Bohemia and in December occupied the entire region, with Reichenbach falling on 16 December and the last major city, Leitmeritz, falling on 27 December 1918.
-On 11 November 1918, Emperor [[Charles I of Austria]] relinquished power and, on 12 November, the ethnic German areas of the empire were declared the Republic of [[German Austria]] with the intent of unifying with [[Germany]].  The '''Province of German Bohemia''' (German: ''Provinz Deutschböhmen'') was formed from the part of Bohemia containing the most ethnic Germans (however, ethnic German areas of southwestern Bohemia in the [[Bohemian Forest Region]] were added to [[Upper Austria]] instead of German Bohemia).  The capital of the province was Liberec.
+The status of the German areas in Bohemia and [[Moravia]] was settled by the 1919 peace [[Treaty of Versailles|treaties of Versailles]] and [[Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1919)|Saint-Germain-en-Laye]], which declared they belonged to [[Czechoslovakia]]. The Czechoslovak Government granted amnesty for all activities against the new republic.
-In late November 1918, the Czechoslovak army began an invasion of German Bohemia and during December it occupied whole area of the region with Liberec falling on 16 December and the last major city, Litoměřice, falling on 27 December 1918.
+German Bohemia was then reintegrated into the Bohemian province of the [[First Republic of Czechoslovakia]]. It remained so until 1938, when it was surrendered to [[Nazi Germany|Nazi]] at the [[Munich Conference]] and was added to [[Sudetenland]]. Following the end of [[World War II]], the area was returned to the  Czechoslovakia. However, the majority of the remaining German population were forcibly expelled from Czechoslovakia. Many who had attempted to flee earlier were were killed or died by the attacking Czech and Soviet armies.
-The status of German areas in Bohemia and [[Moravia]] was definitively settled by the 1919 peace [[Treaty of Versailles|treaties of Versailles]] and [[Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1919)|Saint-Germain-en-Laye]] that declared that the areas belong to [[Czechoslovakia]]. The Czechoslovak Government then granted amnesty for all activities against the new state.
+The region today has an almost entirely Czech population and the cities and towns are now known by Czech names. Refugee groups seeking compensation for their property losses had consistently been refused by the government of todays Czech Republic.
-The region was then reintegrated into the Bohemian Land of the [[First Republic of Czechoslovakia]] and remained a part of it until the [[Nazi Germany|Nazi]] dismemberment of Czechoslovakia when it was added to [[Sudetenland]].  After [[World War II]], the area was returned to the  Czechoslovakia. Most of the remaining German population living in the region following the War were driven out of the country; many of these persons were killed or died during their flight from the attacking Czech and Soviet armies.
 ==See also==