Pojetí národa ve výuce občanské nauky za první republiky

The aim of the article is to show how the term “nation” was used and worked with in the civics in Czechoslovakia in 1918–1938. The analysis focused on the civics education within the scope of compulsory school attendance. The main sources included curricula published by the Ministry of education and further national education and officially approved textbooks. According to the official civics curriculum, the subject consisted of two parts: first, the very facts to be taught, and second, the topics that should cultivate the pupils’ character, opinions and behaviour. In both parts, the theme of “nation” was mentioned. The pupils should have acquired basic pieces of knowledge about the nation, its origin and its relation to the state. At the same time, they should have acquired and cultivated a positive relationship to the nation. The school education is understood as a means by which collective memory and, in a longer time period, also historical consciousness can be purposefully influenced. Therefore, we can conclude that the understanding of nation and its role as described above was meant to become a part of generation of pupils fulfilling their compulsory school attendance in the era of the First Czechoslovak Republic.