To the Commemoration of a Czechoslovak Hero - RNDr Air Marshall Karel Janoušek
30. 10. 1893, Přerov, Austro-Hungarian Empire - 27. 10. 1971, Prague, Czechoslovakia
On October 30th 2013 will be the 120th anniversary of the day a boy was born in the Moravian town of Přerov, who in future would be the pride of Czech nation and the whole of Czechoslovakia. His name was Karel Janoušek — the one and only citizen of Czechoslovakia, who was awarded the high British recognitions — by the Order of Knight of the Honourable Order of the Bath and to whom His Majesty the King George VI bestowed the rank of Air Vice Marshal first and, in May 1945, the rank of Air Marshal of the RAF.
In June 1940 when France fell to Germany he was able to escape to England where he immediately started to organise the Czechoslovak Air Force abroad within the framework of the Royal Air Force as an contribution to the war effort. The courage and systematic work of this airman in combating the dark terror of war during the WW2 was quickly appreciated after he returned to Czechoslovakia in 1945. After the communist putsch in 1948 his fate changed in the blackest chapter of horror forced by the new regime. He was dismissed from the armed forces, sentenced to many years of imprisonment together with physical torture, maltreatment and tyrranizing — that was the vicious reward for his heroism displayed in the struggle for the survival of democratic world. He never lived see complete rehabilitation as he died in 1971 in Prague.
Many books were written on this great theme as the former Czechoslovak squadrons in RAF became part of history together with their commander Karel Janoušek, AVM. It is very rejoicing that this great hero became even a heroic figure in a rock-ballad song recently, but not at home in his country, where Janoušek was born, but in relatively far away in Sweden. Really not too far away, as faith in humanity, grit and honour are international.
The song from the group ‘Sabaton’ is titled ‘Far from the Fame’ and has received good public acceptance. “After seeing the video clip of these Swedish metal-rockers, who during singing on stage are waving the flag of Czechoslovakia and the front man Joakim Brodéna sings in a fully sold out sporting stadium the text — We still remember your name – Karel Janoušek – we bemoan the day you die – be our leader, you pride of Czechoslovakia… — “I was sincerely proud to once be and really still being a citizen of former Czechoslovakia,” wrote Jaroslav Šajtar at www.reflex.cz
This is an very unusual memorial created by young people to a Czech hero and we shall think about the question, if the same passion and devotion can be found today in the country, where Karel Janoušek was born and for which he fought together with thousands of his fellow countrymen and gave their lives.
Více More information on RNDr Air Marshall Karel Janoušek is here
plk. J. Mihule
http://fcafa.wordpress.com/2013/10/28/karel-janousek-remembrance-2013/
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