Jan Šrámek

For the figure skater, see Jan Šrámek (figure skater).

Jan Šrámek (11 August 1870 – 22 April 1956)^[1] was the prime minister of the Czechoslovak government-in-exile from 21 July 1940 to 5 April 1945. He was the first chairman of the Czechoslovak People's Party^[2] and was a Monsignor in the Catholic church.^[3]

Jan Šrámek
Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia in exile
In office 21 July 1940 – 5 April 1945
President	Edvard Beneš
Personal details
Born	(1870-08-11)11 August 1870 Grygov, Austria-Hungary
Died	22 April 1956(1956-04-22) (aged 85) Prague, Czechoslovakia
Political party	Czechoslovak People's Party
Alma mater	Palacký University, Olomouc

From 1945 on Czechoslovakia was ruled by the Communist-dominated National Front which also included Šrámek's People's Party. Šrámek and the rest of his coalition worried about the increasing role of the Communist Party. In 1947, the popular support for the Communists started to diminish. To consolidate power, the Communists carried out a coup in February 1948. Šrámek had to resign as the chairman of the People's Party. His successor, Rostislav Petr, and Josef Plojhar, a "strong man" in the People's Party, were fellow travelers who supported unconditional collaboration with the Communists.

References

1. Profile of Jan Šrámek
2. Gehler, Michael; Kaiser, Wolfram (2004). Christian Democracy in Europe Since 1945. Taylor & Francis. p. 173. ISBN 978-0-203-64623-6.
3. Churchill, Winston; Gilbert, Martin (2001). The Churchill War Papers: The Ever-Widening War, 1941. W W Norton & Company Incorporated. p. 516. ISBN 978-0-393-01959-9.