Ceremony outside Czech Radio building commemorates Prague Uprising of May 1945

Politicians, veterans and members of the public gathered outside Czech Radio’s Prague headquarters on Sunday to mark the 79th anniversary of the Prague Uprising against Nazi rule, which began on 5 May 1945, near the end of WWII, and to pay their respects to those who died in the fighting. The radio building was the focal point of the uprising and the site of one of the biggest battles with Nazi forces. Over 100 people died in its immediate vicinity and hundreds of others were killed in the fighting around Prague.

The heads of both houses of parliament, Miloš Vystrčil and Markéta Pekarová Adamová, Prague mayor Bohuslav Svoboda, and the Slovak ambassador to Czechia, Ingrid Brocková, were among the speakers at Sunday's ceremony, which was also attended by the head of Czech Radio René Zavoral. The speakers commended the bravery of the Prague denizens who came to defend the radio building during the uprising and overthrow the Nazi occupiers, and emphasised the importance of continuing to fight for freedom nowadays.

The speaker of the lower house, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, said that by taking the initiative to purchase ammunition for Ukraine, Czechs were once again demonstrating to the entire free world that they can lead and inspire others by positive example, just as they had during the Prague Uprising 79 years ago.

Transport Minister Martin Kupka said in his speech that May 5 was a reminder of the importance of standing up to evil, and that the greatest threat to freedom and democracy was relativisation and a lack of clarity about what is right and what is wrong.