Matchbox label made in Czechoslovakia in the 1950’s/1960’s. The text on the label reads:”Become a member of the svazarm organization”.
Svazarm or Union for Cooperation with the Army was, in Communist Czechoslovakia, the largest “paramilitary” organisation and was established in 1951.
In 1985, it had about one million members, 60% of whom were under 35 years of age. The activities the Svazarm provided were extremely diverse, ranging from medical training to dog training. Shortwave radio operation was another popular activity, and was also useful for creating future radio operators in the army.
A more specialised branch of the Svazarm, based at Košice, trained pilots for the air force. Training included at least twenty flight hours of glider training and forty hours of basic training on motorised aeroplanes, as well as the necessary aviation theory.
There were also sections: Model airplanes and gliding (formally DOSLET), motor sport section (motorcycles and cars) and all sorts of shooting sports.
Svazarm also operated its own hi-fi club and record label, Čs. Hifi-klub, which distributed its releases primarily to club members. The repertoire included Czechoslovak and Warsaw Pact as well as Western artists.