Nazi Germany first occupied the Czech provinces of Bohemia and Moravia on March 15, 1939, in violation of the Munich Agreement. The occupation lasted until the end of the war in Europe, which came with Germany’s surrender in May 1945.

This means Czechoslovakia was under German occupation for over six years, from March 1939 to May 1945, making it the longest continuously occupied country during the war.

However, for historical context, it’s important to mention the Munich Agreement. It was signed in Munich, Germany on September 30, 1938. It allowed Nazi Germany to annex the Sudetenland, a border region in Czechoslovakia with a significant German-speaking population, without facing military intervention from the Western powers. The Munich Agreement has been criticized for its policy of appeasement, as it failed to prevent World War II and emboldened Hitler. It was signed by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and French Prime Minister Edouard Daladier, who believed this agreement would buy peace, and Hitler would not seek to occupy further territory. Czechoslovakia was not part of the negotiations, and its government was forced to accept the terms. This proved to be a huge mistake, as Hitler´s aggression continued with the occupation of the rest of Czechoslovakia, Poland, and other territories.

On March 15, 1939, Nazi Germany invaded and occupied the Czech provinces of Bohemia and Moravia, violating the Munich Pact. These provinces were transformed into a German protectorate, officially annexed to the Reich, but governed by a Reich Protector. Konstantin von Neurath, the former German foreign minister, served as the first Reich Protector from March 1939 until his replacement by architect of death and No.3 ranking Nazi Reinhard Heydrich. Following Heydrich’s assassination in the late spring of 1942, Kurt Daluege, the chief of the Order Police, briefly assumed the role. From 1943 until 1945, former Minister of the Interior Wilhelm Frick held the position.

Meanwhile, Slovakia became an independent state under the leadership of Catholic priest Jozef Tiso. His regime established a fascist, authoritarian, one-party dictatorship, heavily influenced by the Catholic clerical hierarchy in internal matters and closely aligned with Nazi Germany. The Tiso regime remained in power until April 1945.

Read more about occupation of Czechoslovakia and see more pictures here.