A jump of military paratroopers, commemoration function, remembrance ceremony with solemn wreath laying and all-day programme at Charles Square in Prague; all these events commemorated the heroism of people in World War II Operation Anthropoid. Seven Czechoslovak paratroopers, including those who carried out the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, succumbed to the more numerous Nazis in the Orthodox Cathedral of Saints Cyril and Methodius exactly 80 years ago. Their courage was remembered by distinguished guests including the Czech Minister of Defence Jana Černochová and the Slovak Minister of Defence Jaroslav Naď, who used the occasion to ask the Czech Republic for assistance with air defence of his country.
The programme started soon after 9 a.m. with a jump of the paratroopers of the Czech Air Force Command and of the 24th Transport Air Force Base Prague‒Kbely to Zítkovy sady. The trio jumped from altitude of 1,000 m, after a 5-second free fall they deployed their parachutes and flew the flags of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the United Kingdom.
Then the guests proceeded to the nearby Václavská Street, to see the Minister of Defence Jana Černochová light a candle at the exact location where the heroes’ corpses were laid 80 years ago. At 10 o’clock, a traditional church service in the Cathedral of Saints Cyril and Methodius began. The guests said a prayer for “the souls of the fallen service members, the members of the resistance against Nazism who were tortured to death, as well as for all victims of the Nazi regime.” Prime Minister Petr Fiala also lit a candle for the paratroopers. After that, a traditional remembrance ceremony with wreath-laying took place in front of the cathedral. Every year, the wreaths are laid by the entrance to the crypt which is still marked by the bullets used by the Nazis to kill Czechoslovak service members. In her media statement, Minister of Defence Jana Černochová emphasized the heroism of the paratroopers, but also that of common people who helped them and paid for their actions with their lives. “The Nazi revenge was cruel. Even for me as a person who takes interest in military history, the number of dead or otherwise persecuted for helping people around the Anthropoid are unprecedented”, the Minister said.
Her Slovak counterpart Jaroslav Naď expressed his gratitude for the solemn programme which was prepared on this significant occasion by the Czech Ministry of Defence, Prague 2 municipality and the Czechoslovak Association of Legionaries. “I am very grateful that we commemorated the 80th anniversary this way, and I am glad that it has not been forgotten that Anthropoid was a joint operation of Czechs, Slovaks and Brits”. He added that the Operation Anthropoid had a crucial influence on the next generations and provided an impetus for the participants of the Slovak National Uprising.
Czechs will join in to help Slovakia’s air defence
The meeting of both ministers also had a working level as Minister Naď asked Minister Černochová for assistance with Slovak air defence coverage. “Minister Naď presented me with a letter requesting our temporary assistance to Slovak air defence. The negotiations of the terms and conditions will follow”, the Minister announced. Jaroslav Naď specified that it would be a trilateral project of the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic and Poland. “I am very grateful that the Czechs and the Poles decided to help take responsibility for our airspace”, he stated.
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