With war the main topic in world headlines, an exhibit opens in Prague commemorating sacrifices in battle from an earlier period

With all eyes on the war in Iraq and growing apprehensions over the number of casualties on both sides, the Czech Republic is resolute on one thing: to provide humanitarian aide the length of the conflict and beyond. The country has also pledged its elite nuclear, biological, and chemical unit to come to the US-led coalition's assistance if Saddam Hussein were to resort to weapons of mass destruction. Though in their hearts many Czechs are against the war overall there is no question over their NBC troops' necessity in the Gulf, and most applaud their dedication and courage. And, strong commitment by Czech soldiers is nothing new: to remind the public an exhibition now underway in Prague commemorates an equally difficult period in which the conflicts and sacrifices were no less, the First and Second World Wars, the time of the Czechoslovak Legionnaires, who fought in some of the world's bloodiest battles for democracy and freedom.

With war the main topic in world headlines, an exhibit opens in Prague commemorating sacrifices in battle from an earlier period

The Czech honorary guard opened the exhibition commemorating Czechoslovak legionnaires earlier this month at Prague's Pisecka Gate, part of the historic centre's original ramparts, the site of many battles itself. In attendance were newly-elected president Vaclav Klaus, the Lord Mayor of Prague Pavel Bem, and several surviving legionnaires themselves, now in their eighties, to recall periods when Czechs and Slovaks enlisted at home and abroad to fight the "good fight", for a country that had not yet come into existence - Czechoslovakia.

The exhibit features photographs, text, photocopies of original documents from that first period, faded pictures of proud soldiers who fought on many different fronts, their sympathies with France, Russia, Serbia, the US, against the ruling Austro-Hungarian empire. Paradoxically, they would be considered traitors, and not for the last time. After the Second World War the new Communist regime sent many of Czechoslovakia's returning war heroes to prisons, mines, or the gallows: their crime - having fought on the side of the capitalist West. With the passing of time, with ever newer conflicts around the globe, including the current war in Iraq, the sacrifices of these earlier generations are at risk of fading from memory - one reason President Klaus made the exhibit his second official appearance, just days after his inauguration:

"I am very glad that such an exhibition exists because I am absolutely sure that the new, young generations need such exhibitions, because this is already history and there are not many people left who will remember what happened at that time. So, I definitely congratulate those who organised this exhibition and I am definitely glad I was able to be here."

The exhibition continues until April 13th. One interesting factor to note with regards to earlier Czechoslovak battalions is that the mission currently serving in Kuwait has seen a reunion of Czech and Slovaks for the first time since peace-keeping missions in former Yugoslavia in the late 1990s. We'll be bringing you future reports on their co-operation.