Josef Balabán

Josef Balabán was born on June 5, 1894, in the village of Obory in the family of a gamekeeper. During the First World War, he fought in the Czechoslovak legions in Russia. He participated in the famous battle at Lipjag. After returning home, he became a member of the Czechoslovak army. In 1936, he was promoted to the rank of colonel and appointed head of the personal group MNO. After the occupation of Bohemia and Moravia by Nazi Germany, he joined the resistance organization Defense of the Nation and became a member of the narrower senior leadership. He was in charge of the organization of the intelligence network and formed an intelligence-sabotage group called the "Three Kings." Together with Colonel Josef Mašín and Staff Captain Václav Morávek, they engaged in several sabotage operations and maintained contacts with the Czechoslovak exile representation. The highlight of their activities became the bombings in Berlin of the German Air Ministry and the police headquarters. They also unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate Heinrich Himmler. On April 22, 1941, Josef Balabán was arrested by the Gestapo and after months of torture, he was executed on October 3, 1941, in Prague-Ruzyně. The other members of the Three Kings were killed as well – Josef Mašín was captured and executed, Václav Morávek was killed in a shootout with the Gestapo. In May 2005, Josef Balabán was posthumously promoted to the rank of major general.