Jozef Tiso (October 13rd 1887 - April 18th 1947) was a catholic Prêtre become appointed at the Czechoslovakian Parliament , member of the Czechoslovakian government and finally president of the Slovakia during the Second world war. It reaches this station following the dismemberment of the Czechoslovakia in 1939 under the pressure of the Third Reich. It imposes a mode of sole party then violently anti-semite and pro-Nazi. Vassal de facto of Hitler, it makes take part the Slovak State in the war against the Soviet Union as from 1941, and in the Final solution. In April 1945, the advance of the Red Army forces it to leave the capacity. It is hung in 1947 after being accused by the Czechoslovakian government of national union.

Beginnings

It is born has Veľká Bytča (ajourd' today Bytča as Slovakia), it is graduate Pasmaneum of Vienna in 1910 as theologist after which, it works as priest in several parishes, teaches the Slovak language and organizes the cultural activities of various patronages. At the beginning of the First World War, it is military Aumonier. In 1915, it is named director of the theological Séminaire of Nitra and professor at the piarists of the city. Of 1921 with 1925, he is secretary of the bishop of Nitrated and teaches with the seminar of the Divinity. It is named in 1924 Doyen of the town of Bánovce nad Bebravou or it also exerts as priest.

The political ascendance

Tiso becomes one of the leaders of the Parti the Slovak people ( Slovenská ľudová strana ). The father Andrej Hlinka had founded this party in 1913 when Slovakia was still under domination Austro-Hungarian. The object of this party was the autonomy of Slovakia in a Czechoslovakian community. With the elections of 1923, it is the first party as Slovakia (which represents, let us recall it, a third of the population of the Czechoslovakia). When Hlinka dies in 1938, Tiso exerts de facto the presidency of the party (he had been vice-president of 1930 to 1938), then officially since October 1st.

Of 1925 to the dissolution of the Czechoslovakian Parliament in 1939, it is député.
De 1927 with 1929, it occupies the position of Minister for the health and the sports of the Czechoslovakian government.

Towards independence

Following the Agreements of Munich, Germany de Hitler invades the Sudètes and the Czechoslovakian president, Edvard Beneš share in exile in October 1938. In the chaos which follows, Slovakia proclaims her autonomy within the framework of Czechoslovakia and Tiso, as a president of the first political clout of the country becomes, the October 7th 1938, president of the Slovak self government, function which it occupies until the March 9th 1939.

The Hungary of the admiral Horthy, which had never completely accepted the division of its territory imposed by the Traité of Trianon, then makes pressure at Germany and of Italy (France and England ignoring the question) to recover “its” Sudètes (part of the plain of the Danube in the south of Slovakia where, today still saw a Magyar, majority minority in this county). It is the Arbitrage of Vienna, consequence of the Appendix first of the Agreements of Munich which, in November 1938 causes the loss of the third of the territory of Slovakia to the profit of Hungary.

A unit face is formed then as Slovakia who joins together all the parties except for the Communists and of the social democrats. In January 1939, the parties German and Hungarian are prohibited, of this day, the unit face ( Hlinkova slovenska ľudova strana - Strana slovenskej národnej jednoty or HSĽS-Strana slovenskej národnej jednoty - Party of the Slovak people of Hlinka - Left the Slovak national union) is more or less the only legal party and only with the capacity.

The Germans who want to seize the industrial potential of Bohemia-Moravie and whom Slovakia interests little seek nevertheless to convince the Slovak ones to declare to them Indépendance. The March 9th 1939, the Czech armies invade Slovakia and reverse Tiso of her position of president of the Slovak self government. Loser patience, Adolf Hitler convenes Tiso with Berlin, the March 13rd, and summons it to declare independence “with the speed of the flash” if not Slovakia will be divided between Hungary and Poland. Mgr Tiso contacts then Emil Hácha, the Czechoslovakian president and Karol Sidor, the new president of the Slovak self government to obtain their agreement. The Slovak assembly ( slovenský snem ) is convened the March 14th and independence proclaimed the very same day. The March 15th, the German armies occupy Bohemia-Moravie…

Which independence?

The independence of Slovakia practically remained an illusion.

Mgr Tiso, rather than a flatterer of the Nazism, is a defender of a design national-catholic of the State and undertakes to put out of silencing device the tendencies national-Socialists of some of his/her collaborators, in particular the chief of the Garde of Hlinka ( Hlinkova kept ) which collaborated openly with the Germans. Those impose as chancellor Vojtech Tuka, Slovak of Hungarian origin, leader of the radical fraction of the Party of the Slovak people, which are favorable for them.

The Jewish question

Like the large majority of the center-European elites of this time, Mgr Tiso is anti-semite, that is not any doubt and its files testify some; it is on the other hand and before a whole Christian and violence (including violence against the Jews) makes him horror.

If Slovakia imposes anti-Jewish laws very early (Law 105 of the September 9th 1941), Mgr Tiso will grant 2000 presidential pardons (defined within the framework of the law) in particular to the baptized Jews.

The deportation of the Slovak Jews begins in March 1942. It is legalized a posteriori in May 1942 by the Law on the deportation of the Jews (signed, it should be underlined by Mgr Tiso) which excludes, notable difference with many European countries, Jews or Jewish married (E) S with a Slovak not-Jew, like their children.

The deportation is stopped (and the abbrogée law) in October of the same year when it is clear that they are not “camps of work” but well “of extermination” in question. The public opinion protests then against the continuation of the deportation. Slovakia then becomes a refuge for many Jews of the countries neighborhood (in particular of Hungary as from March 1944 when the Wehrmacht occupies the country and that the Hungarian Jews are off-set in mass on order of the government of Döme Sztójay).

One however estimates at 75% the share of the Jewish population of Slovakia exterminated in the Nazi camps.

End

Tiso is deposited by the Red Army in April 1945. He flees via Austria towards Bavaria where he is stopped by the Alliés and is delivered to be judged with the Czechoslovakian government. He is condemned for high treason and hung the April 18th 1947 in spite of the protests as well of the Pape as of certain Slovak.

See too

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