 | |
| Leader | Radola Gajda |
| Founded | March 1926 |
| Dissolved | 22 November 1938 |
| Split from | Czechoslovak National Democracy |
| Merged into | Party of National Unity |
| Headquarters | Prague[1] |
| Ideology | Fascism[2][3] Antisemitism[3] Anti-communism Pan-Slavism[3] Anti-Hungarian sentiment Czechoslovak nationalism Anti-German sentiment |
| Political position | Far-right |
| Colours | Black |
| Slogan | "Blaho vlasti budiž nejvyšším zákonem" (English: Let the Welfare of the Homeland be the Supreme Law) |
| Anthem | |
TheNational Fascist Community (Czech:Národní obec fašistická,NOF, sometimes translated asNational Fascist League) was aCzechoslovakfascist movement led byRadola Gajda, and based on the fascism ofBenito Mussolini.[4] It was responsible for the only fascist coup in Czechoslovak history.
The party was formed in March 1926 by the merger of a group of dissidentNational Democrats known as the "Red-Whites" with various other rightist groups acrossBohemia andMoravia.[5] It was distinguished by a strong current of opposition toGermany, which continued even afterAdolf Hitler had come to power. The NOF instead looked toItaly as its model, and based itself wholly on Mussolini'sNational Fascist Party. In this respect it differed markedly from its chief rivalVlajka, which was firmly in the Hitler camp.[4] Groups targeted by the NOF for criticism included theJews,communists, the Czechoslovak government and theMagyars.[5] It set up a youth group and atrade union movement, although the latter was minor. The group also advocated a policy ofPan-Slavism, and hoped to take a joint lead withPoland of a grandSlavic alliance that would overthrowcommunism in theSoviet Union. They also believed in acorporatist economy with a largeagricultural sector.[4] The NOF attracted some early support from veterans of theCzechoslovak Legions.[6] It was estimated by a government informer that the NOF had as many as 200,000 followers in 1926, albeit it had virtually no support in the Slovak area as thefar right there was dominated by anindigenous movement.[5]
The NOF planned a fascistcoup d'etat and secured the support of Slovak paramilitary groupRodobrana in this endeavour, albeit the plans were intercepted byBrno police.[7] On the night of 21–22 January 1933, 70 to 80 men of the NOF attacked the Svatoplukova Barracks in Brno, hoping to start a nationwide coup. However, Czechoslovak troops, with the help of gendarmes, were able to repel the attack. One rebel was killed during the fighting. The leader of the coup, retired Lieutenant Ladislav Kobsinek, fled the country, but was later extradited to Czechoslovakia and sentenced to 12 years in prison. Other rebels received sentences of several years. Although he did not directly participate in the coup, General Radol Gajda received a six-month sentence. Kobsinek was paroled in 1939. DuringWorld War II, he collaborated withNazi Germany. After the war, Kobsinek was sentenced to 12 years in prison. In 1957, he was released from prison and deported to Germany, where he died in 1988.[8]
In the1929 elections the NOF ran under the name "Against Fixed-Order Lists"[9] but won three seats. Gajda was elected toParliament, but the party failed to maintain its support, and received only 2% of the vote and seven seats in Chamber of Deputies in the elections of 1935.[4]
The NOF attempted a comeback during theGerman occupation,[9] albeit the Nazis did not support due to their earlier criticism and their overall minor status. Ultimately the NOF were disbanded and largely absorbed into the puppetNational Partnership, Gajda having been bribed to leave politics.[10] The party's demise was sealed in late 1939 when they organised a rally inPrague'sWenceslas Square and only managed to attract 300 supporters.[11]
| Election year | # of overall votes | % of overall vote | # of overall seats won | +/– | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1935 | 167,433 (#12) | 2.0 | 6 / 300 |  6 |
| Senate | |||||
| Election year | # of overall votes | % of overall vote | # of overall seats won | +/– | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1935 | 145,125 (#13) | 2.0 | 0 / 150 | | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
