JSB253 Wars, coups, dictatorships: Balkans 1900-1945

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Václav Štěpánek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. Václav Štěpánek, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Václav Štěpánek, Ph.D.
Department of Slavonic Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Pavel Pilch, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Slavonic Studies – Faculty of Arts
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 7 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
Cycle of lectures is dedicated to the processes of national and statehood genesis in individual Balkan countries at the beginning of 20th century (Balkan Wars), which in the same moment resulted in final resolution of the so-called Eastern Question, representing the Balkan´s key problem since the end of 18th century. Lectures are focused on both causes and consequences of the First World War in this region, and all the aspects of the Versailles Treaty system. It highlights political, cultural, and economic development of individual Balkan states in the inter-war period showing the causes that resulted in dramatic events of civil wars as well as in bloodshed practically at the whole Balkan peninsula during the years of the Second World War. Lastly, it also analyzes historical preconditions and facts leading to the victory of communists in practically all the Balkan countries.
Learning outcomes
At the end of this course students should understand and be able to explain the principle of complicated inter-ethnic relations at the Balkans and be capable to interpret events of the Second World War at this territory objectively.
Syllabus
  • Situation in Balkans after Young Turk Revolution.
  • Balkan Alliance and Balkan Wars.
  • The First World War in the Balkans and its impact on individual Balkan states and nations.
  • Treaty of Versailles: a new face of Balkan peninsula.
  • Greek-Turkish War and its impact on Balkan ethnic and political map.
  • Between the democracy, dictatorship, and fascism: Balkan states in twenties and thirties.
  • Bulgarian path in between the coups.
  • Yugoslav problems and the course toward disintegration of the state.
  • Albany, problems of the "unwanted child" of the Balkan Wars.
  • Greece in the dictatorship.
  • The path to the war in the Balkans.
  • War map of the Balkans: Greater Albania and Great Bulgaria.
Literature
    recommended literature
  • TEJCHMAN, Miroslav. Balkán ve válce a v revoluci : 1939-1945. 1. vyd. Praha: Univerzita Karlova v Praze, nakladatelství Karolinum, 2008, 768 s. ISBN 9788024613741. info
  • HRADEČNÝ, Pavel, Ladislav HLADKÝ, Virgjil MONARI, František ŠÍSTEK and Pavla HRADEČNÁ. Dějiny Albánie. Vyd. 1. Praha: Nakladatelství Lidové noviny, 2008, 716 s. ISBN 9788071069393. info
  • HRADEČNÝ, Pavel. Dějiny Řecka. 2., dopl. a rozš. vyd. Praha: Nakladatelství Lidové noviny, 2007, 768 s. ISBN 80-7106-192-1. info
  • GLENNY, Misha. Balkán, 1804-1999 : nacionalismus, válka a velmoci. Translated by Olga Kovářová - Martin Kovář. 1. vyd. v českém jazyce. Praha: BB art, 2003, 547 s. ISBN 8072579762. info
  • RYCHLÍK, Jan. Dějiny Bulharska. Vyd. 1. Praha: Lidové noviny, 2000, 508 s. ISBN 80-7106-404-1. info
  • HRADEČNÝ, Pavel. Řekové a Turci :nepřátelé nebo spojenci? Praha: Nakladatelství Lidové noviny, 2000, 226 s. ISBN 80-7106-378-9. info
  • ŠESTÁK, Miroslav. Dějiny jihoslovanských zemí. Praha: Lidové noviny, 1998, 756 s. ISBN 80-7106-266-9. info
  • TEJCHMAN, Miroslav. Dějiny Rumunska. 1. vyd. Praha: Karolinum, 1997, 86 s. ISBN 8071844802. info
    not specified
  • DANEŠ, Jiří Viktor. Balkán po válce roku 1913. V Praze: Jos. R. Vilímek, 1914, 40 s. info
Teaching methods
Lectures.
Assessment methods
Credit will be granted based on attendance and short oral interview. If student chooses to complete this course with an examination, he or she needs to absolve an oral exam consisting of discussion about selected topic and one additional question.
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/JSB253