The participants of the memorial service honored the memory of those who fell in the Prague Uprising

Commercial presentation Update: 05/05/2024 15:24
Issued by: 05/05/2024, 15:24

Prague – The participants of the memorial service at the Czech Radio (ČRo) building in Vinohradská Street in Prague today remembered the events of the Prague Uprising of May 1945 and honored the memory of those who fell. In their speeches, the speakers praised the bravery of the people of Prague at that time and emphasized the need to fight for freedom. Speakers at the event included, among others, the presidents of both chambers of the Parliament, Markéta Pekarová Adamová (TOP 09) and Miloš Vystrčil (ODS), Slovak ambassador Ingrid Brocková, and Prague mayor Bohuslav Svoboda (ODS). The meeting was also attended by other deputies and senators, municipal politicians and the director of CRo René Zavoral.

The uprising began on May 5, 1945. The insurgents managed to force the Germans to surrender, prevent many times more bloodshed, and provoke a faster intervention by the Red Army. After February 1948, the communist regime sentenced the commander of the uprising, General Karel Kutlvašr, to life imprisonment, and other representatives of the insurgents were also persecuted. The Prague uprising was preceded by a series of rebellions throughout the territory of the protectorate.

“The fighting on the Prague barricades in May 1945 is a fundamental historical event. The Prague Uprising is a heroic upheaval in which we proved that our people and soldiers never came to terms with the Munich Agreement and capitulation. Czech patriots fought and died during the Prague Uprising, and thanks to the CR the entire nation watched this heroic struggle. The uprising had a national character,” Vystrčil said.

The Chairman of the Senate recalled the words of General Kutlvašr, which he spoke at the end of May 1945. “The barricades and the joint fight with weapons in hand united us far more than the occupation itself. Our barricade was common and united, the danger for us all was one and common.” quoted Vystrčil.

“I would like May 5 to be a reminder of those who were able to face evil,” said Transport Minister Martin Kupka (ODS). In the speech, he pointed out that the greatest threat to freedom and democracy is relativization, a blurred view, when it is not clear what is good and what is bad, and that it is important to be able to step out of gray and comfortable mediocrity. “We must also remember those who achieved this,” he added.

The Speaker of the House Pekarová Adamová highlighted the bravery of the Czechs at that time and also praised the attitude of Czech society today towards the war that was provoked by Russia in Ukraine. “Today, 79 years after the Prague Uprising, the Czechs, with their initiative to purchase ammunition for the defiant Ukrainian army, once again demonstrate to the entire free world that we can lead and inspire others by our own positive example,” she said.

According to Slovak Ambassador Ingrid Brocková, the legacy of the Prague Uprising, as well as the Slovak one, is timeless and reminds us of the nation’s courage to stand on the right side of history and defend freedom. “We must keep reminding ourselves of this legacy. The Prague Uprising is rightfully one of the most important milestones in the modern history of the Czech Republic. Let’s not forget that freedom is not a given,” she said.

The anniversary of the May Uprising of the Czech people is an important day in the Czech calendar. On Wednesday, the Czech Republic, together with most European countries, will commemorate as a national holiday the day when Nazi Germany signed its surrender on May 8, 1945.

CR history memorial 1945 PHOTO OPENER