Scouting and Guiding in Slovakia

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Scouting and Guiding in Slovakia has a history tied to Czech and Slovak groups that operated in exile after World War II. When the Czechoslovak government-in-exile was active again, Czech and Slovak Scouts formed groups abroad, especially in the United Kingdom, with Rover Crews linked to Czechoslovak armed units there. In 1948 Scouting was banned again in Czechoslovakia, so Czech and Slovak refugees set up Scout groups in exile. Junák-in-Exile became the national Scout organization-in-exile for Czechoslovakia. From 1948 to 1950, exile Scout groups were part of the Displaced Persons Scout Division of the Boy Scouts International Bureau. After the Prague Spring in 1968, thousands of refugees left the country, and many Scouts joined new or expanded units in other countries. Junák units in Switzerland were created with help from Swiss Scouts, and Junák was active in Austria, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. When Scouting restarted in Czechoslovakia, the exile movement was dissolved and its members joined Junák or the national Scout organizations of the countries where they lived. The Czech and Slovak Scouting Abroad emblem was used by exile groups before 1989. In Bratislava there are also US Girl Scouts Overseas units serving the area from US headquarters in New York.