Otázka personálního obsazení československého vyslanectví ve Vídni v letech 1932–1938

• Authors: Miroslav Šepták

Title variants

EN

THE QUESTION OF PERSONAL APPOINT FOR THE CZECHOSLOVAK LEGATION IN VIENNA IN THE YEARS 1932–1938

• Languages of publication: CS

Abstracts

EN

Czechoslovak top foreign policy makers assigned great importance to the staffing of the country’s representation in Vienna. This, however, was not an easy task as there was a lack of suitable candidates. Initially, Tomáš G. Masaryk and Edvard Beneš selected for diplomatic positions in Czechoslovakia’s southern neighboring country prospective diplomats with a promising career in the future. In the 1930, contrary to that, Czechoslovakia was supposed to be represented in its southern neighboring country by experienced diplomats able to stay in their position for a couple of years and thus facilitate the continuity of staffing. These efforts, however, ultimately failed due to a number of unfavorable circumstances. In 1932, Zdeněk Fierlinger was appointed Czechoslovak Envoy to Vienna. However, due to his leftist orientation and extensive contacts with the Austrian Social Democrats, and later also due to his support of the leftist opponents of the conservative-authoritarian regime it was impossible to improve the mutual relations. After the Civil War in Austria the Ballhausplatz Office insisted on ending Fierlinger’s mission in Vienna, but Beneš resisted the pressure. Austria’s Foreign Office showed more or less interest in the major staff changes taking place in the Czechoslovak Legation in Austria. Owing to their well-informed Envoy Ferdinand Mark they were receiving many original reports, of which some were just based on unverified lobby talks. To summarize it can be said that except for Fierlinger, the Czechoslovak diplomats in the Austrian metropolis, owing to their professional qualities, could at least help create good neighborliness with Austria. Naturally, it was impossible for them to prevent the transfer of the Alpine country into the German sphere of influence during the period of strong activity of the “dynamic” authoritarian and totalitarian regimes.

Keywords

EN

HISTORY; 20THE CENTURY; CZECHOSLOVAK LEGATION IN VIENNA; DIPLOMACY; STAFFING PROBLEMS

Discipline

• HISTORY: HISTORY

• Publisher: Institute of History, Czech Academy of Sciences
• Journal: Moderní dějiny: sborník k dějinám 19. a 20. století (Modern History: Studies into 19th and 20th century history)
• Year: 2012
• Volume: 20
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 203-219

Contributors

author

Miroslav Šepták

• Národní archiv, Oddělení fondů samosprávy a státní správy z let 1918–1945, Archivní 4/2257, 149 01 Praha 4, Czech Republic