|
1918 - 1945 INTER-WAR CZECHOSLOVAKIA
AND PROTECTORATE
Inter-war Czechoslovakia
The Austro-Hungarian system of license plates was adopted by the
authorities of new Czechoslovakia. The size and shape of letters was
defined more strictly, military used inverted colour plates; other than
that, everything remained the same. Only when the impractical
alphanumerical system was to collapse into countless variations (such as N
XXXIV 321), the authorities introduced a brandnew registration system of
so-called register plates. Each of the historic lands of the country had
its own one-letter code (È for Bohemia, M for Moravia and Silesia), Prague
had P, and railways and post had a specific code, too (D). A dash followed,
pursued by a block of natural order numerals 1-99.999, divided by a dot
after thousands. Motorcycles and tricycles had the same system, only in a
reversed order. Military had codes without numbers. Again, the shapes of
letters were not really given, only the dimensions were defined. From the
beginning, the international code CS had diacritics — a hook above C. The
black-andwhite plate had a required rim, and, for example, in aerodynamic
sports cars, the plates were applied on foil. The plates with bevel upper
corners remained popular, same as the double-sided ones placed on the
front fender of a motorcycle. Temporary registration plates in inverted
colours were newly introduced, border guards or customs officials and
foreign vehicles also had special plates. Special license plates issued
for diplomats were also planned, however, the evolution was interrupted by
the war.
Protectorate
The Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia had certain formal attributes such
as the flag, emblem, currency, and government institutions, however, this
was about it. Czechoslovak register plates were valid until the end of
June 1940, but only with a “journey permit” in the form of a yellow stamp
issued by a particular office, and with a “fuel ration permit” which
looked like a yellow label in the shape of letter V. The citizens of
protectorate, confronted with the grim reality of rationed economy,
mischievously nicknamed it “Victoria”. During the war, only doctors and
few other selected occupations necessary to keep the state running were
allowed to operate a private vehicle. The abrupt shift towards the needs
of the German oppressor meant immediate introduction of German standards
wherever it was considered necessary. The new highway code paradoxically
modernised the whole road transport, introduced driving on the right, and
with it came also the new protectorate license plates (which was also
their official name), complying fully with the Third Reich system. Plates
with white background and black frame contained two-letter regional or
institution code (PA=Bohemia, PB=Moravia, PC=railways and post, PD=Prague,
PS=police and gendarmery, PV=state administration and military), a dash
with a block of order numbers 1-999 999 followed, with no dots or dashes.
The Third Reich’s journey and fuel ration permits were also adopted, in
the form of a red stamp and sticker. Rough guide to license plates was
also published, which shows that, for example, the president had a plate
number PD 1. The manufacturing method was novel, utilising stencils with
DIN standard letters. The vehicles from Protectorate lands did not have
their own international code plate and for foreign journeys, vehicles were
to be fitted with an oval D at the back of the vehicle, illuminated same
as the license plate itself.
Author: Petr Marinov, Translate: Olga
Neumanová
Published by TYPO (typography · graphic design · visual communication)
TYPO.28 - August 2007
|
