Czech Republic officially recognizes more people who resisted communism
Another 38 people have been recognized as participants in the resistance to and revolt against communism in the former Czechoslovakia. Certificates to that effect have been presented by Czech Defense Minister Martin Stropnický (ANO) to, for example, the former Charter 77 signatory and journalist Otta Bednářová; the former dissident and post-1989 officer with the Security Information Services Vladimír Hučín; and to Zdislav Zima, who assisted a French secret service agent; Hučín and Zima have also been awarded the status of war veteran.
Stropnický: We have a lot to be proud of
The Czech state has awarded certificates of participation in the Third Resistance to roughly 660 courageous people active between 1948 and 1989. Now those recognized include people who disseminated anti-communist publications, who harbored fugitives, or who were actively involved in the activities of resistance groups.
Stropnický expressed appreciation for their courage, heroism and resilience and for their contributions to the fall of the communist regime in Czechoslovakia. "The Third Resistance, together with the struggle for an independent Czechoslovakia and the anti-Nazi resistance, comprise a continual order of which future generations can be justifiably proud," he said in his speech.
For almost three years now, a law has been in effect regardng those who participated in the resistance to and revolt against communism that makes it possible to express both financial and moral appreciation for those who fought against the totalitarian regime in Czechoslovakia, and as many as 4 170 people have requested recognition for their participation in the Third Resistance. An ethics commission has reviewed almost 2 000 requests, approving 660 of them, rejecting 1 000 of them and cancelling 250 of them.
Of the more than 600 persons recognized, 68 have also been awarded the status of war veteran, which entitles them to other benefits. Those recognized as having participated in the anti-communist resistance receive CZK 100 000, and the spouses of deceased awardees receive half that amount.
Otta Bednářová: I’m glad I helped end the totalitarian regime
According to an interview she gave to Czech Television, the decoration came as a surprise to Otta Bednářová. "The reason I did it wasn’t to be awarded a prize, but simply because I was against that undemocratic regime," said the former Czechoslovak Television staffer who, after being fired, participated in disseminating samizdat literature, signed Charter 77, and became a co-founder of the Committee for the Defense of the Unjustly Prosecuted (VONS).
Bednářová was sentenced to three years in prison for her activity. "I don’t regret it at all. On the contrary, I’m glad I did it and that I helped end that era," the 87-year-old insists.
Otta Bednářová was born in Prague in 1927. After completing high school she worked as an editor at Czechoslovak Radio, where she focused on broadcasts for women.
During the 1960s her critical voice against the regime excelled as she protested, for example, against the classification criteria for accepting children into the schools. After the Warsaw Pact invasion in August 1968 she refused to distance herself from her creations and made her living as a cleaning woman.
She signed Charter 77 and became a co-founder of the Committee for the Defense of the Unjustly Prosecuted (VONS). She was prosecuted and ultimately also imprisoned for her activity.
After the Velvet Revolution of 1989 she became a co-founder of Olga Havlová’s Výbor dobré vůle (Good Will Committee). In 1997 Czech President Václav Havel awarded her the Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk.
Recognition of Vladimír Hučín
Vladimír Hučín is now among those resistance fighters recognized by the state; during the normalization era he disseminated anti-regime materials and, using explosives, destroyed several notice-boards belonging to the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia and property belonging to a State Security (StB) collaborator. He spent two and a half years in prison for that.
The Charter 77 signatory had trouble with the law after the 1989 Velvet Revolution as well and was charged with and indicted for several felonies. He was suspected of having instigated left-wing extremist actions during the 1990s while working for the Security Information Service in order to draw attention to the threat.
The courts, however, later released him and he was also rehabilitated for his activity prior to 1989. Hučín said he considers today’s award as step toward his personal vindication.
"I am critical of many things today, but overall, there is already much more democracy and freedom here now than there was then," Hučín said in an interview for Czech Television. He admitted that today he would have addressed some matters even more radically than he did back then.
Zdislav Zima – the liaison
War veteran status will be awarded to Hučín and to Zdislav Zima, who was involved in resistance activity in 1949, when he began to work as a liaison for his friend Jan Vašek, who was a courier for French intelligence. In 1958 Zima was arrested for that work and sent to prison for 10 years for treason in 1959.
Zima ultimately spent "just" a year and a half behind bars before being amnestied by Czechoslovak President Antonín Novotný. "I’m ashamed that I let myself be caught," said the 89-year-old resistance fighter, who claims to have almost forgotten what he did in the 1950s and said he was pleased to receive the award today.
Jiří Lederer – for defending freedom
The Czech Defense Minister awarded some participants of the Third Resistance posthumously. They include Jiří Lederer, who was recognized for his long-term public backing of positions against communist power from the 1960s until 1983, for his original work defending freedom of speech, and for his extensive publishing activity and work in exile.
Recognized participants in the resistance to and revolt against communism
Ivo Klempíř – For active work in the resistance group of Vladivoj Tomek that waged an armed struggle against the communist regime in Czechoslovakia during the 1950s.
Františka Doležalová – For active work in a resistance group from 1949 – 1951 consisting of the provision of aid and cooperation to participants in the anti-communist resistance taking illegal actions against the communist regime in Czechoslovakia. Her daughter, Ms Hana Laštovicová, received the award on her behalf.
Jaroslav Tomek – For ensuring the printing and dissemination of materials focused on reviving democracy and freedom from 1976 – 1978.
Jindřiška Havrlantová – For actively participating in a resistance group from 1952 – 1954, consisting of receiving reports intended for delivery abroad and accumulating arms and other necessities for the group’s activity. Her daughter, Ms Helena Šenkeříková, received the award on her behalf.
Miloslav Vejvoda – For active membership in a resistance group working in the Tišnov area consisting of accumulating necessities essential to the group’s activity and helping to harbor fugitives wanted by State Security during the 1950s.
František Morbicer – For disseminating many materials aiming to revive democracy and freedom and to weaken the communist regime in Czechoslovakia in 1949.
Hedvika Přerovská – For active work in the "SODAN" resistance group in 1953, consisting of participating in the storing and distribution of anti-communist publications to other members of the group.
Oldřich Hübner – For active work in a resistance group from 1953 – 1954, consisting of arranging the transportation of group members, finding and building a shelter for the group, and attracting more members to the group.
Vladimír Hučín – In 1973, on the anniversary of the August occupation, he disseminated fliers around the town of Přerov reading "Down with the Soviet dictatorship", and later used explosives to destroy several notice-boards belonging to the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia and the Czechoslovak-Soviet Friendship Union. He did his best to involve others in his activity. On 17 May 1977 he was convicted by the Regional Court in Přerov of arming himself without a permit and served a nine-month suspended sentence. In 1983 he and Ladislav Brázda agreed to carry out an action against State Security (StB) collaborator Antonín Mikeš. On the morning of 2 December 1983 he used explosives to destroy the entryway to Mikeš’s home and his personal vehicle. After that attack the StB ended its cooperation with Mikeš because his identity as their conspirator had been revealed. On 7 June 1984 the District Court in Přerov found Hučín guilty of the crime of "defaming a state in the world socialist order", of sedition, of arming himself without a permit, and of stealing and vandalizing others’ property, for which he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison. After his release in 1986 he participated in the activities of Charter 77 as a signatory. He also joined the Movement for Civic Freedom. On the basis of section 5 of Law No. 262/2011 Coll., he has now been awarded the status of war veteran.
Karel Hrubý – For political activity and publishing activity abroad from 1972 – 1989 and for intensive work in the exiled Czechoslovak Social Democratic Party. His niece, Ms Věra Špottová, received the award on his behalf.
Petr Pospíchal – For long-term anti-communist activity during the 1970s and 1980s consisting of printing and disseminating materials criticizing the totalitarian regime, working as a journalist, and actively working in independent initiatives.
Jaroslav Morávek – For disseminating materials aiming to revive democracy and freedom and to weaken the communist regime from 1987 to 1989.
Květoslava Hanáková – For active anti-communist activity consisting of the duplication of materials aimed against the communist regime in 1948.
Ladislav Leština – For developing anti-communist activity within the framework of the Czechoslovak underground from 1978 – 1986. His son, Ladislav Leština, received the award on his behalf.
Rudolf Kopal – For active work in a resistance group in 1949 consisting of authoring and ensuring the printing of materials aimed at reviving democracy and freedom in Czechoslovakia.
Otta Bednářová – Otta Bednářová worked at Czechoslovak Television starting in 1963. After the armies of the five Warsaw Pact states invaded the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic in August 1968, she and her colleagues broadcast reports on the invasion for four days from temporary spaces on Petřín Hill in Prague. She was fired for her pro-reform convictions on 31 August 1970. From 1974, as part of the dissident movement, she actively participated in duplicating and disseminating samizdat literature by retyping the works of banned authors such as Ludvík Vaculík and Karel Kaplan, disseminated the Listy magazine that was sent to Czechoslovakia from exile by Jiří Pelikán, and brokered articles for that publication and for several editions of the magazine Svědectví. Otta Bednářová was among the first signatories of Charter 77, participated in duplicating and disseminating its text, and actively attended meetings of its leading signatories, helping to organize financial collections for the signatories and for their sympathizers who were in bad financial situations. Among other matters, she was also one of the founding members of VONS and actively participated in its work.
Anna Hebertová – For active anti-communist work consisting of disseminating and repeatedly duplicating fliers aiming to revive democracy and freedom in 1949.
Jan Lukáš – For active work in a resistance group from 1949 – 1952 consisting of performing sabotage on railway lines. On the basis of section 5 of Law No. 262/2011 Coll., he has now been awarded the status of war veteran.
Zdislav Zima – Involved in resistance activity since July 1949. He actively helped Jan Vašek, a courier for the SDECE (External Documentation and Counter-Espionage Service) of France on Czechoslovak territory. Zima provided him with material support and functioned as a liaison, conspiring to deliver various messages and packages. He also provided Vašek detailed information about production in the Tatra national enterprise factory in Kopřivnice where he worked and provided him with identification for entry into the factory. He participated in operating secret radio broadcasts with equipment brought into the country by Agent Vašek on foot and helped develop the negatives of film taken by Vašek in Kopřivnice and its environs. He was arrested on 19 December 1958. A Regional Court on 20 April 1959 convicted him of treason and sentenced him to 10 years in prison without the possibility of parole and to other punishments. On the basis of section 5 of Law No. 262/2011 Coll., he has now been awarded the status of war veteran.
Milan Ohnisko – For long-term active work as part of independent political initiatives during the 1980s consisting of participating in the dissemination of anti-communist materials and in organizing petitions and protest actions.
Otakar Machek – For significant anti-communist activity in 1951 consisting of harboring a person collaborating with the foreign news service of a democratic state.
Ján Mařík – For active collaboration with the foreign news service of a democratic state and for transporting people across the Czechoslovak border in 1948 and 1949. On the basis of section 5 of Law No. 262/2011 Coll., he has now been awarded the status of war veteran.
Iva Vojtková – For ensuring the printing and dissemination of various materials and news reports focused on reviving democracy and freedom in 1988 and 1989.
Zuzana Hochmannová – For providing aid to persons fleeing the State Security forces and helping to organize their departure from the country from 1949-1950.
Anna Čepelová – For active resistance from 1949-1957 to the collectivization of the countryside and for defending the individual’s inalienable right to own property and freely manage it. Her granddaughter, Ms Olga Čepelová, received the award on her behalf.
In memoriam
Josef Čepel – For active resistance from 1949-1957 to the collectivization of the countryside and for defending the individual’s inalienable right to own property and freely manage it. His granddaughter, Ms Olga Čepelová, received the award on his behalf.
Ladislav Trejbal – For active work in a resistance group from 1951 – 1952, consisting of participation in the dissemination of anti-communist fliers and hiding the materials essential to printing them. His wife, Ms Věra Trejbalová, received the award on his behalf.
Karel Švec – For active membership in a resistance group from 1949 – 1951, consisting particularly of facilitating the delivery of information abroad and fulfilling the function of communications liaison in the group. His son, Mr Josef Švec, received the award on his behalf.
Josef Doubrava – For active membership in a resistance group working in the Benešov area in 1952, consisting of collaborating with an alleged courier for a foreign news service of a democratic state. His granddaughter, Ms Nováková, received the award on his behalf.
Antonín Městecký – For active participation in a resistance group in 1949 consisting of ensuring the availability of Cyclostyle paper for producing publications with anti-communist content and disseminating an anti-communist magazine. His son, Mr Antonín Městecký, received the award on his behalf.
Emil Andrt – For active work in the "MAPÁŽ" resistance group in 1949, consisting particularly of participating in armed actions and in acquiring and passing on information to foreign news services. His award was received by Mr Jan Hajer.
Jiří Lederer – For long-term public backing of positions aimed against commnist power from the 1960s until 1983, for authoring works defending freedom of speech, and for extensive publishing work and work in exile. His wife, Ms Elzbieta Ledererová, received the award on his behalf.
Václav Kvičera – For active collaboration with the foreign news service of a democratic state from 1955 – 1956 consisting in particular of the delivery of significant economic and military information. His son, Mr Václav Kvičera, received the award on his behalf.
Josef Maruška – For long-term backing of attitudes against the establishment of unified agricultural cooperations from 1950 – 1961. His daughter, Ms Viktorie Bezrová, received the award on his behalf.
Jiří Materna – For active work in a resistance group from 1950 – 1951 consisting particularly of collecting information and materials for the purpose of using them in the fight against the communist regime in Czechoslovakia. His wife, Ms Věra Maternová, received the award on his behalf.
Jaroslav Havelka – For active work in a resistance group in 1948 consisting in particular of expanding its membership base and other activity aiming to revive democracy and freedom and to weaken the communist regime in Czechoslovakia. His daughter, Ms Simona Lukešová, received the award on his behalf.
Miloš Füchs – For active work in the "SODAN" resistance group in 1953, consisting of participating in the dissemination of anti-communist fliers, setting the haystacks of collective farms on fire and expanding the group’s membership base. His wife, Ms Jarmila Füchsová, accepted the award on his behalf.
Miroslav Šamaj – For active work within the framework of the preparatory committe for the Znojmo branch of K231 in 1968 and participation in its founding. His daughter, Ms Květoslava Šamajová, received the award on his behalf.
