This membership card of the Národní Součenství from 1942 documents a significant chapter in Czech history during the German occupation in World War II. This card belonged to a man born in 1902 and contains membership stamps for 1942, demonstrating his active participation in this organization during the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.
The Národní Součenství (NS), translated as “National Partnership” or “National Community,” was established following the German occupation of the remainder of Czechoslovakia in March 1939. After the creation of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia on March 16, 1939, this organization became the only permitted political movement for the Czech population. The NS was effectively a party-like organization used by German authorities as an instrument of control over Czech society.
The NS was founded under the leadership of Rudolf Beran, the last Prime Minister of the Second Czechoslovak Republic. The organization was intended to replace all existing political parties and unite the Czech population under a single political structure. The slogan “Vlasti Zdar” (Everything for the Fatherland) was meant to demonstrate national patriotism while simultaneously facilitating collaboration with the Nazi regime.
Membership in the NS was de facto obligatory for many Czechs, particularly for civil servants, teachers, and others employed in public service. Joining was often a prerequisite for maintaining one's professional position or receiving social benefits. The organization had a hierarchical system with local groups in municipalities and districts, as well as central structures in Prague.
Membership cards like the one described here were important documents in daily life under the Protectorate. They had to be regularly updated through the purchase of membership stamps, which served as proof of continuing membership and loyalty. The stamps for 1942 in this card show that the holder fulfilled his obligations during this critical war year. The year 1942 was particularly significant as it witnessed the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, the Deputy Reich Protector, by Czech resistance fighters and the subsequent brutal German retaliation.
The NS organization attempted to control various aspects of public life. It organized cultural events, social programs, and propaganda activities. Simultaneously, it served as a surveillance instrument through which German authorities could monitor public sentiment and identify potential resistance activities.
The attitude of the Czech population toward the NS was ambivalent. While some members were genuine collaborators, many viewed membership as a necessary evil for economic survival. Others used their position within the organization to secretly support resistance activities or protect fellow citizens from persecution.
Unlike the German NSDAP, with which the NS was sometimes compared, the Czech organization had significantly less power and autonomy. It was subject to strict control by the German Protectorate authorities and served primarily as an administrative and control instrument of the occupying power. The Reich Protector and his offices retained the right to intervene in all NS decisions.
After the appointment of Emanuel Moravec as Minister of Education in 1942, the collaborationist orientation of the NS was intensified. Moravec, a notorious collaborator, used the organization to spread pro-German propaganda and recruit Czech workers for the German war economy.
As the war progressed and Wehrmacht defeats mounted, the NS lost credibility among the population. After the liberation of Czechoslovakia in May 1945, the organization was dissolved, and many of its leading members were charged and convicted of collaboration.
Today, such membership cards are important historical documents that provide insight into daily life under occupation. They serve as reminders of a time when ordinary people had to make difficult decisions to survive. The study of these documents helps historians understand the complex dynamics of collaboration, resistance, and survival under totalitarian rule.
