Przedstawiciele dyplomatyczni PRL i funkcjonariusze PZPR wobec rozwoju sytuacji politycznej na Słowacji w okresie czechosłowackiej reformy lat 1968–1969

Abstract

Diplomatic representatives and communist functionaries from People’s Republic of Poland towards political development in Slovakia in the period of Czechoslovak reform in the years 1968–1969 (Summary) Slovakia and the structures of Communist Party of Slovakia (CPS), local branch of statewide Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (CPC), played an important role in the period of attempts to reform the communist political system in Czechoslovakia in the years 1968–1969. The effort to gain an equal position to Slovakia in the common state catalyzed the crisis in the ruling establishment that led to election of Slovak communists‘ leader Alexander Dubcek to the post of First Secretary of CC CPC. Dubcek became a symbol of reform movement in the party. In Bratislava he was succeded by Vasil Biľak, one of the main supporters of Warsaw Pact‘s military intervention in Czechoslovakia. After invasion in the August 1968 the leadership in CPS was taken over by Gustav Husak, who suppressed the freedoms in Slovakia, and after becoming First Secretary of CC CPC in April 1969 continued the „normalization” in the rest of the country. The situation in Slovakia was observed by the diplomats of People’s Republic of Poland and functionaries of Polish United Workers’ Party especially from regions bordering with Slovakia, who maintained contacts with Slovak comrades. A lot of attention to Slovak problems was given by Wladyslaw Kruczek, First Secretary of Rzeszow Voivodship party organization, who obtained news about situation in neighbouring country from the communists of Eastern Slovakia. The documents are bringing a lot of detailed information, reveal the backstage of some aspects of Czechoslovak politics. They are reflecting the mood in Slovakia, especially among the party functionaries at different levels, but are presenting ideologically deformed outlook and are written from the standpoint that was inimical to democratic changes, which were described accordingly to official attitude as a work of “reaction” and “zionists”. The information sent to Warsaw supported the opinion of PUWP leadership that the Czechoslovak reform must be stopped, because it is dangerous to the monopoly of communist power in the whole Soviet block.