A few months after the invasion of Czechoslovakia in March of 1939; the Nazis decided to abolish all Czech institutions of higher education. The Nazi’s knew that institutions like Charles University were an important part of the national heritage and that closing them would devastate students and professors alike[1]. This led to a massive anti-Nazi demonstration that took place on the Czechoslovak Independence Day, the October 28th, 1939. The official German news bureau announced that as a result of these disturbances that all Czech universities would be closed for a period of three years. A number of the students accused of participating in the demonstration were heavily punished which included imprisonment of some students and a few revenge executions[2].
Both Jan Bata and his predecessor, Tomas Bata made important contributions to Czechoslovak education. By 1939 Bata has educated more than 20,000 students in international business, languages, science, and the arts through the various Bata schools. The first school, the Bata School of Work was founded by Tomas Bata. Jan continued building on education by founding at least three additional schools including: The Study Institute (1936), The Management College (1937), and The College of Arts (1939).
It is important for Czechs and Slovaks to know that during the Second World War, Jan Bata had a plan for Czechs who had been shut out of higher education to continue their studies and research during the war. The excerpted telephone conversation describes Jan Bata’s intended plan for education during the occupation. The following telephone conversation between J.A.Bata, Chief of the Bata a.s., and his director, Hugo Vavrecka[3] (The Ch. is an abbreviation for Chief (Šef ) and V. is an abbreviation for director, Vavrecka.) Despite the German pressure to shut down Czech higher education, Jan Bata defiantly planned to continue education in what he called a “research and construction” department that Vavrecka confirmed was being permanently worked on. Jan Bata instructions to Vavrecka were that he wanted 3,000 professors to be taken into the Bata organization for this purpose. Vavrecka confirmed only 30, likely knowing that the conversation was being monitored. Clearly, Jan Bata’s intentions can be seen that what he wanted in place was for the Czech Bata organization to employ 3,000 professors (students were also included) stating to Vavrecka that “this must be done.”
Jan Bata knew of the dangers that could result from him opposing the Reich’s decrees. He knew that his defiance could result in the Reich seizing his extensive properties in the Czech Republic by declaring his activities as inimical, obstructing, or harmful to the Reich.[4] In spite of this risk, Jan Bata instructed Hugo Vavrecka to employ thousands of students and professors within the Czech Bata organization.
Otto Wichterle was a scientist who benefited from Jan Bata’s education plan. In 1939, Otto Wichterle was blocked from doing research at his university. Luckily for Wichterle, he was taken in by Bata. Wichterle probably thought he was just lucky to have found employment with Bata, unaware that he was benefiting from Bata’s plan. Wichterle joined the Bata research institute in Zlin after his research was shut down in 1939. At Bata, he was able to continue his scientific research that focused on plastics. After the war, this same Czechoslovak scientist, Otto Witcherle became world renown for his invention of the Contact Lens[5].
It is impossible to calculate the importance of this courageous and defiant decision by Jan Bata to use his organization as a safe haven for thousands of students and professors. It was important for Czechs that Jan Bata’s plan allowed Czechoslovak education and research work succeeded after the devastating Nazi decision to shut down the entire Czech higher education system.
This article was intended to shed’s light one on how Jan Bata’s decision to protect thousands of people in need and how it benefited one Czech scientist, Otto Witcherle, who later in life was able to make an important scientific discovery for Czechoslovakia, the Contact Lens.
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Telephone conversation Vavrecka and JAB 01-24-40 D-572
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[1] Surviving Hitler and Mussolini: daily life in occupied Europe, page 132.
[2] The American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington, D.C., November 25, 1939.
[3] Telephone conversation between Jan Bata and Hugo Vavrecka, January 24, 1940.
[4] Decree of Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia of March 16, 1939 [RGBI, p. 485]
5 Contact lens inventor Otto Wichterle was born 90 years ago, Pavla Horáková, Česky rozhlas, April 11, 2003.
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Jan Šinágl,12.7.2014
Komentáře
much clear idea about from this piece of writing.
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