“Loyalty to the Fatherland, Democracy and Masaryk’s Thoughts.” Prague guests legionary congress – ČT24 – Czech Television
“The Czechoslovak legionary community represents what was the best in the first and second republics. Loyalty to the homeland, fidelity to the ideas of democracy and Masaryk’s ideas. Love for the homeland, for democracy and for freedom, “said the chairman of the legionaries, Pavel Budinský.
The abbot said that the Czech army was founded on traditions established by the legionaries. In a greeting, President Miloš Zeman described the legionaries as the founders of the state, who spent their lives on its creation. According to Zeman, their current organization “is not a relic of its ancient glory”, and its members include modern war veterans. The head of state gave the legionnaires a presidential ribbon, which was pinned to the federal battalion.
Senate Vice-Chairman Jiří Oberfalzer (ODS) reminded that the heroism of the legionnaires on the battlefields of the First World War ensured that the Czechs and Slovaks were included alongside the victorious nations after the war. According to Oberfalzer, the legacy of legionnaires, who did not doubt what their duty to their homeland and previous generations was, could help to orient themselves in the current turbulent times of pleasing words, manipulators or the promotion of one right thinking. “You are watching over the memory of our nation and you will not allow the time fees to become clogged with dust,” he added.
The chairman of the legionary community Budinský at the meeting also before the commemorative medal for the support of the activities of this organization. In addition to the speakers’ awards, the veteran from the Second World War, Josef Svoboda, and the participant in the Third Resistance, Miroslav Froyda, received in particular. The medal was also awarded to Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (YES), Cardinal Dominik Duka, Patriarch of the Czechoslovak Hussite Church Tomáš Butta or Army General Jiří Šedivý.
Part of the Legionnaire’s anniversary celebrations will be the lighting of rows of buildings in the colors of the Czech tricolor. In the evening, the Libeň Chateau in Prague, the chateau in Děčín or the town hall in Hradec Králové, Liberec and Olomouc will be colored in this way. The activity of legionnaires is also presented by an educational legion train at the railway station in Prague’s Bubny.
Saturday downhill
The celebrations will continue on Saturday. Exactly one hundred years after the Day of the Legions (the first mass events organized by the legionary community), supporters of legionnaires will gather in a procession who will leave Na Příkopě Street at 10 am on Hybernská Street towards the National Monument in Vítkov, where a ceremonial start will take place at noon.
The procession will be led by historical legionary and World War II units and members of the army’s active reserves. Modern war veterans and World War II war veterans who ride in historic vehicles do not have to be missing. According to the organizers, the march is to be attended by seven hundred people.
“The historical camps of our legions and the second resistance on the western and eastern fronts will be built on Vítkov. In particular, the young members, together with military history clubs, presented practical demonstrations of uniforms, armaments and training. A replica of the Spitfire aircraft will also be on display, “said Milan Mojžíš, secretary of the Legionnaires’ community.
“We want to show that the last legionnaire left us more than twenty years ago, the legionary ideas are still alive,” Moses added. This year it is also thirty years since the last living legionaries, together with the participants in the second resistance, resumed the activities of the village, which was interrupted during the communist era.
“Currently, the younger generation is joining us and it’s a huge surprise for me,” notes Budinský. “They report and join our thoughts, the legionary community is not declining in death, but on the contrary is strengthening, and we have received a higher number than we were a few years ago.”
The reminder of a hundred years shows the tradition and continuity of the organization, said Jiří Charfreitag, a member of the presidency of the Czechoslovak Legionary Community, in the Events program. He also reminded that many cities or towns will light their town halls, towers and other places in the color of the tricolor in honor of this anniversary.
He mentioned that the Czechoslovak Legionary Community is also engaged in education, exhibitions and lectures on the history of the legions. She believes that she manages to keep the public aware of soldiers and legionnaires and to show that “we Czechs should be proud of everything.” because there was a great rise in public interest in the history of Czechoslovakia.