Slovakia's May Day Holiday Dates Back to 1919, Not Communist Era
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May 1st has been celebrated as a state holiday in Slovakia since 1919, predating the communist period by decades. The Labor Day holiday commemorates the strikes and demonstrations by Chicago workers that resulted in loss of human life. While many associate May Day celebrations in Central Europe with the communist era, Slovakia's recognition of the workers' holiday actually originates from the First Czechoslovak Republic, established after World War I when the country gained independence from Austria-Hungary.