Niva and the liberation of Strakonice

The town of Strakonice was liberated from German rule by the local inhabitants even before the arrival of the American army. On 5 May 1945, the town saw the outbreak of an anti-German uprising led by the Niva resistance organisation. This illegal group was formed in the regions of Strakonice and Domažlice in the winter of 1944/1945. It was commanded by Lieutenant V. Bláha, who acted on the orders of the Council of Three and was entertaining foreign contacts. On 5 May 1945, the members of this group disarmed the Germans based in Strakonice. One of the participants in the uprising was Ladislav Hošek. The uprising went quite smoothly except for a skirmish between the Niva members and German soldiers which broke out in the street that nowadays bears the name of 5th May and claimed the lives of several young men. On 6 May 1945, the 94th Division of the U.S. Army arrived in the already liberated town from the direction of Vimperk and the war in Strakonice was officially over.