I command you to go separate ways

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On February 20, 1948, from a position of the head of the National socialist youth Josef Lesák wrote a telegram to the president Edvard Beneš. That was his way to protest against personal changes conducted by the ministry of internal affairs, Václav Nosek, a member of SNB and a demission of non-communist members of the contemporary government. More citizens of the former Czechoslovakia didn’t agree with the events. On February 23, 1948 an unexpected march of students formed from a public people´s camp gathered at Republiky square, proceeded to the Prague Castle. Josef Lesák went at the very front leading a number of students, teachers and journalists. They all managed to get through the counteraction of militia and communists controlled by security forces and arrived to the Castle: "When we began to fill the Hradčanské square, we encountered a powerful group of emergency SNB troop taking positions in two lines with guns aiming at us; as we later found out they were carrying automatic guns. There was a line of high school students facing a line of policemen. The head of SNB stood out and started shouting: 'I command you immediately go separate ways. I am authorised to use all means possible to break you, do not force me to do so.'" Only five chosen people could meet the president Beneš including Josef Lesák, who at the beginning of his speech thanked him: "in the name of the young Czechoslovak generation for his credits in the 1st resistance troop taking actions against the Austro-Hungarian monarchy side by side to T. G. Masaryk and in the 2nd resistance against Nazism that he had led." In the end of his speech he added: "Mr President, we are not after winning over a competitive party. Please do everything you can for the Czechoslovakia to remain a democratic, free and independent republic." Edvard Beneš simply assured him: "Please tell your colleagues and everyone else: I have the situation firmly under control. Czechoslovakia will maintain democracy along the lines of Masaryk´s intentions as well as mine. We will come to an understanding with all the parties."

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February 1948

February 1948 belongs to the most important milestones of our contemporary history. The influence of the communist party in post-war Czechoslovakia was gradually getting more influential and their members were gathering more power. From the Czechoslovakian army and security forces were released the officers who were not registered in the communist party. Along with two armed organs common in democratic states, that is the army and police, there was the State security and militia. Also the mood in contemporary society was more open to left-wing ideas. The disputes of communist party with other political parties destabilised political situation in Czechoslovakia. On February 20, 1948 the situation grew edgy. The ministers of socialistic, people´s and democratic parties demised to the president Edvard Beneš. They didn’t agree with personal change of the minister of interior Nosek in the National security corps and protested against the fact the minister didn’t fulfil the government agreement from February 13 that stated any personal changes will be ceased. The case included transferring eight non-communist army officials to less important posts. Through demise the three mentioned parties wanted to compel early election or change establishment of Gottwald´s government and the National front, where communists would act in a more accommodating way. Instead of that, new power organs, action committees of the National front were created and on February 25 gathered all the power over the country. The President Edvard Beneš resisted increasing pressure politics but finally gave in on February 25, 1948 and named a new government suggested by Klement Gottwald.

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Praha 1, Nerudova ulice

Available in: English | Česky

Tato ulice vede k Pražskému hradu. V únoru roku 1948 tudy procházely dva průvody studentů, učitelů a novinářů, kteří šli podpořit prezidenta Edvarda Beneše. První se konal 23. února a zástupci studentů byli na Pražském hradě přijati. Druhý průvod, který proběhl 25. února, byl zastaven v Nerudově ulici policejními oddíly s ostře nabitými zbraněmi. Studenti se rozhodli podpořit prezidenta po 20. únoru 1948, kdy ministři tří stran – národně socialistické, lidové a demokratické – podali prezidentu Edvardu Benešovi demisi. Nesouhlasili s personálními změnami ministra vnitra Noska ve Sboru národní bezpečnosti a protestovali proti tomu, že ministr Nosek nesplnil usnesení vlády ze dne 13. února, která mu uložila zastavit personální změny. Šlo o přeložení osmi důstojníků bezpečnosti – nekomunistů na nedůležitá místa a dosazení na jejich místa loajálními komunisty. Demisí si tři strany chtěly vynutit brzké volby nebo změnit poměry v Gottwaldově vládě a Národní frontě, kde byli komunisté přinuceni ke vstřícnějšímu jednání. Místo toho však začaly vznikat nové mocenské orgány, akční výbory Národní fronty, které si do 25. února přivlastnily moc v zemi. Prezident Edvard Beneš sílícímu nátlaku odolával do 25. února 1948. Tehdy požadavkům komunistů ustoupil a jmenoval novou vládu navrženou Klementem Gottwaldem.

On this place

I command you to go separate ways

February 1948

You have lost

Václav Dušek