A Comparison of Eastern European Anti-communist Exiles By Martin Nekola, Ph.D.

A Comparison of Eastern European Anti-communist

Exiles

By Martin Nekola, Ph.D.

1945 -1948 → communist parties 1945 -1948 → communist parties in power → massive refugee wave in power → massive refugee wave to the West → formation of anti-to the West → formation of anti-communist exilescommunist exiles

Cold war exiles:Cold war exiles: - 1945-1989- 1945-1989

- Albanians, Bulgarians, Croatians, - Albanians, Bulgarians, Croatians, Czechs, Estonians, Hungarians, Czechs, Estonians, Hungarians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Poles, Latvians, Lithuanians, Poles, Romanians, Serbs, Slovenians and Romanians, Serbs, Slovenians and many others… many others…

Exile centers: Munich, Paris, London, Exile centers: Munich, Paris, London, Ottawa, New York, Washington D.C.Ottawa, New York, Washington D.C.

Comparison of the exiles, criteria:Comparison of the exiles, criteria:

OrganizationsOrganizations LeadersLeaders financial backgroundfinancial background forms of propagandaforms of propaganda effortsefforts and and aims aims involvement in supranational projectsinvolvement in supranational projects recognition from Western authoritiesrecognition from Western authorities support among the exile publicsupport among the exile public

Exile politics:Exile politics:

Political partiesPolitical parties

National committeesNational committees

Supranational organizations - Supranational organizations - internationalsinternationals

1. Political parties1. Political parties restoration of dissolved political restoration of dissolved political

parties in exile conditionsparties in exile conditions

First Activities in Refugee campsFirst Activities in Refugee camps

Lack of funding and skilled peopleLack of funding and skilled people

Internal problemsInternal problems

2. National committees2. National committees Formation 1947 - 1951Formation 1947 - 1951

former politicians, diplomats, former politicians, diplomats, government officials, journalists, government officials, journalists, scientists…scientists…

Propaganda, information, cultural Propaganda, information, cultural and memorial events, Lobbying and memorial events, Lobbying western officialswestern officials

1947 - Polish National Democratic Council (Polski Komitet Narodowo Demokratyczny)

- Hungarian National Committee (Magyar Nemzeti Bizottmány)

1948 - Romanian National Committee (Comitetului National Român)

1949 - Council of a Free Czechoslovakia (Rada svobodného Československa)

- Committee for a Free Albania (Komitetit Kombetar Shqipëria e Lirë )

- Bulgarian National Committee - Free and Independent Bulgaria

(Bulgarski Nacionalen Komitet - Svobodna i nezavisima Bulgaria

1951 - National Commitee for a Free Latvia (Komiteja latvijas brīvībai)

- National Committee for a Free Lithuania (Lietuvos laisvės komitetas)

- National Commitee for a Free Estonia (Vaba Eesti Komitee)

3. internationals3. internationals Supranational cooperation of socialists, agrarians, Supranational cooperation of socialists, agrarians,

liberals, christian democrats already in the interwar liberals, christian democrats already in the interwar periodperiod

After ww2:After ww2: New International TeamsNew International Teams (Nouvelles Équipes (Nouvelles Équipes

Internationales – NEI)Internationales – NEI)

World Liberal UnionWorld Liberal Union (WLU) (WLU)

Committee of theCommittee of the International Socialist International Socialist Conference Conference (COMISCO)(COMISCO)

International Federation of Free Trade UnionsInternational Federation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) (ICFTU)

Christian Democratic Union of Central Europe Christian Democratic Union of Central Europe (CDUCE)(CDUCE)

International Peasant Union (IPU)International Peasant Union (IPU)

Socialist Union of Central – Eastern Europe (SUCEE)Socialist Union of Central – Eastern Europe (SUCEE)

Liberal-Democratic Union of Central-Eastern Europe Liberal-Democratic Union of Central-Eastern Europe (LDUCEE)(LDUCEE)

International Federation of Free Trade UnionsInternational Federation of Free Trade Unions in Exile in Exile (ICFTU(ICFTUEE))

Professional internationals: Professional internationals: journalists, journalists, academicians, students, former political prisoners, academicians, students, former political prisoners, youth, women…youth, women…

Thank you for your attention…