‘Their stories are more relevant than ever’: Geraldine Manolas on preserving the legacy of Czechoslovak war veterans

Among this year’s recipients of the Gratias Agit Awards, presented by the Czech Foreign Ministry for promoting the country’s good name abroad, was Geraldine Manolas, a British-Czech citizen and granddaughter of Czechoslovak wartime officer Bohuslav Šulc, who served with Czechoslovak forces in Britain during the Second World War. Alongside her professional career, Manolas has devoted herself to preserving the memory of Czechoslovak war veterans in the UK and passing their stories on to younger generations.

I spoke to her at the award ceremony at Černín Palace in Prague about her work and the importance of keeping the veterans’ stories alive.

Gratias Agit 2026|Photo: © MZV ČR / MFA CZ

You are the chair of the Memorial Association of Free Czechoslovak Veterans. Why was this association founded in the first place, and what is its role?

“The association actually came about in 2018, after General Ivan Otto Schwarz and Arnošt Polák, who had both been involved in the Free Czechoslovak Air Force Association, died.  Lots of people said, ‘Well, that's it. The veterans have died, there's no need for an association. That's the end.’

“I first became involved around 2009, when I started helping to maintain the plot at Brookwood cemetery, where my grandfather and his friends are buried. And I asked some of the other families and said, ‘Do you think there is a need still for an association?’ And they said, ‘Oh, yes.’

Brookwood cemetery|Photo: Memorial Association for Free Czechoslovak Veterans

“So we couldn't do it as a veterans association, so we created the Memorial Association, and that's how it started. It was a few of us who felt the same passion, and as it happened, they voted me to be the chair.

“The association has gone from a very small group of passionate people to creating a lovely big community of schools, veterans' families, cadets, scouts, and people who have an interest. We probably have about 350 people who come to our events now, so I'm really proud to have created that during that time.”

You mentioned your grandfather, who fought with Czechoslovak forces in Britain during the Second World War. How did this family heritage influence your work?

“What's ironic is that I remember going to Czech veterans' events in Cheshire and Manchester when I was very young. But the major one that had an impact on me was when I was 13, which my grandfather and my grandmother helped to organise at Cholmondeley Castle, because there's a memorial stone there. That's when I became aware of the veterans.

“I just think that in today's world, the veterans’ stories are more relevant than they've ever been. Our young students in the Czech and Slovak schools in the UK, in particular, need to hear them.”

“However, my grandfather never spoke to me about it. He passed away when I was 21, and it was thanks to my grandmother, who translated all his diaries and the books that he wrote, that I began to learn about him. But not just him: all the family friends whom I'd seen as a little girl, taken crisps round at parties or got drinks for, were all veterans.

“I was astounded, and so that's where my interest really came about. Both my grandfather and my grandmother had a massive influence on me, and I just think that in today's world, their stories are more relevant than they've ever been. Our young students in the Czech and Slovak schools in the UK, in particular, need to hear them.”

This is exactly what I wanted to ask you. Why is it important to build these memorials, and why is it so important, especially nowadays?

“My husband asked me the same. He said “When does it stop?’

“For me, whilst their stories are still relevant, it won't stop. And I think the children, all of us, are surrounded by social media these days, and fake stories and fantasy stories.

“But these veterans were ordinary people who were required to do extraordinary things in a very small period of time and to make some very serious choices very quickly.

“They couldn't sit there and think, ‘Should I or shouldn't I do this?’ Some of them were told, ‘You've got 24 hours to leave your country and say goodbye to everybody. Are you going or are you not?’

“I think making students understand this and engage with their stories, their biographies, the actual truth, is very important. We always talk about truth prevails in our association.

“Given my background in teaching, I think my greatest achievement has been engaging with Czech and Slovak schools in the UK and getting their students to take part in our ceremonies.”

“How do you tell the truth in this day and age with AI? They believe everything that's on social media is the truth. So my mission with the students is to go back to the original content, study it together, look at it, and then make your decisions and learn from the veterans and their experiences. So there's still work to do.”

Can you tell me more about the assistance you provide to families who are tracing their ancestors' wartime stories? How does it work?

“I'll be honest with you: we are not experts. I have a day job. I do all the association work in my evenings and at weekends, so we are not experts.

“But we have people who help us, including good friends like Helena, who is here with us today. She is very good at accessing the archives here. The Prague digital archives for the Army Museum are incredible. We also use the Imperial War Museum in London and Pathé newsreels.”

Bohuslav Šulc|Photo: Česká a slovenská škola Okénko

“But we're not experts. We can support families and point them in the right direction. If the families are buried at Brookwood in Surrey, in the Hundred Civilian Plot, we can try and help with that. But it's more about directing them and supporting them.

“Quite often, I get at least one or two emails a week from people asking, ‘Can you find the English family for us?’ and so on. I explain that I’m not an expert or a historian, but that we’ll do what we can to support them and point them towards websites that might help.”

What do you regard as your biggest achievement to date?

“Wow, that's a big question. I think the first is the team. I am the chair, but I am not the association. Our team is the association, so I want to thank them for all their support, and obviously my own family, my husband and my son.

Geraldine Manolas|Photo: Memorial Association for Free Czechoslovak Veterans

“My biggest achievement, I think, I suppose from a physical point of view, would be the stone at the National Memorial Arboretum. That was a project we inherited from the Czechoslovak Legionaries Abroad association up in Cheshire, and we made that actually happen. That took about 11 years in total, so that's, I suppose, a physical achievement.

“But for me, because I have a teaching background, my best achievement is engaging with the Czech and Slovak schools in the UK and having them take part in our ceremonies. I think that's a big achievement for me.

And finally, what does it mean to you to receive the Gratias Agit Award for your work?

“Firstly, I want to thank those who nominated me. I've worked with a lot of our wonderful Czech and Slovak colleagues at the embassies in London, and I know they've been very supportive of me and very supportive of the work, so thank you to them.

“It's a huge honour. I'm still amazed that it's come to me when I see all the other amazing people who have been nominated, not just this year, but people like Lady Milena Grenfell-Baines, whom I absolutely look up to. So to be in the same school class as them is very humbling.

“I'm deeply honoured to the Czech people and the Czech government for giving me this award. Wonderful.”