SNN: The Founding of SNN in the Czech Republic

SVAZ NESLYŠÍCÍCH A NEDOSLÝCHAVÝCH
OSOB V ČR, z. s.

SNN v ČR, z.s. je největší nezisková organizace, pracující
pro osoby se sluchovým postižením v České republice.
Posláním SNN v ČR, z.s. je ochrana a obhajoba potřeb,
práv a zájmu osob se sluchovým postižením.

The Founding of SNN in the Czech Republic

The Prague Association of the Deaf was established in 1868 as the first association of deaf people in our country. Its original name was the Prague Association of the Deaf and Mute. After World War I, other regional associations started to emerge, such as in the towns of Ceske Budejovice, Plzen, Zlin and others.

At the end of 1930s, an association of hard of hearing EFETA was established. After World War II the associations tried to unite into a single organization for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. It did not happen. They were united by force in early 1950s by the communist government at that time. It was directed that all associations of people with health impairment would become one in the Union of Invalids.

After the political easing in 1968, the Union of Hearing Impaired was established in 1969 as a member organization of the Czech Association of Union of Invalids. Further development of this organization was politically discontinued in the mid 70s because of communistic „normalization“, when the union of Hearing Impaired was incorporated into the Union of Invalids in the ČR as a Council of Hearing Impaired.

After the Velvet revolution (1989) the Union of Invalids shut down and new independent organizations started to develop corresponding to the type of disability. One of them was our current Union of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in the Czech Republic.