The traditional meeting of the leaders of the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic and the General Staff of the Army of the Czech Republic with war veterans and the military public on the occasion of the 79th anniversary of the battles in the Middle East and the 78th anniversary of the battles at Dunkirk and Dukla took place on Wednesday, October 5, 2022 in the morning in the Ministry’s Main Hall defense of the Czech Republic. The event was organized by the Czechoslovak legionary community with the support of the Ministry of Defense and the Prague garrison headquarters.

The meeting was attended by members of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic, members of the ČsOL and other patriotic organizations, students of the Military High School of the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic from Moravská Třebová, historians and representatives of other organizations. The members of the Honorary Board greeted those present and especially veterans of the Second World War. Pavel Fischer, Brigadier General Šmerdová, Director Kugler, Sister Armeanová gave speeches and greetings, and Mr. Štér gave a historical lecture. The chairman of the Committee for Foreign Affairs, Defense and Security of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Pavel Fischer, adviser to the Chief of the General Staff of the Army of the Czech Republic Brigadier General Lenka Šmerdová, authorized director of the Department for War Veterans of the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic Pavel Kugler, chief of staff of the Military High School and Military Vocational School of the Ministry of Defense in Moravská Třebová Lieutenant Colonel Viliam Beke, for the Regional Military Command Capital City of Prague Major Petr Valtera, Vice-Chairman of the Masaryk Democratic Movement Erik Lukas, Member of the Presidium of the ČsOL Republican Committee Sister Eva Armeanová, Head of the ČsOL Care for War Veterans project Brother Colonel in Reserve Viktor Šinkovec, and Roman Štér, historian of the National Archives of the Czech Republic.

Among the veterans of the Second World War were sister Ernestína Švorcová, brother retired colonel Vasil Timkovič and brother retired brigadier general Zdeněk Jakůbek.

The memory of the deceased members of the foreign army from the East, from the West and from the Middle East was honored with a minute of silence.

JK