(Quick Overview)

In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

(In More detail)

After 20 years of totalitarian communist control, the Prague Spring began well before 1968. It was initiated by a large reform - oriented and influential group within the Communist Party, led by one of the most prominent Slovak politicians, Mr. Alexander Dubcek. Their efforts to create "socialism with a human face" were warmly welcomed practically in the whole society, including churches and former political prisoners. However, in August 1968, the movement was crushed as the Soviet Army invaded Czechoslovakia along with the Polish, East-German and Hungarian armies, complying with the policy of the Warsaw Pact proclaiming the need to protect socialism by all necessary means should it be threatened in any socialist country. The only fruit that remained from the reform period was the declaration proclaiming the Czechoslovak Federation of two republics - Czech and Slovak.By this act, Slovakia gained more independence in certain matters, such as culture and education. 20 years on, a revolt against the communist rule swept over Czechoslovakia and the communist government was forced to resign in 1989.

Fortunately, this all happened under more favourable international political conditions and therefore the reforms and transition to a democratic political system and market economy have been underway for more than ten years till now.

The result of that is that Slovakia - as a independent state from 1993 - has been invited to start negotiations on the EU accession as soon as February 2000, with the perspective of joining the Community in 2004. Students of Bratislava's Evangelical Grammar School wrote the Slovak national anthem "Lightning over the Tatras" in 1884 during a trip to Levoča in support of Ľudovít Štúr (a famous Slovak patriot and thinker who codified the Slovak language). The words were set to the Slovak folk song "A girl dig out a well" by Janko Matuska.