“Soumrak četnictva” – a Literary Source for History of Security Forces in Interwar Cover Image

„Soumrak četnictva“ – literární pramen k historii bezpečnostní služby v meziválečném Československu
“Soumrak četnictva” – a Literary Source for History of Security Forces in Interwar

Author(s): Ondřej Kolář
Subject(s): History
Published by: Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci
Keywords: Czechoslovakia; security forces; gendarmerie; literature; literary sources; Bohumil Mladý

Summary/Abstract: The matter of this study is a satirical science fiction short story Soumrak četnictva written by Bohumil Mladý in 1921, in which the author reacts to main issues of the security service. They appear to be primarily in bureaucratization of gendarmerie. Mladý responds to some real events of that period and satirizes concrete personalities in his book. The author urges to reduce administration and to modernize and professionalize security forces, furthermore, he emphasizes the necessity to inform the public more about gendarmerie problems. It is necessary to perceive the book in a context of a conflict dealing with a military or civil character of gendarmerie, which arouse after the establishment of Czechoslovakia. Mladý was greatly critical to the military concept and its supporters; on the other hand, taking into consideration questions of the required technical modernization and improvement of professional qualification of gendarmerie, he agreed with the force command in essence.

  • Issue Year: XXXVI/2014
  • Issue No: 46
  • Page Range: 169-178
  • Page Count: 10
  • Language: Czech