EuroZprávy.cz with the City District of Prague 2 will unveil a memorial plaque to RAF Marshal Janoušek. I’m moved, says the general’s great-grandfather
The impulse pays tribute to RAF Air Marshal Karel Janoušek, who lived in Malý Štěpánský after his release from prison, from the mainstream news portal EuroZprávy.cz. His activity was supported by the City District of Prague 2 with its mayor Jan Černochová, and so cooperation soon took place, the result of which was the unveiling of a memorial plaque to Army General Karel Janoušek, who was awarded in 1941 by King George VI. the prestigious KCB Spa Rules.
The soldier’s reminder touched his great-grandfather Mahulena Křenková, who grew up with the hero until she was thirteen. “Every visibility of General Janoušek arouses emotions in me. As a relative, I am justifiably proud of him. In Britain, like many Czechoslovak RAF pilots, he was responsible for the defeat of Nazism, but also our freedom. Therefore, I cannot understand that the Communists imprisoned her place of gratitude and recognition. But I remember well that Mr. General never complained about his fate, on the contrary, he was always on top of things and eternally smiling.
I spent a lot of time with him as a little girl, “recalls Mahulena Křenková, who considers it a great honor that the Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Czech Republic, His Excellency Nicholas Stewart Archer, should arrive at the event.
An expert in meteorology has earned the respect of King George VI.
The idea for unveiling the records to Karel Janoušek came from the editor of the EuroZprávy.cz server, Petr Třešňák, who is interested in the fate of Czechoslovak RAF pilots and is a proud native of Prague 2, where the general also lived. “In the Battle of Britain, as a doctor of natural sciences who was an expert in meteorology, he helped defeat the enemy air force thanks to an excellent tactic, he won the respect and reverence of King George VI. When he returned to his homeland, he found out that the Nazis had murdered almost his entire family, including his wives, and ended up in a communist prison for twelve years after the February coup. When he returned from it, he had to work at the age of 67 to have anything to live on, ”says Petr Třešňák.
The journalist provides that a huge life tragedy is evident in the story of Karel Janoušek. After returning from the war, he almost found out that he had lost all his loved ones through the Germans. Soon, as a man from high society, who was also accepted by the Queen of England in Britain, he found himself in communist crimes in Bory, Opava, Leopoldov and Ruzyně for life, from where he served 12 years and 10 months. “He has had a huge fall. He had an incredible position, money, and suddenly after President Antonín Novotný’s amnesty he was literally a beggar and had to pull heavy furniture as a storekeeper as a warehouseman. “
The owner and director of the INCORP media group, Petr Zelinka, did not hesitate for a moment to provide the project regarding memorial plaques to Karel Janoušek financially and in the media. “In our group, we are interested in our ancestors who fought for their homeland with honor and courage. We do not want the republic to forget our heroes, which is why I gave the project the green light. I argue that in addition to bringing current news, the media should also play a certain educational role and remind us of the great personalities of our history. Karel Janoušek is one of them. I am proud that even in busy times in our publishing house we do not forget about brave people, “looks forward to Petr Zelinka.
Lukáš Kňazovický, editor-in-chief of the EuroZprávy.cz news portal, also places emphasis on commemorating history. “As a person and a journalist, I feel respect for all those who have contributed to our democracy and freedom. It is necessary to constantly remember how cruel the Nazi and Communist dictatorships were. Even in connection with the current news, we must not forget the people who faced both totalitarians, such as General Janoušek. If we ignored them, I would consider it my professional failure, “says editor-in-chief Lukáš Kňazovický.
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Jana Černochová, mayor of the Prague 2 City District, also has a great credit for unveiling the record. The two are famous for their respect for military heroes and veterans, which they regularly commemorate. After the editor Petr Třešňák that General Karel Janoušek has nothing in Prague 2 to worship him, he immediately started working with his team on a reminder. Dvojka also contributes financially to the project. “The life story of Army General Karel Janoušek fascinates me. His name is associated with all the resistance that has significantly affected our history. As a legionnaire, he participated in the first, in the Inspector General of the Czechoslovak Air Force in Great Britain, then in the second anti-Nazi and as a prisoner in the third anti-communist resistance. He is an incredible hero to me. That is why I am also glad that we managed to find a match with the owners of the house in Malý Štěpánský number 5, on which a memorial plaque will be installed on Wednesday, October 27, “praises Jana Černochová, Member of the Lower House of the Parliament of the Czech Republic. The memorial plaque was made by the artist Petr Císařovský. The text is dominated by the title: “Over obstacles to the stars.”
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The hero and holder of the Order of the White Lion also amazed the metal group
Karel Janoušek was born on October 30, 1893 in Přerov. His fate is connected with both world wars. He fought as a legionnaire on the Italian and Russian fronts in the First World War, where he also took part in the Battle of Zborov. In World War II, he served as Inspector General of the Czechoslovak Air Force in Great Britain, and from July 12, 1940 until October 19, 1945, he was the highest representative of Czechoslovak war pilots in Britain. He organized 1,500 Czechoslovak pilots who intervened in the battle of Britain in the ranks of the RAF. King George VI in 1941 he was awarded the prestigious Order of the Spa, and as the only Czechoslovak on May 17, 1945, the rank of RAF Air Marshal. Janoušek is not one of the fighter aces that shot down one enemy aircraft after another. His place was mainly on the ground, where he set the tactical strategy. As a doctor of natural sciences, he placed great emphasis on meteorology, which was exceptional at the time. The Nazis took revenge on him for killing almost the entire family, and lost his wife.
However, after the events of February 1948, the war hero became uncomfortable for the new regime. An StB agent provoked him to emigrate, dragging him into a trap near Přeštice on April 30, 1948. He was sentenced to life in prison, where he served 12 years and ten days in a communist prison. He went through hell in Bory, Opava, Leopoldov and Ruzyně. After his release from prison in May 1960, he also lived in Malá Štěpánská No. 5 in Prague 2, with his sister-in-law Maria Fenzlová. since he had a pension of only CZK 200, he had to make a living as a warehouseman until the age of 74, pulling heavy furniture.
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Karel Janoušek died on October 27, 1971, just three days before his 78th birthday. During his lifetime – in 1968 – he was rehabilitated, but the court did not return his general rank. In memoriam, the rank of army general was returned to him on August 23, 1990, by the then President of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, Václav Havel. In memoriam, he was also awarded the highest Czech state award in 2016 by the current head Miloš Zeman – the Order of the White Lion.
Paradoxically, in the eyes of the young generation, the pathos of heroism harms many brave resistance fighters. They believe that they are not people of flesh and blood. Karel Janoušek liked life and drinks, before lunch he regularly drank vodka with juice or soda, he liked to play bridge with friends and smoked a lot. His personality was even reminded by the Swedish power metal band Sabaton, which sang a song about him in 2012 with the characteristic name Far from the Fame.
In February 1966, the Western democratic world was moved by a report by the English journalist Peter Hanna from The Sunday Express, who tracked down a veteran in Malá Štěpánská and described the fate of a soldier in a great article. The journalist provided the text with a distinctive title: “King George made him a knight for his bravery – today he loads vans.” At that time, Karel Janoušek lamented the text. “I missed my bus. I used to be upstairs, quite upstairs. But now I’m down and I seem to stay down. “
Mr. RAF Marshal and General Janoušek, we want to assure you fifty years after your death that EuroZprávy.cz, together with the City of Prague 2 and its mayor Jana Černochová, will not allow you to stay down. You are completely up in our minds and hearts.