From the Habsburg Monarchy to the Czechoslovak Republic: Education in Historical Context

The chapter presents Czechoslovakia and its school system in historical context. The foundations of a system of elementary education were established under the Habsburg monarchy at the end of the eighteenth century, and the matter of education also became a matter of state. The text follows the history from the reign of Maria Theresa to the establishment of an independent Czechoslovakia in 1918 and then the interwar and war periods. The authors briefly describe the general history of a particular period, showing the (international) political context and presenting key economic characteristics of the time. They then place the levels of education, education itself, and the school system in a historical framework. They take note of the laws and present the system of elementary education, including its development and reforms as well as changes that could not be implemented. The authors note the problems of minority education, mixed-sex education, the education of teachers, the changing role of the church in education, and changes in the content of education.