Takeover of Austrian gendarmery by Czechoslovak state in 1918-1919

SYNOPSIS This paper deals with the process of taking over the Gendarmerie of the Hapsburg monarchy and its implementation into the structures of the new Czechoslovak state. The paper is divided into four parts, first providing with a brief introduction to the creation and development of the Corps in the Austrian monarchy until 1918, a more detailed insight being dedicated to the territory of the Czech lands. The remaining chapters describe the process of transformation of the force, its adaption to the new political, social and national conditions. The attention is being paid to the German speaking troopers since they were considered to have the greatest problems in adjusting to the new situation; then the paper focuses on the lack of staff in the force and consequently on the measures the government was compelled to take in order to face the growing criminality rate and the social tensions both in cities and industrial regions. Last but not least, the focus shifts to the perception of the "new" gendarmes by the Czech population, its interaction with other authorities and also to the attempts to alter the Corps to fit better the new democratic state. Key words: gendarmerie - Czechoslovakia - nationalitie