List of presidents of Czechoslovakia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids President ofCzechoslovakia |
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![]() Presidential Standard (1918–1960)
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Style | His Excellency |
Residence | Prague Castle Bratislava Castle (1969–92) |
Appointer | Federal Assembly |
Formation | 14 November 1918 |
First holder | Tomáš Masaryk |
Final holder | Václav Havel |
Abolished | 20 July 1992 |
Deputy | Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia (1948–1992) |
The President of Czechoslovakia was the main leader of the country Czechoslovakia. This important role existed from when Czechoslovakia was first created in 1918 until it split into two separate countries on January 1, 1993.
The president was like the head of the country. They represented Czechoslovakia to the world. If there was no president, the prime minister usually took over their duties.
From 1948 to 1989, the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ) was very powerful. The leader of this party held the real power in the country. This leader was called the chairman, first secretary, or general secretary. Sometimes, the party leader was also the president, like Klement Gottwald, Antonín Novotný, and Gustáv Husák.
Contents
Presidents of Czechoslovakia (1918–1992)
Here is a list of the people who served as president of Czechoslovakia. You can see their political parties below.
- Political Parties
Czechoslovak National Social Party (ČSNS) Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ) Civic Forum (OF)
- Other Groups
No. | Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Ethnicity | Election | Time in Office | Political Party | Ref. | |||
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Started | Ended | Length of Time | ||||||||
First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–1938) | ||||||||||
1 | Tomáš Masaryk (1850–1937) |
Czech | 1918 1920 1927 1934 |
14 November 1918 | 14 December 1935 | 17 years, 30 days | Independent | |||
2 | ![]() |
Edvard Beneš (1884–1948) |
Czech | 1935 | 18 December 1935 | 5 October 1938 | 2 years, 291 days | Czechoslovak National Social Party | ||
Second Czechoslovak Republic (1938–1939) | ||||||||||
3 | ![]() |
Emil Hácha (1872–1945) |
Czech | 1938 | 30 November 1938 | 15 March 1939 | 105 days | Independent | ||
Occupation Period (1939–1945) During World War II, Czechoslovakia was occupied. Different leaders were in charge of different parts of the country or governments in exile.
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Third Czechoslovak Republic (1945–1948) | ||||||||||
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Edvard Beneš (1884–1948) |
Czech | 1946 | 4 April 1945 | 7 June 1948 | 3 years, 64 days | Czechoslovak National Social Party | ||
Communist Era (1948–1989) Czechoslovak Republic (1948–1960), Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (1960–1989) |
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4 | ![]() |
Klement Gottwald (1896–1953) |
Czech | 1948 | 14 June 1948 | 14 March 1953 | 4 years, 273 days | Communist Party of Czechoslovakia | ||
5 | ![]() |
Antonín Zápotocký (1884–1957) |
Czech | 1953 | 21 March 1953 | 13 November 1957 | 4 years, 237 days | Communist Party of Czechoslovakia | ||
6 | ![]() |
Antonín Novotný (1904–1975) |
Czech | 1957 1964 |
19 November 1957 | 22 March 1968 | 10 years, 124 days | Communist Party of Czechoslovakia | ||
7 | Ludvík Svoboda (1895–1979) |
Czech | 1968 1973 |
30 March 1968 | 29 May 1975 | 7 years, 60 days | Communist Party of Czechoslovakia | |||
8 | Gustáv Husák (1913–1991) |
Slovak | 1975 1980 1985 |
29 May 1975 | 10 December 1989 | 14 years, 195 days | Communist Party of Czechoslovakia | |||
After Communism (1989–1992) Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (1989–1990), Czech and Slovak Federative Republic (1990–1992) |
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9 | ![]() |
Václav Havel (1936–2011) |
Czech | 1989 1990 |
29 December 1989 | 20 July 1992 | 2 years, 204 days | Civic Forum |
Leaders of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (1948–1989)
During the Communist era, the leader of the Communist Party was usually the most powerful person in Czechoslovakia. This was true for all leaders except the very last one.
The title for this leader changed over time:
- From 1948 to 1953, they were called the Chairman.
- From 1953 to 1971, they were called the First Secretary.
- From 1971 to 1989, they were called the General Secretary.
No. | Portrait | Name (Born–Died) |
Ethnicity | Time in Office | Ref. | ||
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Started | Ended | Length of Time | |||||
1 | ![]() |
Klement Gottwald (1896–1953) |
Czech | February 1948 | 14 March 1953 | 5 years, 41 days | |
2 | ![]() |
Antonín Novotný (1904–1975) |
Czech | 14 March 1953 | 5 January 1968 | 14 years, 297 days | |
3 | ![]() |
Alexander Dubček (1921–1992) |
Slovak | 5 January 1968 | 17 April 1969 | 1 year, 102 days | |
4 | Gustáv Husák (1913–1991) |
Slovak | 17 April 1969 | 17 December 1987 | 18 years, 244 days | ||
5 | Miloš Jakeš (1922–2020) |
Czech | 17 December 1987 | 24 November 1989 | 1 year, 342 days | ||
6 | ![]() |
Karel Urbánek (born 1941) |
Czech | 24 November 1989 | 20 December 1989 | 26 days |
Timeline of Presidents
This timeline shows when each president was in office and their political party.

Presidential Flags
These are the special flags used by the President of Czechoslovakia during different periods.
See also
In Spanish: Presidente de Checoslovaquia para niños
- List of heads of the Czech state
- List of Bohemian monarchs
- Lists of political office-holders in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
- List of prime ministers of Czechoslovakia
- President of the Czech Republic
- List of presidents of the Czech Republic
- Prime Minister of the Czech Republic
- President of Slovakia
- Prime Minister of Slovakia
- List of Czech presidential pets