Domazlice, West Bohemia, July 2 (CTK) – A new Association for research of Communist crimes was established in the Czech town of Domazlice by writers, scientists, historians and teachers on June 27, the day honouring victims of the Communist regime, Lukas Kopecky, the chairman of its council, has told CTK.
The association intends to publish the stories of brave and courageous opponents of the regime between 1948 and 1989, particularly in west Bohemia, Kopecky said.
In has launched its website www.zlocinykomunismu.cz.
In cooperation with the Confederation of Political Prisoners and local administration bodies, it aims to preserve the memory of victims of the Communist regime.
“But (we want to) also bring to the light the facts about the illegitimate and criminal actions. Be it through publications, lectures, exhibitions, educational trails, revealing commemorative plaques and other social activities,” writer and researcher Vaclava Jandeckova, the deputy chairwoman of its council, has said.
Jandeckova is one of the association’s co-founders along with Kopecky, a historian and teacher, and linguist and university lecturer Bryan Jenner.
Most of its activities will be focused in the border region with Bavaria, including the Sumava Mountains, Cesky les (Bohemian Forest) and the neighbouring areas.
The organisation is open to the public for membership and donations.
Jandeckova has become known as the author of a publication about one of the most monstrous actions of the Communist secret police (StB) called “Stone.”
In 2016-2018 she filed criminal complaints in several unclarified cases and has turned to the Europol for help as well. She also wrote and handed to the Czech police a book on the circumstances of the unclarified murder of Czechoslovak diplomat and politician Jan Masaryk (1886-1948).
Jan Masaryk, the son of the first Czechoslovak President Tomas Garrigue Masaryk, was Czechoslovakia’s ambassador to London, foreign minister in the country’s exile government in London during WWII and foreign minister in Czechoslovakia’s two post-war cabinets. In 1944-1945 he also held the posts of the defence and finance minister.
He refused to step down with other democratic ministers in the Klement Gottwalds’ cabinet (1946-1948) in February 1948 and died a few days later. He was found dead under the window of his residency’s bathroom in Cernin Palace. There are speculations about his death being either a murder, a suicide or an unsuccessful attempt to escape from someone on the ledge of the palace.
