PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Šmíd, Marek
TI  - The National Association of Czech Catholics in the United States of America and its Support of Independent Czechoslovakia
DP  - 2017 Dec 11
TA  - Historica Olomucensia
PG  - 351--366
VI  - 53
IP  - 2
AID - 10.5507/ho.2017.038
IS  - 18039561
AB  - The paper deals with the National Association of Czech Catholics in the United States of America and its support of independent Czechoslovakia in the period of the First World War 1914-1918. At the same time, it follows the development and transformation of relations of American Catholics of Czech origins to the Habsburg Monarchy. With respect to the fact that American coreligionists in contrast to domestic Catholics did not risk an open conflict with the repressive power of the Austrian state, individuals very soon promoted national independence against Habsburg legitimism and supported Masaryk's foreign-political action. In February 1917 the National Association of Czech Catholics was founded and quite early it agreed on a mutual progress with the Czech National Association in the USA led by Vojta Beneš. After the unification of Catholic and non-Catholics compatriots, representatives of the National Association referred to the Holy See to support newly emerging Czechoslovakia. Courtesies exchanged with ecclesiastical dignitaries as well as unsuccessful Beneš's and Štefánik's diplomatic activities at the Holy See did not turned the attitude of the Holy See, because it supported the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the end of the world conflict in November 1918. Despite this, it may be claimed that Czech and Slovak compatriots in the USA significantly contributed to independence of Czechoslovakia.