Czechoslovakia - Revision history

Admin1: /* Czechoslovakia (CSSR) */

2025-08-03T19:16:08Z

Czechoslovakia (CSSR)

Admin1: /* Czechoslovakia (CSSR) */

2025-08-03T19:15:07Z

Czechoslovakia (CSSR)

Admin1: /* Czechoslovakian Camouflage Patterns */

2022-03-28T13:19:09Z

Czechoslovakian Camouflage Patterns

Admin1: /* Czechoslovakian Camouflage Patterns */

2018-09-20T05:19:54Z

Czechoslovakian Camouflage Patterns

Admin1: /* Czechoslovakian Camouflage Patterns */

2018-09-20T05:19:14Z

Czechoslovakian Camouflage Patterns

Admin1: /* Czechoslovakian Camouflage Patterns */

2018-03-16T13:47:25Z

Czechoslovakian Camouflage Patterns

Admin1: /* Czechoslovakian Camouflage Patterns */

2014-09-05T01:03:47Z

Czechoslovakian Camouflage Patterns

Admin1 at 16:07, 22 March 2013

2013-03-22T16:07:18Z

Admin1 at 00:12, 18 August 2012

2012-08-18T00:12:45Z

Admin1: /* Other Camouflage Patterns Worn by Czechoslovakia */

2012-08-01T15:32:59Z

Other Camouflage Patterns Worn by Czechoslovakia

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 == Czechoslovakia (CSSR) ==
-Like much of Eastern Europe, Czechoslovakia was absorbed into the Eastern Bloc following the end of the Second World War. Although Slovakia had supported a Democratic party in the 1946 elections, the Communist party seized control of the entire country in 1948, entering Czechoslovakia into the Warsaw Pact in 1955. In January 1968, a short period of political liberalization was attempted under the leadership of Alexander Dubček. Facing mixed reactions from other Warsaw Pact nations, the Soviet Union initially tried to limit democratic changes through negotiation, but when talks proved unsatisfactory the Soviets invaded with 200,000 troops supported by 2,000 armored vehicles. Scattered resistance was quelled and the country was returned to its former state under a new first secretary. In the following year, the country became a federation of two states, the Czech and the Slovak Socialist Republics. Transition away from Communism eventually took place during the so-called Velvet Revolution in late 1989. Long time dissident leader Václav Havel subsequently became the first president of a Federal Republic of Czechoslovakia. Two years later, the federation of the two states was dissolved and on January 1, 1993 the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic came into being.
+Like much of Eastern Europe, Czechoslovakia was absorbed into the Eastern Bloc following the end of the Second World War. Although Slovakia had supported a Democratic party in the 1946 elections, the Communist party seized control of the entire country in 1948, entering Czechoslovakia into the Warsaw Pact in 1955. In January 1968, a short period of political liberalization was attempted under the leadership of Alexander Dubček. Facing mixed reactions from other Warsaw Pact nations, the Soviet Union initially tried to limit democratic changes through negotiation, but when talks proved unsatisfactory the Soviets invaded with 200,000 troops supported by 2,000 armored vehicles. Scattered resistance was quelled and the country was returned to its former state under a new first secretary. In the following year, the country became a federation of two states, the Czech and the Slovak Socialist Republics. Transition away from Communism eventually took place during the so-called Velvet Revolution in late 1989. Long time dissident leader Václav Havel subsequently became the first president of a Federal Republic of Czechoslovakia. Two years later, the federation of the two states was dissolved and on January 1, 1993 the [[Czech Republic]] and [[Slovakia|Slovak Republic]] came into being.
 There is significant evidence to suggest that machinery for printing camouflage fabric had been moved to Czechoslovakia during the later stages of the Second World War, where it continued to produce material for the [[Germany (Third Reich)|German]] war effort. These machines appear to have produced some of the earliest camouflage patterns worn by the new Socialist Republic of Czechoslovakia. In the 1950s, however, Czech innovators began breaking away from the German and [[Italy|Italian]] designs and introduced some very colorful camouflage patterns seemingly designed for use in specific terrain or perhaps even during certain seasons. Then in 1963, the Czech Army can be said to have fallen victim to the drab trends of the Warsaw Pact, adopting a "[[rain]]" pattern design barely distinguishable at a distance as anything but a solid color. A plain khaki uniform was also introduced in 1975, but by the mid-1980s experiments with new camouflage designs began anew, producing a "[[leaf]]" pattern based on the [[USA|US]] M1948 ERDL, and a two-color desert pattern. Never officially adopted for the Czechoslovak Army, when the country peacefully divided into two states in 1993, both [[Slovakia]] and the [[Czech Republic]] went on to adopt the new camouflage designs for their standard combat uniform.

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 == Czechoslovakia (CSSR) ==
-There is significant evidence to suggest that machinery for printing camouflage fabric had been moved to Czechoslovakia during the later stages of the Second World War, where it continued to produce material for the [[Germany (Third Reich)|German]] war effort. These machines appear to have produced some of the earliest camouflage patterns worn by the new Socialist Republic of Czechoslovakia. In the 1950s, however, Czech innovators began breaking away from the German and [[Italy|Italian]] designs and introduced some very colorful camouflage patterns seemingly designed for use in specific terrain or perhaps even during certain seasons. Then in 1963, the Czech Army can be said to have fallen victim to the drab trends of the Warsaw Pact, adopting a "[[rain]]" pattern design barely distinguishable at a distance as anything but a solid color. A plain khaki uniform was also introduced in 1975, but by the mid-1980s experiments with new camouflage designs began anew, producing a "[[leaf]]" pattern based on the [[USA|US]] M1948 ERDL, and a two-color desert pattern. Never officially adopted for the Czechoslovak Army, on January 1st, 1993 the country was peacefully divided into two states, [[Slovakia]] and [[Czech Republic]], and both of these nations later went on to adopt the new camouflage designs for their standard combat uniform.
+Like much of Eastern Europe, Czechoslovakia was absorbed into the Eastern Bloc following the end of the Second World War. Although Slovakia had supported a Democratic party in the 1946 elections, the Communist party seized control of the entire country in 1948, entering Czechoslovakia into the Warsaw Pact in 1955. In January 1968, a short period of political liberalization was attempted under the leadership of Alexander Dubček. Facing mixed reactions from other Warsaw Pact nations, the Soviet Union initially tried to limit democratic changes through negotiation, but when talks proved unsatisfactory the Soviets invaded with 200,000 troops supported by 2,000 armored vehicles. Scattered resistance was quelled and the country was returned to its former state under a new first secretary. In the following year, the country became a federation of two states, the Czech and the Slovak Socialist Republics. Transition away from Communism eventually took place during the so-called Velvet Revolution in late 1989. Long time dissident leader Václav Havel subsequently became the first president of a Federal Republic of Czechoslovakia. Two years later, the federation of the two states was dissolved and on January 1, 1993 the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic came into being.
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 == Czechoslovakian Camouflage Patterns ==
-* Seen below are samples of the earliest known camouflage fabric to have been produced in postwar Czechoslovakia. Based on the [[Germany (Third Reich)|German Wehrmacht]] ''Sumpfmuster'' ("marsh") pattern, the Czech design has been printed in reverse of the German model and using modified shapes based on the originals. There remains some speculation as to whether the earliest Czech versions were printed using original German equipment that was moved there during the war.
+* Seen below are samples of the earliest known camouflage fabric to have been produced in postwar Czechoslovakia. Based on the [[Germany (Third Reich)|German Wehrmacht]] ''Sumpfmuster'' ("marsh") pattern, the Czech design has been printed in reverse of the German model and using modified shapes based on the originals. There remains some speculation as to whether the earliest Czech versions were printed using original German equipment that was moved there during the war. Some circles in Czechoslovakia have referred to this pattern as ''Bahňák'' (from the Czech word ''Bahna'' or mud), although it is likely this term was adopted much later by historians and/or collectors.
 [[File:Czechoslovakia11.jpg|200px]]

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 [[File:Czechoslovakia1.jpg|400px]]
-* Another colorful design to emerge from this time period is the ''duby'' ("oaks") reversible pattern. One side has a pattern that is often mistaken for the German ''[[Leibermuster]]'' pattern - although in fact they are quite different aside from a similar use of color. Incorporating black, olive green & transparent red amoeba shapes on a khaki background, and reversing to a pattern with dark green & grass green "cloud" shapes on a tan background, the design was also printed on lightweight two-piece sniper/reconnaissance uniforms used by the Czechoslovak 22nd Airborne Brigade and reconnaissance elements of the Army from the 1950s into the 1970s.
+* Another colorful design to emerge from this time period is the ''duby'' ("oaks") reversible pattern. One side has a pattern that is often mistaken for the German ''[[Leibermuster]]'' pattern - although in fact they are quite different aside from a similar use of color. Incorporating black, olive green & transparent red amoeba shapes on a khaki background, and reversing to a pattern with dark green & grass green "cloud" shapes on a tan background, the design was also printed on lightweight two-piece sniper/reconnaissance uniforms used by the Czechoslovak 22nd Airborne Brigade, snipers and reconnaissance elements of the Army from the 1950s into the 1970s.
 [[File:Czechoslovakia2.jpg|400px]]

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 [[File:Czechoslovakia9.jpg|200px]]
-* Several new patterns emerged in the 1950s, including the ''mrácky'' ("clouds") reversible pattern. Official designated ''Letní maskovací odev se skvrnami'' ("summer camouflage design with dapple pattern"), the design features dark and light olive "cloud" shapes on a pale or lichen green background on one side, with brown & light olive green "cloud" shapes on a tan or grey-tan background on the opposite side. Many collectors believe the green side was intended for wear in the Spring, and the grey side in the Autumn; hence, you may find references to "spring clouds" and "autumn clouds" by some collectors. The lightweight reversible uniforms printed with this pattern were used by the Czechoslovak 22nd Airborne Brigade and reconnaissance elements of the Army from the 1950s into the 1970s (although officially production stopped in 1962).
+* Several new patterns emerged in the 1950s, including the ''mrácky'' ("clouds") reversible pattern. Official designated ''Letní maskovací oděv se skvrnami'' ("summer camouflage design with dapple pattern"), the design features dark and light olive "cloud" shapes on a pale or lichen green background on one side, with brown & light olive green "cloud" shapes on a tan or grey-tan background on the opposite side. Many collectors believe the green side was intended for wear in the Spring, and the grey side in the Autumn; hence, you may find references to "spring clouds" and "autumn clouds" by some collectors. The lightweight reversible uniforms printed with this pattern were used by the Czechoslovak 22nd Airborne Brigade, snipers and reconnaissance elements of the Army from the 1950s into the 1970s (although officially production stopped in 1962).
 [[File:Czechoslovakia1.jpg|400px]]

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 [[File:Czechoslovakia13.jpg|200px]]
-* A five-colour desert pattern was developed in Czechoslovakia around 1990 but never officially adopted. It may or may not have been intended for use by the Czechoslovak Armed Forces. This is a "splatter" pattern of reddish-brown, pale orange, light pink and pale green on a sandy background. Official photos do show a soldier wearing the desert pattern adopted by the [[Czech Republic]] with boots in this pattern. There is also a colour version with more green etc. - probably developed for use in an European environment.
+* A five-colour desert pattern was developed in Czechoslovakia around 1990 but never officially adopted. It may or may not have been intended for use by the Czechoslovak Armed Forces. This is a "splatter" pattern of reddish-brown, pale orange, light pink and pale green on a sandy background. Official photos do show a soldier wearing the desert pattern adopted by the [[Czech Republic]] with boots in this pattern. There is also a colour version with more green etc. - probably developed for use in an European environment. There are a few photographs showing these uniforms being worn by Chechen militia.
 [[File:Czechoslovakia7.jpg|200px]]

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 [[File:Czechoslovakia4.jpg|200px]]
-* The ''jehlicí'' (needles) or ''oblaky'' (clouds) pattern, was introduced into general service with the Czechoslovak Army in 1963 and saw service into the 1980s. Similar to other "[[rain]]" patterns employed by Warsaw Pact nations, the Czech version has brown rain straits on a greyish-blue background, with a subtle water-stain underprint beneath. Tint variations are documented, ranging from very light to very dark grey. Czech sources have indicated that the earlier productions of this pattern had much more pronounced appearance of the water-stain underprint; by later production this feature had almost disappeared. As can been seen on the examples below, the "clouds" feature can be quite subtle to the observer. A virtually unknown feature of the ''oblaky'' pattern is that it appears quite different when viewed through infared passive viewing system equipment, with the underprint coming out clearly and the pattern appearing as a completely different camouflage design. Seen below on the far right, is an image of the pattern through such PVS equipment in which the design changes dramatically, showing the "comb teeth" design as found in early [[leibermuster]] camouflage.
+* The ''jehlicí'' (needles) or ''oblaky'' (clouds) pattern, was introduced into general service with the Czechoslovak Army in 1963 and saw service into the 1980s. The Czech pattern was apparently copied directly from the [[Poland|Polish ''wz58 Deszczyk'']] design, having brown rain straits on a greyish-blue background, but with a subtle water-stain underprint beneath. Tint variations are documented, ranging from very light to very dark grey. Czech sources have indicated that the earlier productions of this pattern had much more pronounced appearance of the water-stain underprint; by later production this feature had almost disappeared. As can been seen on the examples below, the "clouds" feature can be quite subtle to the observer. A virtually unknown feature of the ''oblaky'' pattern is that it appears quite different when viewed through infared passive viewing system equipment, with the underprint coming out clearly and the pattern appearing as a completely different camouflage design. Seen below on the far right, is an image of the pattern through such PVS equipment in which the design changes dramatically, showing the "comb teeth" design as found in early [[leibermuster]] camouflage.
 [[File:Czechoslovakia5.jpg|200px]]

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		+	== Camouflage Patterns of non-Military Organizations ==
		+
		+	* The ''Svaz pro spolupráci s armádou'' (Union for Cooperation with the Army) or SVAZARM was a paramilitary youth organization estabslished in 1951 and offering a wide range of pre-military type training and activities for young men; in this respect it had many similarities with the [[USSR\|Soviet]] DOSAAF. The SVAZARM was issued its own unique camouflage pattern and uniforms, the design obviously based on the [[Germany (Third Reich)\|WW2 German]] ''splittertarn'' pattern.
		+
		+	[[File:czechoslovakia14.jpg\|200px]]

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-* The very first Czechoslovakian airborne unit, raised in 1948, wore British Denison-style paratrooper smocks made from [[Italy|Italian]] M1949 ''telo mimetico'' pattern fabric. The smocks were either constructed from surplus fabric leftover from the Second World War, or from fabric produced locally from war-era Italian machines that had been moved into Czechoslovakia towards the end of the war.
+* The very first Czechoslovakian airborne unit, raised in 1948, wore British Denison-style paratrooper smocks made from [[Italy|Italian]] M1929 ''telo mimetico'' pattern fabric. The smocks were either constructed from surplus fabric leftover from the Second World War, or from fabric produced locally from war-era Italian machines that had been moved into Czechoslovakia towards the end of the war.
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