| Country: | Czechoslovakia |
| Details of Formation: | The People’s Militia originated in 1948 as the armed part of the Communist Party and was involved in the Communist seizure of power. |
| Details of Termination: | The group was disbanded on 22 December 1989. |
| Purpose: | The group served as a kind of private army to the Communist Party and its main task was to uphold communist rule (e.g. by acting against potential guerillas and undercover agents). |
| Organisation: | The People’s Militia was under the control of the Communist Party and, prior to 1952, the Ministry of Interior. It cooperated with the People’s Army and the Public Security Corps. |
| Weapons and Training: | The group was armed with rifles, (sub)machine guns, mortars and anti-aircraft machine guns. |
| Size: | The numbers reported went from 2,000 in 1948 (Slovakia) to roughly 10,000 in 1949 (Slovakia). Eventually the group numbered 86,494 members in the whole of the country. |
| Reason for Membership: | Members mainly consisted of factory workers. |
| Treatment of Civilians: | The PGM was used to disperse protests against the regime. |
| Other Information: | -- |
| References: |
Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD. Wikipedia. People’s Militias (Czechoslovakia). https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=People%2527s_Militias_(Czechoslovakia)&oldid=715784931 |