Yesterday, hundreds of people came together to commemorate the Czechoslovak paratroopers who successfully assassinated Deputy Reichsprotektor Reinhard Heydrich during World War II. The ceremony took place at the Orthodox Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius on Resslova in Prague and was attended by members of the army, military veterans, relatives of the fallen paratroopers, politicians, and the general public.

The event marked the 81st anniversary of the assassination and included an Orthodox service at the church for the deceased paratroopers and all the victims of subsequent repression. Among the dignitaries present were Defence Minister Jana Cernochova, Chief of the Army General Staff Karel Rehka, Deputy Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Olga Richterova, and Senator Pavel Fischer.

Transport Minister Martin Kupka emphasized the importance of remembering the price of freedom. He highlighted the significance of the paratroopers’ heroic actions in boosting national resistance and refusing to accept the fascist German occupation of Czechoslovakia. Kupka drew parallels between the past and the present, noting the ongoing struggle against aggression and attempts to subjugate nations.

During the ceremony, wreaths were laid by President Petr Pavel at the site where the paratroopers fought bravely against Nazi forces. Wreaths were also sent by the German, Slovak, and US embassies. The Slovak and Czech national anthems played, creating a solemn atmosphere outside the crypt of the church, where the paratroopers had sought refuge until the Gestapo discovered their hiding place.

The paratroopers Jan Hruby, Jaroslav Svarc, Josef Valcik, Jozef Gabcik, Adolf Opalka, Jan Kubis, and Josef Bublik lost their lives during the seven-hour battle in the church on June 18, 1942. They had been sent from London to aid the home resistance and carry out the assassination of Heydrich.

The assassination itself was executed by Gabcik and Kubis, who attacked Heydrich’s car in Prague on May 27, 1942. Although the initial machine gun attack failed, Kubis successfully threw a bomb at the car, injuring Heydrich. The wounds ultimately led to Heydrich’s death on June 4. In retaliation, the Nazis carried out the brutal extermination of the villages of Lidice and Lezaky and executed numerous resistance fighters and their supporters.

Notably, one of the paratroopers, Karel Curda, became a Gestapo informant, betraying his comrades and revealing their collaborators to the Nazis. His actions allowed the Gestapo to uncover the paratroopers’ hiding place in the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius before they could escape, leading to their tragic fate.

Article by Prague Forum