Czechoslovakia played a major role in the creation of the youth movement Maccabi HaTzair, promoting physical activity, gymnastics and sports as part of the creation of a new Jewish nation. The first political outline of the movement was established in 1921 at the 12th Zionist Congress in Karlovy Vary, and its worldwide role was confirmed at the Maccabi Conference in Prague in 1929. Maccabi members represented Czechoslovakia at the Olympics in athletics and fencing.
The importance of the Maccabi movement grew as athletes identified as Jews were gradually excluded from Sokol, Junák and other Czech sports clubs due to intense Czech nationalism. Maccabi offered them opportunities that had not been available to them in Czech organizations since the Second Republic was estavlished in the autumn of 1938.