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The first written record of Zlín dates from 1332. The town grew rapidly after Tomáš Bata founded a shoe factory there in 1894, which came to supply the Austro-Hungarian armies in World War I. Bata designed the town as he saw fit until his death in 1932. His son Thomas was forced to leave by the Nazis in 1938 and again after the war when the company was nationalized (he left for Canada where he founded another model community, named Batawa ). Zlín was merged in 1948 with several surrounding communities to form Gottwaldov, named after the first communist president of CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia ( Czech: Ceskoslovensko Slovak: Cesko-Slovensko before 1990 Ceskoslovensko ) was a country in Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1992 (except for the World War II period). On January 1, 1993, it peacefully split into the Czech Repu, Klement GottwaldKlement Gottwald ( November 23, 1896 March 14, 1953) was a Czechoslovakian Communist politician, longtime leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSC or CPCz or CPC). prime minister and president of Czechoslovakia. His first career was as a cabin. In 1990Events January January 3 Former leader of Panama Manuel Noriega surrenders to American forces. January 7 The Leaning Tower of Pisa is closed to the public due to safety concerns. January 9 Lt Gen Bazilio Olara Okello The man who led the coup aginst Dr Apo the whole city was renamed Zlín.