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The formation of Czechoslovakia in 1918 marked the emergence of a new, multi-ethnic state in Central Europe following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The First Czechoslovak Republic, led by Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk and Edvard Beneš, initially enjoyed political stability and economic growth. However, the diverse population included significant minorities, such as Germans (primarily in the Sudetenland), Hungarians, and Ruthenians, which fostered tensions and competing nationalist movements.
After declaring independence in October 1918, Czechoslovakia's leaders established a provisional government and a democratic constitution by 1920, with Masaryk as president and a coalition known as the "Pětka" maintaining political stability. Despite its multi-ethnic framework, the centralized government structure stirred resentment among minority groups seeking greater autonomy. By the late 1920s, the government allowed some minority representation and language rights in local administration, yet many German and Slovak nationalists remained dissatisfied, fearing cultural suppression.
The rise of Adolf Hitler in 1933 escalated tensions, especially among Sudeten Germans led by Konrad Henlein's Sudeten German Party (SdP), which gained significant support with Nazi backing. In 1938, the SdP demanded Sudetenland autonomy and alignment with Nazi Germany, and escalating paramilitary activities in the region led to increased Czechoslovak-German hostilities. International pressure culminated in the Munich Agreement, which, in September 1938, ceded the Sudetenland to Germany. This act dismantled the First Czechoslovak Republic, destabilizing the country and paving the way for the German occupation of Czech lands in 1939.