THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EAST MORAVIA A CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OF CZECH-GERMAN RELATIONS AND THE PHENOMENON OF DEFENCE UNIONS AT THE END OF THE HABSBURG MONARCHY AND IN THE FIRST CZECHOSLOVAK REPUBLIC

This study uses both published and unpublished sources and academic literature to look at the phenomenon of so-called defence unions, which were set up beginning at the end of the 19th century and whose objective was to contribute towards the national struggle at the Czech-German language border area. Specifically, it focuses on the National Association of East Moravia, which was based in Olomouc and which focused on the Jihlava and Brno districts and the area of territory from Daeice to Neclay. The main task of the defence unions involved organising social and cultural Pic' in the areas they operated in; political activity, which was something which naturally the unions could not avoid, was nevertheless not part of their primary focus.