ABSTRACT
The development of the Czech drama since World War II has been substantially influenced by major political events. The first period began with the liberation of Czechoslovakia in May 1945 and lasted until February 1948, when the basically democratic regime was replaced by a Communist government. The internationalization of theater life, which was to become one of the most conspicuous features of the post-World War II era, did not occur until the borders with the West were hermetically sealed. The first plays to be staged after the war were those written during the occupation or completed shortly thereafter. The ideological content during the Stalinist years was narrow and primitive, and it conformed to the esthetic dogma known as "socialist realism." The theater was required to popularize the most essential slogans of Marxism, to endorse specific decisions of the government, and to glorify the party and government leaders.
