Старо савезништво и нова искушења: Југословенско-чехословачки односи 1945-1948.
Old Alliance and New Trials: Yugoslav-Czechoslovak Relations 1945-1948

Author(s): Slobodan Selinić
Subject(s): Diplomatic history, Economic history, Political history, International relations/trade, WW II and following years (1940 - 1949)
Published by: Institut za noviju istoriju Srbije
Keywords: Yugoslavia; Czechoslovakia; Cominform; politics; economy; culture;
Summary/Abstract: Between the end of WWII and the Resolution of the Cominform, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia cooperated intensively. Although Czechoslovakia remained a multi-party state and Yugoslavia had experienced a change of government, the continuity of intensive cooperation and improvement of mutual acquaintance from the previous period were maintained. The two countries were tied by the treaty of alliance (the Treaty of Friendship that was signed in Belgrade on May 9, 1946). Their communist parties were members of the Cominform. The Yugoslav leaders relied in development of industry after WWII primarily on Czechoslovakia that was the major trade partner from where goods, licenses and machinery were imported. Czechoslovakia was irreplaceable in Yugoslav plans for industrialization. Cultural cooperation was very rich, manysided and meaningful. It comprised exchange of artists, writers, musicians, painters, scholars, translations, exhibitions, ample sports cooperation etc. Yugoslavia sent students and apprentices to be educated in Czechoslovakia. During three years (1945-1948) 3000 students and apprentices from Yugoslavia passed through Czechoslovak faculties and vocational schools. Tens of thousands of tourists from Czechoslovakia visited the Adriatic and Czechoslovak students, experts and professors toured Yugoslavia during their numerous visits. On every step they recorded and photographed customs, architecture, people, history and arts of the Yugoslav lands. However, the conflict with the Cominform changed everything. Czechoslovakia sided with the Cominform; cooperation grew weaker and was finally terminated on October 9, 1949 as Czechoslovakia canceled the Treaty of Friendship.

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