slánský was born on july 31, 1901 in nezvěstice near pilsen, bohemia. his father was a jewish merchant. he studied at a public academy in plzeň. slánský joined the czechoslovak communist party in 1921, three years after it was formed. in 1924 he was the editor of the communist party newspaper, "rude pravo". he rose in the ranks of the party becoming a member of the central committee. he was in hiding from 1929 to 1935 because the party was illegal in czechoslovakia at the time. he became a member of the national assembly and a close associate of klement gottwald.