The infantry company of the active reserve at the Prague KVV has a new honorary name after the hero of the Prague Uprising
On Monday, October 3, the mayor of the capital city of Prague, Zdeněk Hřib, awarded the honorary title of “General Karel Kutlvašr” to the active reserve infantry company of the Regional Military Command of the Capital City of Prague in the Brožík Hall of the Old Town Hall. Each active reserve unit has its own insignia and is awarded a banner and an honorary title. The unit received its banner on May 5, 2006 from the then mayor Pavel Béma.
Now the mayor Zdeněk Hřib, together with the honorary title “General Karel Kutlvašr”, also awarded a ribbon. In the introduction, the representative of the Military Historical Institute Prague and the commander of the infantry platoon of the active reserve of the military headquarters Prague (AZ KVV HMP) Lieutenant Petr Bjaček present with the personality of General Karel Kutlvašr. Subsequently, the mayor ceremoniously hung a ribbon on the banner and handed over a commemorative letter to the commander of the AZ KVV HMP infantry company, Captain Petar Hamann.
In his speech, he explained that the awarding of the honorary title, referring to the legionnaires and commanders of the Prague Uprising, is primarily a moral obligation for the unit. Kutlvašr was a genuine patriot who became famous for his heroism on the fronts of the First World War, bravery in the resistance against the German occupation and fighting during the Prague Uprising, which he led to victory. After February 1948, he did not bow down to the totalitarian regime, for which he paid with his career, freedom and health.
“The connection to Mr. General Kutlvašr has a double meaning for our unit. The first is that we ourselves are in the position of defenders of our capital, and we therefore look up to Mr. General as our legendary military leader, who was not afraid to accept responsibility for its defense in the most difficult times and carried his destiny statefully for the rest of his life. The second is the personality profile of Mr. General as a role model of a state soldier who did not hesitate to sacrifice his comfort and risk his life in the name of the Czech nation and its democratic society,” explained Petr Hamann.
Among the invited guests was the great-great-nephew of General Karel Kutlvašr, Pavel Švec, who only knew his great-uncle from stories as a very noble and extremely honorable person who respected freedom and democracy. The general was imprisoned by the communists for over 11 years, but even that did not break him morally. In conclusion, Pavel Švec wished the soldiers of the AZ KVV HMP infantry company that its members never have to face such injustice and powerlessness as the soldiers faced in 1948.
Commemorative badge for cooperation
On the occasion of awarding the honorary unit to the authorized director of the KVV HMP, lieutenant colonel Pavel Kácl awarded a “Commemorative badge with a ribbon” for cooperation to Zdenek Hřib, the mayor of the capital city of Prague, then to Brigadier General Luďek Prudil, the directors of the Regional Directorate of the Fire Rescue Service of the capital city of Prague, Josef Josef Vachtl, Director of the Customs Office for the Capital City of Prague, Eduard Šuster, Director of the Municipal Police of the Capital City of Prague, Martin Kubelek, Director of the City Council of the City of Prague, Markéta Štalmachová, Director of the Security Department of the City Council of Prague and Tomáš Starecky, Directors of the Services Administration of the City of City of Prague.