Pro-Soviet Social Democrat and first post-liberation premier who sided with the Communists in 1948 and merged his party into theirs
A diplomat from Olomouc, he served as envoy to the Netherlands, Romania, the United States, Switzerland and Austria and, as the exile government’s ambassador in Moscow during the war, grew close to the Soviet Union. Prime minister of the Košice government from April 1945, he led the National Front government until June 1946. As Social Democratic leader he advocated close co-operation with the Communists, and when the non-Communist ministers resigned in February 1948 he stayed and openly backed the Communists. After the coup he merged the Social Democrats into the Communist Party and held high office under the regime.
Related historical events
- 1944–1949The People's Democracies of Eastern EuropePrime minister leading Czechoslovakia’s National Front governmentHe led the National Front government from April 1945 to June 1946.
- 1945–1948Czechoslovakia: from the Košice programme to February 1948Social Democratic leaderStayed in government on the Communist side and merged his party into it.