Civic Defence (Czech: Občanská obrana) was a Czech paramilitary organisation active on the territory of Cieszyn Silesia during the so-called plebiscite period of the Polish–Czechoslovak dispute over Cieszyn Silesia (1919–1920).
Organisational structure
The Civic Defence was created based on the system of the so-called fives: in each municipality there was one trustee who directed five persons he selected. Each such selected person further selected in a similar way five other persons an so on.[1]
Later in time the Civic Defence was rebuilt on a military basis and became substantially stronger. The head of the organisation was captain Kučera of Orlová and lieutenant Cingr of Ostrava, for a certain period of time it was led also by major Uvíra of Kroměříž.[2]
The Civic Defence was active also on the Polish side of the demarcation line, led by captain Puckman of Cieszyn.[2]
Declared goals
The declared goals of the Civic Defence were defence against the attacks of Polish guerrillas and support of Czechoslovak gendarmerie, defence of the Czechoslovak-Polish demarcation line against Polish incursions and, in case of Polish invasion, holding back of Polish advance until the arrival of Czechoslovak troops.[2]
