HISTORY
The history
of the Pioneer movement (the organization names changed over time) in Czechoslovakia and later in the Czech republic related to and somehow reflected changes in society. Those changes can be summarized and linked to a few breaking eras.
1949
In the time the Pioneer organization of Junák was founded, society was still a bit agitated by the fresh experience of WWII. Not only the lifeful tradition of scouting but also the will to work with children differently were the determining influences evident not only in the name but also on everyday work. Unfortunately, a part of the organization later took examples from abroad like strong linkage to school, which led to activities being formalized.
1968
The society relief in the 60s led to a division of the unified organization of children and youth (Pionýrská organizace Československého svazu mládeže - the Pioneer organization of the Czechoslovak youth union) into self-dependent associations. One of those was Pionýr, also the scouts (Junák) and many others. Unfortunately, the invasion of troops of the Warsaw Convention ended any existing ideas of creating a varied offer for children with various interests. After only two years (1970), Pionýr's activities, as well as activities of other youth organizations, have been formally terminated, and a unified organization has founded (Pionýrská organizace ČSSR - the Pioneer organization of the Czechoslovak socialist republic, later PO Socialistického svazu - the Pioneer organization of the Socialist youth union).
1990
The Velvet revolution in 1989 brought an end to many unified organizations, one of them being the PO of the Socialist youth union. At the beginning of 1990, all pioneer workers and volunteers fulfilled their various ideas about working with children. Some pioneer groups completely ended their activities, other groups founded their own local unions or eventually joined other associations restoring their activities (Junák - Czech scouts, Czech camping union, TOM association, Duha, etc.). The rest of the pioneer workers together restored the activities of the independent Pionýr - first as a federative union, then (1993) as a self-dependent organization. It was a step that helped Pionýr start the longest period of uninterrupted activity of the pioneer movement here in the Czech republic.
