Slovak National Party (historical party)
Encyclopedia
The Slovak National Party (SNS, Slovak: Slovenská národná strana) was a Slovak conservative
and nationalist
political party in the Kingdom of Hungary
and then in Czechoslovakia
from 1871 to 1938. The post-Velvet Revolution party with the same name
sees the historical one as its ideological predecessor.
In the year of another parliamentary elections, 1878, SNS declared its passivity. That happened after the closing of all three Slovak secondary schools in the Kingdom of Hungary and of the Matica slovenská (Slovak Foundation), an important cultural organization of the Slovaks, in 1874/1875. In 1881, the SNS did not receive any mandates in the parliament after unsuccessful elections.
In 1884 and 1887, the SNS declared its passivity in the general elections. In 1892 SNS did not take part in the elections, but supported the Slovak candidates of the Katolikus Néppárt (Catholic People's Party), mostly an ethnic Hungarian party. The first successful year from this point of view was 1901, when the SNS received four mandates in the Hungarian parliament. (That was after 30 years of SNS' existence). 1901 was also the year of the party's reorganization. Since then, all Slovak political movements (the original members, the Catholic
ľudáci
and the liberal
Hlasists) except the Social Democrats
were included in the party. (While until then, the party was ruled only by a group called the Martin
centre.)
In the 1905 elections, SNS received one mandate in the parliament. A very successful year for the Slovak candidates was 1906. That's when seven of them received mandates in the parliament of the Kingdom of Hungary. All of them were members of SNS, one of them being only a member of SNS, and six of them being also the members of Slovak People's Party, an autonomous part of SNS. In the 1910 elections, SNS received 3 parliamentary mandates.
On 28 June 1911, deputies of the party submitted a document called Memorandum of the SNS to the Hungarian government. The SNS demanded here the factical application of the so-called Nationalities Law from 1868 (the law declared all citizens of the Kingdom of Hungary members of a single Hungarian [in Hungarian "Magyar"] nation and Hungarian
the only state language; the minor educational, administration and church rights for non-Hungarian nationalities stipulated in the law have never been implemented), the permission to use the Slovak language in some types of schools at least and the returning of the property of the dissolved Matica slovenská. The Hungarian government rejected all of these requirements. After this decision, the SNS started to cooperate more with representatives of Czech politics.
In 1913, the Slovak People's Party became officially independent from SNS. In May 1914, representatives of all Slovak political movements except the Slovak People's Party agreed in Budapest
on creating the Slovak National Council
. World War I, however, interrupted the implementation of this intention temporarily. On 8 August 1914, the SNS stopped its activity and declared its loyalty to the Habsburg dynasty and monarchy to prevent any accusations of activities hostile to Austria-Hungary possible during war times.
On 24 May 1918, the SNS called a meeting of its Executive Committee. Politicians of other Slovak movements were also present. The SNS expressed here that its aim is the self-determination of the Slovak nation. Participants of the meeting agreed on creating a common state of Slovaks and Czechs. On 12 September, the Slovak National Council was created (unofficially). The official creation happened on 30 October 1918 during a meeting, called by the SNS, in the town of Turčiansky Svätý Martin (today Martin
). The SNS chairman Matúš Dula became chairman of the Council. This assembly of Slovak politicians also accepted the Declaration of the Slovak nation (also called Martin declaration), in which their will to politically join the Czech nation was expressed.
. SNS not only demanded an acceptation of the Slovak nation's existence, but also a political autonomy for Slovakia.
On 1 January 1919, the Matica slovenská was reopened. On 11 January 1920, the SNS merged with the Slovak Agrarians. The new name of the party was Slovak National and Farmers' Party (Slovenská národná a roľnícka strana). The National Assembly elections in April 1920 brought the party 242,045 votes, which made it the second strongest party in Slovakia
(after the Czechoslovak Social Democrats). In 1922, the Agrarians left the party and merged with the Czech Agrarians into the Republican Party of Agricultural and Smallholder People. The nationalist wing returned to its original name Slovak National Party.
In 1922, the SNS demanded cultural and administrative autonomy in the Memorandum of the SNS. In the 1925 general elections, the party received 35 432 votes and no mandates in the National Assembly. In another elections year, 1929, the party participated in the elections as a member of a multi-ethnic coalition of parties (Czechoslovak National Democracy, SNS and an ethnic Russian block), which received 359 547 votes and 15 mandates. Only one mandate belonged to the SNS. On 16 October 1932, leaders of the SNS and the Hlinka's Slovak People's Party Martin Rázus
and Andrej Hlinka
accepted the Zvolen
manifesto, in which they rejected Czechoslovakism
. Here they formed an alliance of their parties called the Autonomy Block. A group of SNS members (e.g. M. Daxner, Ján Paulíny-Tóth) didn't agree with this coalition. Until the election in 1935, other political parties also joined the Block. The Autonomy Block succeeded in the parliamentary election: receiving 30.12% of the Slovak votes, it became the winner of the elections in Slovakia.
Slovak autonomy was established in 1938. On 6 October, Hlinka's Slovak People's Party declared it in the Žilina
Manifesto. This step was supported also by other parties (including the SNS) on the same day in the Žilina Treaty and then accepted by the government in Prague
. On 7 October, the first autonomous Slovak government (led by Jozef Tiso
) was named.
The SNS entered the Hlinka's Slovak People's Party – Party of the Slovak National Unity on 15 December 1938 and received no autonomous position in this party. This step was forced by the People's Party and supported only by a group of members around Miloš Vančo. Other members showed their negative opinion during the meeting of the Executive Committee on 23 November 1938. However, results of further talks with the People's Party, as well as the official stopping of SNS´ activities (by a government body), made the further existence of the party impossible.
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
and nationalist
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
political party in the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
and then 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...
from 1871 to 1938. The post-Velvet Revolution party with the same name
Slovak National Party (current party)
The Slovak National Party is a political party in Slovakia. The party characterizes itself as a socialist, nationalist party based on what it calls the European Christian system of values. However it is sometimes described as ultra-nationalist,...
sees the historical one as its ideological predecessor.
SNS in Austria-Hungary
The Slovak National Party arose on 6 June 1871, as the first ever political party of Slovaks in history. It was the result of the decision of an already existing nationally oriented group (called the Old Slovak School) that wanted to take part in the elections to the Hungarian Diet (parliament). Their political program was based on the Memorandum of the Slovak nation, a political document from 1861 requiring the establishment of the so-called "Slovak surrounding" (Slovenské okolie), an intended form of Slovak autonomy. However, their first election was not successful - they received no mandates in the parliament.In the year of another parliamentary elections, 1878, SNS declared its passivity. That happened after the closing of all three Slovak secondary schools in the Kingdom of Hungary and of the Matica slovenská (Slovak Foundation), an important cultural organization of the Slovaks, in 1874/1875. In 1881, the SNS did not receive any mandates in the parliament after unsuccessful elections.
In 1884 and 1887, the SNS declared its passivity in the general elections. In 1892 SNS did not take part in the elections, but supported the Slovak candidates of the Katolikus Néppárt (Catholic People's Party), mostly an ethnic Hungarian party. The first successful year from this point of view was 1901, when the SNS received four mandates in the Hungarian parliament. (That was after 30 years of SNS' existence). 1901 was also the year of the party's reorganization. Since then, all Slovak political movements (the original members, the Catholic
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
ľudáci
Slovak People's Party
The Slovak People's Party was a Slovak right-wing party and was described as a fascist and...
and the liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
Hlasists) except the Social Democrats
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
were included in the party. (While until then, the party was ruled only by a group called the Martin
Martin, Slovakia
Martin is a city in northern Slovakia, situated on the Turiec river, between the Malá Fatra and Veľká Fatra mountains, near the city of Žilina. The population numbers approximately 58,000, which makes it the eighth largest city in Slovakia...
centre.)
In the 1905 elections, SNS received one mandate in the parliament. A very successful year for the Slovak candidates was 1906. That's when seven of them received mandates in the parliament of the Kingdom of Hungary. All of them were members of SNS, one of them being only a member of SNS, and six of them being also the members of Slovak People's Party, an autonomous part of SNS. In the 1910 elections, SNS received 3 parliamentary mandates.
On 28 June 1911, deputies of the party submitted a document called Memorandum of the SNS to the Hungarian government. The SNS demanded here the factical application of the so-called Nationalities Law from 1868 (the law declared all citizens of the Kingdom of Hungary members of a single Hungarian [in Hungarian "Magyar"] nation and Hungarian
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
the only state language; the minor educational, administration and church rights for non-Hungarian nationalities stipulated in the law have never been implemented), the permission to use the Slovak language in some types of schools at least and the returning of the property of the dissolved Matica slovenská. The Hungarian government rejected all of these requirements. After this decision, the SNS started to cooperate more with representatives of Czech politics.
In 1913, the Slovak People's Party became officially independent from SNS. In May 1914, representatives of all Slovak political movements except the Slovak People's Party agreed in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
on creating the Slovak National Council
Slovak National Council
The Slovak National Council is the name of different types of supreme bodies in the history of Slovakia. They existed within the Kingdom of Hungary, Czechoslovakia or the Slovak Republic or were bodies of Slovak exiles:...
. World War I, however, interrupted the implementation of this intention temporarily. On 8 August 1914, the SNS stopped its activity and declared its loyalty to the Habsburg dynasty and monarchy to prevent any accusations of activities hostile to Austria-Hungary possible during war times.
On 24 May 1918, the SNS called a meeting of its Executive Committee. Politicians of other Slovak movements were also present. The SNS expressed here that its aim is the self-determination of the Slovak nation. Participants of the meeting agreed on creating a common state of Slovaks and Czechs. On 12 September, the Slovak National Council was created (unofficially). The official creation happened on 30 October 1918 during a meeting, called by the SNS, in the town of Turčiansky Svätý Martin (today Martin
Martin, Slovakia
Martin is a city in northern Slovakia, situated on the Turiec river, between the Malá Fatra and Veľká Fatra mountains, near the city of Žilina. The population numbers approximately 58,000, which makes it the eighth largest city in Slovakia...
). The SNS chairman Matúš Dula became chairman of the Council. This assembly of Slovak politicians also accepted the Declaration of the Slovak nation (also called Martin declaration), in which their will to politically join the Czech nation was expressed.
SNS in Czechoslovakia/Czecho-Slovakia
During the years of the first Czechoslovak republic, the nationally oriented party was facing an ideology, which did not accept the existence of a Slovak nation, only a Slovak branch of one Czechoslovak nation - Czechoslovakism. The ideology was supported by a majority of the relevant Czechoslovak political parties and by the President Tomáš MasarykTomáš Masaryk
Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk , sometimes called Thomas Masaryk in English, was an Austro-Hungarian and Czechoslovak politician, sociologist and philosopher, who as an eager advocate of Czechoslovak independence during World War I became the founder and first President of Czechoslovakia, also was...
. SNS not only demanded an acceptation of the Slovak nation's existence, but also a political autonomy for Slovakia.
On 1 January 1919, the Matica slovenská was reopened. On 11 January 1920, the SNS merged with the Slovak Agrarians. The new name of the party was Slovak National and Farmers' Party (Slovenská národná a roľnícka strana). The National Assembly elections in April 1920 brought the party 242,045 votes, which made it the second strongest party in Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
(after the Czechoslovak Social Democrats). In 1922, the Agrarians left the party and merged with the Czech Agrarians into the Republican Party of Agricultural and Smallholder People. The nationalist wing returned to its original name Slovak National Party.
In 1922, the SNS demanded cultural and administrative autonomy in the Memorandum of the SNS. In the 1925 general elections, the party received 35 432 votes and no mandates in the National Assembly. In another elections year, 1929, the party participated in the elections as a member of a multi-ethnic coalition of parties (Czechoslovak National Democracy, SNS and an ethnic Russian block), which received 359 547 votes and 15 mandates. Only one mandate belonged to the SNS. On 16 October 1932, leaders of the SNS and the Hlinka's Slovak People's Party Martin Rázus
Martin Rázus
Martin Rázus was a Slovak poet, dramatist, writer, politician and evangelical priest -References:...
and Andrej Hlinka
Andrej Hlinka
Andrej Hlinka was a Slovak politician and Catholic priest, one of the most important Slovak public activists in Czechoslovakia before Second World War...
accepted the Zvolen
Zvolen
Zvolen |Slatina]] rivers, close to Banská Bystrica. With its ancient castle, the town has a historical center, which represents the seat of an okres .-History:...
manifesto, in which they rejected Czechoslovakism
Czechoslovakism
Czechoslovakism is a term for the political and cultural conception of a unified Czechoslovak nation and disapproval of differentiating separate nations of Czechs and Slovaks. This nation was made ideologically for a newborn country, which needed to identify itself on national level...
. Here they formed an alliance of their parties called the Autonomy Block. A group of SNS members (e.g. M. Daxner, Ján Paulíny-Tóth) didn't agree with this coalition. Until the election in 1935, other political parties also joined the Block. The Autonomy Block succeeded in the parliamentary election: receiving 30.12% of the Slovak votes, it became the winner of the elections in Slovakia.
Slovak autonomy was established in 1938. On 6 October, Hlinka's Slovak People's Party declared it in the Žilina
Žilina
Žilina is a city in north-western Slovakia, around from the capital Bratislava, close to both the Czech and Polish borders. It is the fourth largest city of Slovakia with a population of approximately 85,000, an important industrial center, the largest city on the Váh river, and the seat of a...
Manifesto. This step was supported also by other parties (including the SNS) on the same day in the Žilina Treaty and then accepted by the government in 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...
. On 7 October, the first autonomous Slovak government (led by Jozef Tiso
Jozef Tiso
Jozef Tiso was a Slovak Roman Catholic priest, politician of the Slovak People's Party, and Nazi collaborator. Between 1939 and 1945, Tiso was the head of the Slovak State, a satellite state of Nazi Germany...
) was named.
The SNS entered the Hlinka's Slovak People's Party – Party of the Slovak National Unity on 15 December 1938 and received no autonomous position in this party. This step was forced by the People's Party and supported only by a group of members around Miloš Vančo. Other members showed their negative opinion during the meeting of the Executive Committee on 23 November 1938. However, results of further talks with the People's Party, as well as the official stopping of SNS´ activities (by a government body), made the further existence of the party impossible.
Prominent members
- Viliam Pauliny-Tóth (first chairman in the history of the SNS)
- Pavol Mudroň (chairman)
- Svetozár Hurban-Vajanský
- Ján FrancisciJan FrancisciJan Francisci was an organist and composer born in Neusohl, Kingdom of Hungary . In 1709, he succeeded his father as cantor there before going to Vienna in 1722. He visited J.S. Bach in Leipzig in 1725. He worked as a church musician in until 1735, when he returned to Neusohl...
- Martin Čulen
- Štefan Marko DaxnerŠtefan Marko DaxnerŠtefan Marko Daxner was a Slovak lower nobleman, politician, lawyer, and poet. He was one of the most significant persons in Slovak history of the 19th century. He was a member of the Ľudovít Štúr generation.He studied at the Lutheran Lyceum of Bratislava and at the College of Prešov...
- Matúš Dula (chairman)
- Jozef Gregor Tajovský (writer, secretary of the SNS)
- Milan HodžaMilan HodžaMilan Hodža was a prominent Slovak politician and journalist, serving from 1935 to 1938 as the Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia and in December 1935 as the acting President of Czechoslovakia...
(party leader, later Czechoslovak Prime Minister representing the Czechoslovak Agrarian party) - Emil Stodola (chairman)
- Martin RázusMartin RázusMartin Rázus was a Slovak poet, dramatist, writer, politician and evangelical priest -References:...
(chairman, poet, MP in the Czechoslovak parliament) - Ján Paulíny-Tóth (chairman)