Main Committee of the Communist party of Czechoslovakia at the Federal ministry of interior

The Main Committee of the Communist party of Czechoslovakia at the Federal ministry of interior (HV KSČ at the FMV) was an organisational unit of the Communist party active within the Ministry.  It was steered by the secretariat of the first secretary (the Secretary general) of the Central Committee of the KSČ. Pursuant to the personnel (cadre) order, the plenary or the presidium of the KV KSČ approved the occupancy of the following positions:

  • chairman of the Unit committee of the KSČ and the cadre reserves for this position, 
  • chairman of the Unit monitoring and revision commission,
  • members of the permanent commissions of the HV KSČ,
  • director of the Evening university of Marx-leninism (VUML),
  • chairman of the elementary organisation of the KSČ (ZO KSČ),
  • chairman and secretary of the societal organisations at the FMV,
  • leaders of the party groups within the societal organisations at the FMV,
  • political worker of the HV KSČ at the FMV.

Along the service line, the HV KSČ at the FMV expressed its opinion on the appointment and removal from office of the functionaries listed above, on the entry of selected persons into the so-called cadre reserves, or on the conclusions of so-called complex service evaluations and extraordinary promotions of personnel to higher ranks. The HV KSČ also gave its opinion on so-called cadre measures undertaken with personnel listed in the cadre order of the Central Committee of the KSČ (excluding the 1st Directorate). For all staff members within its authority, including the 1st Directorate, the HV KSČ gave its opinion on promotions to the rank of colonel, on the bestowal of state orders and distinctions (the medals “For fatherland service“ and “For merit in fatherland defence“), on the dispatching to party schools and courses, on degree awards at the Political university of the Central Committee of the KSČ and the Klement Gottwald military political academy, on the appointment procedure for pedagogical scientific positions and on the initiation of doctoral studies and scientific assistant professorships at other high schools and universities.       

At the beginning of April 1988, there were altogether 9,701 members and 562 membership candidates of the KSČ at the Federal ministry of interior, associated in 227 elementary organisations of the KSČ. 

In 1969, the HV KSČ at the 1st Directorate was removed from the authority of the Ministry of interior and subordinated directly to the XI. Department of the Central Committee of the KSČ. This happened based on the decision of the secretariat of the Central Committee of the KSČ from January 1963 with the title “On some principles and measures for deepening the party control and influence of the KSČ on the armed forces and security“.

 At the 1st Directorate, where a HV KSČ No. 2 was in existence, the KSČ membership was very high. The membership numbers for the years were as follows: 1971 – 92,2%, 1973 – 91,1%, 1976 – 94,5%, 1979 – 94,38%, 1985 – 96,38% and 1988 – 95,76%.

With efect as of 1 April 1978, an own Unit committee of the KSČ was created at the 1st Directorate, under the authority of the HV KSČ No. 1. 

In 1955, the chairman of the HV KSČ at the 1st Directorate was 2nd lt. František Brabec „Petřík“. In the years 1968–1969, the HV KSČ No. 2 had the following members: leading secretary maj. Jiří Brůna „Bradáč“ and political workers lt. col. Slavoj Hrneček, maj. Jan Jarošík „Jesenský“ and maj. Josef Douda (fig.). In 1968, members were also maj. Miloslav Jelínek „Jareš“ (organisational secretary) and 1st lt. Jaroslava Schönová. The Committee met regularly and gave its opinion on ideological and personnel (membership) issues, on the work with youth, and it focused on “...securing the high ideological profile, moral purity and example-setting of Communists in the realisation of tasks ensuing from the elementary focus of the service activity of the National security corps, the Border guards and the armed forces of the Ministry of interior“. In December 1969, special rewards were given for the so-called consolidation in the elementary organisation of the KSČ to maj. Jarošík, maj. Douda, lt. col. Jaromír Valeš and sgt. maj. Jarmila Sýkorová.

Until 1971, the secretary of the Committee was capt. Vladimír Strhan „Stacho“. In 1971–1973, it was lt. col. Jaromír Felcman „Frýbort“, in 1973, it was lt. col. Ondrej Široký, and in 1977 and 1979 the secretary of the HV KSČ at the FMV was Jaroslav Zdráhal.

See also: 1st Directorate of the Federal ministry of interior

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