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Information on the Statement of the Government of the Czech Republic on active opponents of Nazism

 

At its session held on August 24, 2005, the Government of the Czech Republic approved the following statement.

At its session held on August 24, 2005, the Government of the Czech Republic approved the following statement:

Statement of the Government of the Czech Republic
on active opponents of Nazism
who suffered wrongs as a result of measures applied in Czechoslovakia after the end of World War II against so-called enemy population

The Government of the Czech Republic expresses its deep recognition to all former Czechoslovak citizens, in particular those of German nationality, who lived before World War II in the territory of the present Czech Republic and who remained loyal to the Czechoslovak Republic during World War II and actively participated in the struggle for its liberation or suffered under the Nazi terror. The Government of the Czech Republic at the same time expresses its regret that some of these persons did not live to see after the end of World War II the recognition they deserved. Instead, at variance with the then operative legislation, they suffered wrongs as a result of measures applied in Czechoslovakia after the end of World War II against the so-called enemy population. The Government of the Czech Republic expresses its apology to all the active opponents of Nazism who suffered such wrongs, irrespective of their later citizenship and residence.

In an effort to express symbolically its recognition for active opponents of Nazism, who suffered wrongs as a result of measures applied in Czechoslovakia after the end of World War II against the so-called enemy population, and to contribute to the mobilization of historical memory, the Government of the Czech Republic will initiate and support a project for the documentation of the fates of persons who suffered such wrongs. The Government therefore invites all persons who suffered these wrongs or their relations and friends to contact, in their own interest and within their capacities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic either directly or through Czech diplomatic missions abroad.

The person whom the document approved by the Government of the Czech Republic concerns is every person meeting the following three criteria:

a) Had the citizenship of the Czechoslovak Republic on September 29, 1938 and lived in the territory of today's Czech Republic;

b) Remained loyal to the Czechoslovak Republic during the war and either actively participated in the struggle for its liberation (e.g. in the armed forces of countries of the anti-Hitler coalition or in the national liberation struggle) or suffered under the Nazi or fascist terror (e.g. was imprisoned);

c) Suffered wrongs after May 8, 1945 as a result of measures applied against so-called enemy population (in particular a person that was not permitted to reacquire Czechoslovak citizenship) or had justified fears that he/she might suffer such wrongs (e.g. in cases when some of his/her next of kin suffered such wrongs).

The later citizenship or permanent residence of the persons addressed in the Statement and meeting the above criteria are not decisive. Nor is it decisive whether such person is still alive.


Work on the documentation project relating to active opponents of Nazism will be launched on December 1, 2005 at the latest and will be terminated on September 9, 2008. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic would welcome the persons addressed in the Statement of the Government to send their contact data and biographic notes on the fate of the person to be included in the documentation project to the following address: Ministerstvo zahraničních věcí České republiky, Odbor států střední Evropy, Loretánské nám. 5, 118 00 Praha 1, fax: (00420) 224182023, e-mail: s_ose@mzv.cz or to the address of any diplomatic mission of the Czech Republic abroad. All persons interested will be contacted as soon as the institution that is to carry out the documentation project starts its activities.

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