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Czechoslovakia People's Militia
In the early, chaotic days after World War II, armed guard
units were formed in factories, mines, and other installations to
protect private property and prevent sabotage. Most of the
personnel assigned to these units were controlled by
communist-dominated unions, and although the guard units may have
been necessary to prevent lawlessness at the time, they were
committed to the ultimate goal of taking over the enterprises
they were hired to protect. The importance of the guard units to
the communist takeover in 1948 and the extent of their activity
seemed to vary widely in different areas of the country;
nevertheless, some historians credit them with having paved the
way for the coup. Whatever their participation may have been, the
guard units were institutionalized when legislation in 1948
created the People's Militia, of which the guards formed the
nucleus. The militia's mission was the defense of the socialist
society, and militia personnel were given powers of arrest equal
to those of the regular police.
Compared with the regular armed forces and the security
forces, the People's Militia proved relatively conservative
during the Prague Spring. While publicly proclaiming its support
for the Dubcek reforms, the militia also warned against departing
from Soviet-style socialism. The KSC later reported that some
"unfirm" and "fellow traveler" elements of the militia had had to
be removed during the period of stabilization, but in the early
1970s the force had been rebuilt and had regained the confidence
of the party leadership. Although a membership goal of 250,000
had frequently been discussed by party officials, the total
strength had always been shy of that figure; in 1986 membership
numbered about 120,000. Specialized militia courses were given at
the Ludvik Svoboda Higher Academy of the Ground Forces in Vyskov.
In 1987 President Husak was listed as the supreme commander
of the People's Militia, and the chief of staff (who actually
directed the organization) was Miroslav Novak, who had held the
post since 1973. In February 1981, Novak signed an agreement
pledging the cooperation of the militia in a joint effort with
SVAZARM to upgrade civil defense throughout the country.
According to news releases, both organizations had traditionally
been involved in civil defense, and the new agreement was
designed to coordinate their endeavors.
Data as of August 1987
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