O Janu Masarykovi a jeho úloze v sovětizaci Československa
About Jan Masaryk and His Role in the Sovietization of Czechoslovakia

Summary/Abstract: NStepping away from sentimental legends, the text reveals Jan Masaryk not only as a tragic post‑February symbol, but as an active architect of Czechoslovakia’s postwar drift into the Soviet sphere, enthusiastically championing “slovanská politika” and publicly glorifying Stalin’s regime long before the communist coup of 1948. His speeches from 1945 to early 1948 consistently framed the Soviet Union as the natural protector of the nation, dismissed debate about Moscow’s influence as illegitimate, and painted Czechoslovakia’s alignment with the East as both historic destiny and political necessity. Whether praising Stalin’s “genius,” promoting cultural propaganda, or insisting that the country “will remain the ally and ward of the Soviet Union,” Masaryk helped normalize a narrative that masked the loss of sovereignty under the guise of Slavic fraternity. Even his private doubts—often elevated into myth—pale beside his public role in legitimizing dependency on Moscow during a period when democratic institutions were already weakened. The account ultimately invites readers to confront the uncomfortable truth that the path to February 1948 was paved not only by communist coercion, but also by the willing collaboration of respected non‑communist leaders whose rhetoric eased the nation into subservience.

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