Did the Red Army liberate Prague? The joy of the end of the war gradually spread to the gears of propaganda
Art also served the propaganda, and perhaps, let’s face it, not always in the first place. Some would probably say that was the time. The poet Vítězslav Nezval in his poem Come in Time writes:
“They arrived on time, as legendary troops from ancient chronicles. They won! He is now sitting in groups of accordions. They have the magic of Russian songs, their special tonics. Their pale eyes glow over their tanned skin. They are so human, raising small Prague children. They have won peace and are now sanctifying it with us. “
Acts:
researcher Libor Pačes
Prepared by:
Ivana Chmel Denčevová
Dramaturgy:
Hynek Pekárek
Directed by:
Michal Bureš
Premiere:
May 4, 2020
But other artists were not left behind either. For example, in July 1945, Vladimír Holan published his poem entitled Thanks to the Soviet Union.
May Uprising
But let’s go back a little bit in the history of May 1945. On May 5, a call for help was heard from the Czechoslovak Radio broadcast, and the May Uprising began, which spread from Prague to the entire territory of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. On the same day, a proclamation established by the Czech National Council was issued:
“Czech people! The Czech National Council, as a representative of the revolutionary movement and as a representative of the Government of the Czechoslovak Republic in Košice, is taking over today’s governmental and executive powers in Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia. “
But there was still a thorny path to the “taking over the government”: fighting in various places, the number of insurgent victims and Prague Castle – a symbol of statehood – was not released until May 8, 1945.
On the same day, the surrender of the German army with the Czech National Council was signed and German military units began to withdraw from Prague.
The return of President Beneš
“You waited for the weapons and you didn’t get them. Consider that we abroad have certainly been victims of Allied politics, that we are aware of the call for an uprising, provided you do not get your weapons and do not keep your word. It was a difficult dilemma. “
This was said by President Edvard Beneš, who had been in exile in London since September 1938, on May 22, 1945 to the commanders of the Prague Uprising, Generals Novák and Kutlvašr.
Edvard Beneš had to return to Czechoslovakia by detour through the Soviet Union. It was characteristic for the further development of events, when even the hero gene. Karel Kutlvašr was not only one of the victims of politically fabricated trials under the baton of the Communists, but was subsequently erased from history.
Listen to a rerun of Ivana Chmel Denčevová’s show.