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Not many realize that when Czechoslovakia was carved out of Austro-Hungary, it was responsible for 3/4 of AH's industrial output. This tweet storm will focus on the economy of the Czechoslovakia in the 1930s.
Probably the most famous large industrial conglomerates was Škoda Works, in Plzeň. Emil Škoda came from a wealthy family and studied mechanical engineering and then went on internships in France, the United States, and Prussia.
In 1866, he took a position as chief engineer in a machine factory founded by Count Waldstein. At the time, it employed 33 people. Škoda realized the factory would require significant capital investment, but as Waldstein wasn't willing, he offered to buy the factory.
In 1869, the sale was completed for 167,642 crowns, and Škoda Works was born. He quickly turned it into a modern steelworks able to deliver castings and forgings, employing 4000 workers and 200 engineers. His focused on weapons, and Skodaworks became the armorer to Austro-Hungary
In the 1890s, it became a joint stock company and one of the largest arms manufacturers in Europe. By the time of independence, it had over 35,000 employees in Plzen, and had produced heavy guns for dreadnoughts, howitzers, mortars, machine guns, and soon tanks.
In 1925, Škoda bought Laurin & Klement, one of the largest Czech auto makers, and renamed the unit to Škoda Auto. In the 1930s, it sold over 60,000 cars, trucks, trams, half-tracks, tractors and trailers.
Among the most popular models were the Škoda superb 3000 and the Škoda Popular
Here is a list of Škoda Auto models with some production numbers
kfzderwehrmacht.de/Homepage_engli…
Škoda also made light and medium tanks and tank hunters. The most famous being the LT vz 35 (or "Lehky Tank", meaning "Light Tank" model 35) and its successor, the LT 38, which the Germans dubbed Panzer 38t (t for "tschechisch"). Over 1600 were produced in WW2
Unfortunately the Czech panzers were widely used in the invasion of France, but OTOH they were also used in the invasion of Russia.
But the light tanks were incapable of penetrating the T-34 armor, so Škoda Works built almost 3000 tank hunters, the Jagdpanzer 39(t), designed to kill the T-34s. In total, almost 7000 Škoda tanks were built
In addition to arms, Škoda built locomotives, aircraft, ships, machine tools, and steam turbines. It was one of Czechoslovakia's largest exporters, even extending large financing loans to China and other nations.
Here is a nice article on Skoda's arms manufacture in the interwar period.

khd.vse.cz/wp-content/upl…
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