Photo: © Markéta Trnková (MZV/MFA)
Declaration of the MFA of the Czech Republic on the 50th anniversary of the self-immolation of Ryszard Siwiec
07.09.2018 / 10:15 | Aktualizováno: 27.01.2020 / 11:15
On 8 September, 1968, a Polish citizen Ryszard Siwiec immolated himself at the Decade Stadium in Warsaw, in protest against the occupation of Czechoslovakia by the Warsaw Pact troops on 21 August 1968.
His extraordinary and tragic act is perceived not only as an extreme expression of condemnation of brutal aggression against our country and expression of solidarity, but also as a symbolic utterance of the desire for freedom and independence that were denied to our countries at that time.
On the 50th anniversary of this event, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic recalls the victim of Ryszard Siwiec with deep respect and honors his memory.