Union of Czech Youth


The Union of Czech Youth was a youth organization in post-war Czechoslovakia. The organization was founded on Radhošť in July 1945. Originally it functioned as a unified left-wing youth organization, over time the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia gained more influence. SČM had two deputies in the Provisional National Assembly, Hájek and Maleček. As of 1946 SČM claimed to have 7,200 local branches and around half a million members. Membership in the organization declined during 1946 and 1947. The organization published the daily newspaper Mladá fronta. SČM was part of the National Front.

Dissolution

After 1948 Czechoslovak coup d'état, the communists planned to merge all youth groups fully under one organization. On 23 April 1949 Czech Youth Union merged with its Slovak counterpart, the Union of Slovak Youth, and formed the Czechoslovak Youth Union, organization under direct control of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.