Olomouc, North Moravia, Oct 24 (CTK) – Czech Holocaust survivor Jiri Brady has accepted the offer to be awarded by Palacky University in Olomouc, university rector Jaroslav Miller told journalists yesterday.
Culture Minister Daniel Herman (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL) says Zeman deleted the name of his uncle Brady, 88, from the list of the personalities to be awarded on the national holiday on October 28 because of Herman’s meeting with the Tibetan Dalai Lama earlier in October.
The Presidential Office has denied the allegations.
Brady writes and makes lectures on the Holocaust horrors. He has been decorated for his activities the world over.
Brady’s parents died in a concentration camp. In 1949, after the communist coup in former Czechoslovakia, he emigrated to Austria, from where he went to Canada. He helped other emigres and defended human rights.
Representatives of Brno are also considering awarding Brady.
“Mr Brady has accepted with pleasure the offer by Palacky University. The rest is being harmonised,” Miller said.
“The Olomouc award is a great honour. My husband is glad that he can accept it,” Tereza Brady told CTK yesterday.
Brady said her husband, who had been awarded in Britain or Germany, this time hoped this would happen in the Czech Republic, too.
The academic decoration is very important. “The form is not so important. This expresses something positive,” Brady’s wife said.
Brady came to Prague on Sunday. During his stay in the Czech Republic he is about to travel to Moravia where he has relatives.
Miller’s plan has aroused a tremendous interest among students, the university graduates and other people. So far, it has been backed by 1700 people online.
Miller said by awarding the man who survived the ordeal in Terezin and Auschwitz, the national honour would be saved.
He said he had met Brady as student in Canada.
“If Brady was really deleted from the list of the personalities to be awarded on October 28 for the narrow-minded causes, Palacky University will feel honoured if Brady accepted the academic award from my hands,” Miller said.
