Capital punishment in the Czech Republic
Encyclopedia
Capital punishment
(trest smrti in Czech
) was legal and used in Czechoslovakia
until abolition in 1990. The last exeution was carried out in 1989. The Czech Republic
(established in 1993) observes the decision.
Capital punishment was common in the Austrian Monarchy (with a short exception from 1787 to 1795 under the rule of Joseph II
) in Austria-Hungary
, and from 1918 in the newly created Czechoslovakia. From 1918 to 1989, 1217 people were executed legally, the majority of them immediately after World War II
. Due to chaos in historical records the actual number may be slightly different. This number doesn't include people executed during the occupation
of the Czech lands
from 1939 to 1945 or during the existence of the Slovak State (thousands were executed at that time; of these about 1079 were guillotine
d in Pankrác prison).
During the presidency of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (1918–35) 16 people were executed, 4 of the for military related crimes. Masaryk was an opponent of capital punishment and had the privilege of commuting death sentences, one he exercised frequently.
After World War II, based on the Beneš decrees
, special courts at the local level (lidové soudy, people's courts) were set up to punish war crimes. Until 1948 they sentenced about 730) people to death (60% of the 1918-89 total)). These courts were often motivated by revenge and their procedures didn't favour thorough investigation.)
During the presidency of Klement Gottwald
(1948–53) 237 people were executed, of whom over 190 for political crimes. Gottwald pardoned 18 people. Among the best known of those executed are Milada Horáková
, a politician, hanged in 1950. The widely publicised Prague Trials resulted in 11 executions.
During this period many other people died due to cruel conditions in prisons and concentration camps such as the Concentration camp in Jáchymov.
During the presidency of Antonín Zápotocký
(1953–57) 94 people were executed. That figure fell to 87 people during Antonín Novotný
's 1957-68 presidency and then to 38 people during that of Gustav Husák
(1975–89).
From 1954 to 1968 all executions were carried out in Pankrác Prison
, Prague
; after 1968 some took place in Bratislava
. In 1956 the number of crimes punishable by death was reduced and mandatory review of sentences was introduced. In 1961 a law made the conditions for capital punishment more strict, with only especially brutal murders punishable by death. The last execution in Czechoslovakia took place on 8 June 1989, when Štefan Svitek was hanged in Bratislava prison for triple murder; in today's Czech Republic the last executed person was Vladimír Lulek, hanged on 2 February 1989 in Pankrác Prison for murder of his wife and four children. The last person sentenced to death was Zdeněk Vocásek, but his sentence was changed to life imprisonment in 1990.
Soon after the Communist party fell from power
(1989) the new president Václav Havel
pushed the abolition of the death penalty through parliament. A May 1990 criminal law reform replaced capital punishment with life imprisonment
; in January 1991 death penalty became prohibited by the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms, a part of Czechoslovak
, now Czech constitutional law
.
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
(trest smrti in Czech
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
) was legal and used in Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
until abolition in 1990. The last exeution was carried out in 1989. The Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
(established in 1993) observes the decision.
Capital punishment was common in the Austrian Monarchy (with a short exception from 1787 to 1795 under the rule of Joseph II
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
) in Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, and from 1918 in the newly created Czechoslovakia. From 1918 to 1989, 1217 people were executed legally, the majority of them immediately after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Due to chaos in historical records the actual number may be slightly different. This number doesn't include people executed during the occupation
Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
The Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia was the majority ethnic-Czech protectorate which Nazi Germany established in the central parts of Bohemia, Moravia and Czech Silesia in what is today the Czech Republic...
of the Czech lands
Czech lands
Czech lands is an auxiliary term used mainly to describe the combination of Bohemia, Moravia and Czech Silesia. Today, those three historic provinces compose the Czech Republic. The Czech lands had been settled by the Celts , then later by various Germanic tribes until the beginning of 7th...
from 1939 to 1945 or during the existence of the Slovak State (thousands were executed at that time; of these about 1079 were guillotine
Guillotine
The guillotine is a device used for carrying out :executions by decapitation. It consists of a tall upright frame from which an angled blade is suspended. This blade is raised with a rope and then allowed to drop, severing the head from the body...
d in Pankrác prison).
During the presidency of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (1918–35) 16 people were executed, 4 of the for military related crimes. Masaryk was an opponent of capital punishment and had the privilege of commuting death sentences, one he exercised frequently.
After World War II, based on the Beneš decrees
Beneš decrees
Decrees of the President of the Republic , more commonly known as the Beneš decrees, were a series of laws that were drafted by the Czechoslovak Government-in-Exile in the absence of the Czechoslovak parliament during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia in World War II and issued by President...
, special courts at the local level (lidové soudy, people's courts) were set up to punish war crimes. Until 1948 they sentenced about 730) people to death (60% of the 1918-89 total)). These courts were often motivated by revenge and their procedures didn't favour thorough investigation.)
During the presidency of Klement Gottwald
Klement Gottwald
Klement Gottwald was a Czechoslovakian Communist politician, longtime leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia , prime minister and president of Czechoslovakia.-Early life:...
(1948–53) 237 people were executed, of whom over 190 for political crimes. Gottwald pardoned 18 people. Among the best known of those executed are Milada Horáková
Milada Horáková
Dr. Milada Horáková was a Czech politician executed by Communists on charges of conspiracy and treason.- Biography :...
, a politician, hanged in 1950. The widely publicised Prague Trials resulted in 11 executions.
During this period many other people died due to cruel conditions in prisons and concentration camps such as the Concentration camp in Jáchymov.
During the presidency of Antonín Zápotocký
Antonín Zápotocký
Antonín Zápotocký was communist Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia from 1948 to 1953 and President of Czechoslovakia from 1953 to 1957....
(1953–57) 94 people were executed. That figure fell to 87 people during Antonín Novotný
Antonín Novotný
Antonín Novotný was General Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia from 1953 to 1968, and also held the post of President of Czechoslovakia from 1957 to 1968. He was born in Letňany, now part of Prague....
's 1957-68 presidency and then to 38 people during that of Gustav Husák
Gustáv Husák
Gustáv Husák was a Slovak politician, president of Czechoslovakia and a long-term Communist leader of Czechoslovakia and of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia...
(1975–89).
From 1954 to 1968 all executions were carried out in Pankrác Prison
Pankrác Prison
Pankrác Prison, officially Prague Pankrác Remand Prison , is a prison in Prague, Czech Republic...
, Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
; after 1968 some took place in Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
. In 1956 the number of crimes punishable by death was reduced and mandatory review of sentences was introduced. In 1961 a law made the conditions for capital punishment more strict, with only especially brutal murders punishable by death. The last execution in Czechoslovakia took place on 8 June 1989, when Štefan Svitek was hanged in Bratislava prison for triple murder; in today's Czech Republic the last executed person was Vladimír Lulek, hanged on 2 February 1989 in Pankrác Prison for murder of his wife and four children. The last person sentenced to death was Zdeněk Vocásek, but his sentence was changed to life imprisonment in 1990.
Soon after the Communist party fell from power
Velvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
(1989) the new president Václav Havel
Václav Havel
Václav Havel is a Czech playwright, essayist, poet, dissident and politician. He was the tenth and last President of Czechoslovakia and the first President of the Czech Republic . He has written over twenty plays and numerous non-fiction works, translated internationally...
pushed the abolition of the death penalty through parliament. A May 1990 criminal law reform replaced capital punishment with life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
; in January 1991 death penalty became prohibited by the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms, a part of Czechoslovak
1960 Constitution of Czechoslovakia
The Constitution of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic , promulgated on 11 July 1960 as the constitutional law 100/1960 Sb., codified the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia...
, now Czech constitutional law
Constitution of the Czech Republic
The current Constitution of the Czech Republic was adopted on December 16, 1992. It replaced the constitution of Czechoslovakia , which split into the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic by act of parliament on January 1, 1993, through the so-called Velvet Divorce.The document is organized into...
.
External links
- List of all people executed in Czechoslovakia, historical background, laws, bibliography (in Czech, MS Word document, HTML version by Google)