Národní soud, Praha

The fonds contains the National Court's own papers from 1945-1947 and priors and posteriors that extend beyond that period. The Priora consists of dossier material relating to the activities of the accused persons during the incriminated period, which was collected during the course of the investigation. The posteriori were written after the National Court had ceased its activities and relate to the course of the imprisonment of the convicted persons and the appeal proceedings before the courts. These files were included in the registry of the National Court and filed in the same manner as its own documents. The papers relating to Jews document anti-Semitic propaganda by Nazi and fascist organisations, and include anti-Semitic texts (articles, posters, etc.) and photographs from anti-Jewish events used as evidence against the accused (in particular the case involving the leaders of the Flag - TNS 7/46 and the case involving activist journalists - TNS 6/47). The National Court was established by Presidential Decree of 19 June 1945, No. 17 Coll. as both a criminal and honorary court. It was intended to try prominent representatives of political, public and economic life in the former Protectorate in Bohemia and Moravia if they had committed criminal acts pursuant to the Presidential Decree of 19 June 1945, No. 16 Coll., on the punishment of Nazi criminals, traitors and their helpers and on extraordinary people's courts (Retributive Decree). Among the persons under surveillance were the President of the State, members of the Protectorate governments, the central leadership of the Flag, the Curatorium for the Education of Youth in Bohemia and Moravia, the Czech League against Bolshevism, leaders of the National Workers' Trade Union Headquarters and the Union of Agriculture and Forestry, and activist journalists. The President of the Republic appointed the President of the National Court, his deputies and the Presidents of the Chambers from among the professional judges. The Presiding Judge of the Chamber as well as the Public Prosecutor of the National Court (the National Prosecutor) were appointed by the Government on the proposal of the Minister of Justice. The National Prosecutor determined which of the above-mentioned activists were to be tried by the National Court and for which crimes or acts. The National Court was constituted on 12 December 1945, with the first main trial commencing on 15 January 1946. A total of 39 indictments were brought before the National Court, 36 of which were brought as a criminal court against 80 persons, and 3 indictments as a court of honour against three persons. In all the cases, only men were involved. The court ceased its activities on 5 May 1947, when the retributive decree expired.