CYIL vol. 9 (2018)

CYIL 9 ȍ2018Ȏ CZECHOSLOVAKIA: CERTIFICATES AND PASSPORTS OF REFUGEES gub. (guberniya) ……………………………………………………………….. is a Russian national and it has no objections to his/her unrestricted residency in the Czechoslovak Republic as well as to the free travel within its borders. In Prague, date ………………… ………………………… Russian referent The certificate usually provided the agenda number and the regular number in the upper left corner. During the summer of 1921, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided on a procedural change on the basis of letter no. 17.432 pres., 7 July 1921. 50 Each Russian national residing in the Czechoslovak Republic had to first petition the office of the Unified Russian Workers of Zemstvos and Towns ( Zemgor ). 51 The applicant obtained a registration card from Zemgor on the basis of which he could turn to the Russian Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he would obtain a personal certificate of residency. The circular also explicitly pointed out the possibility of issuing a personal certificate of residency to refugees who recognized the Soviet government, even though they did not possess old passports granted by the authorities of the Russian Tsarist Empire or Soviet travel documents. These refugees could refer themselves to the representatives of the Russian Red Cross. Upon the recommendation of this representation, the Russian Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs could issue a certificate of residency in Czechoslovakia with an identification and permissive function. At the end of 1922, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs notified through letter no. 47129-II, 21 December 1921, that it was called upon by the League of Nations to declare the exact number of Russian and Ukrainian refugees in Czechoslovakia. In the interest of registration and accurate records, the Ministry of Interior amended the previous circulars by circular no. 99.881-5, from 30 December 1921. 52 The circular was issued shortly after the adoption of the decree, which was jointly approved by the All Russian Central Executive Committee of Soviet Worker, Military, Farmer, and Cossack Representatives and the Council of People’s Commissars . The Committee was the supreme legislative and supervisory authority of RSFSR at that time, whereas the Council of People’s Commissars was the executive body. Decree from 15 December 1921 was not based on the principle of division of power, but rather on the socialist technique of division of labour. The RSFSR decree collectively deprived Russian nationality ( denaturalization ) for all: 50 Rusové v Československé republice – osobní průkazy. Circular of the Ministry of Interior no. 64722-5, 25 August 1921. Official gazette of the Ministry of Interior of the Czechoslovak Republic , Praha, Rolnické tiskárny, 1921, ročník III, p. 239. 51 Zemgor had its seat in the Palace Hotel in Panská Street in Prague. Subsequently, its branches were established in Brno, Bratislava, and Uzhgorod. Zemgor was in charge of redistribution of the financial and material assistance to refugees. He also performed so-called consular functions. Zemgor had set up its own labour office, provided a library, dormitories for singles, medical ambulance, and dental cabinet. 52 Registration of Russians and Ukrainians in the Czechoslovak Republic (Registrace Rusů a Ukrajinců v Československé republice). Circular of the Ministry of Interior no. 99.88.1-5, 30 December 1921. Official gazette of the Ministry of Interior of the Czechoslovak Republic , Praha, Rolnické tiskárny, 1922, ročník IV, p. 9.

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