Related articles

In this programme, the eighth in our series mapping this country’s history through the radio archives, we start with the dramatic events of the last days of the war in Prague. The radio played a major role in the Prague Uprising, and through the archives we can map how the city liberated itself from the German occupiers. In the two years that follow, the radio archives give us a picture of a Czechoslovakia returning to some kind of normality, but in February 1948 everything changes. We tell the story as it was heard on the airwaves.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated he would welcome the presence of Czech President Miloš Zeman at next year‘s Victory Day celebrations in Moscow. In his New Year’s greetings to the Czech head of state, President Putin wrote that President Zeman’s presence at the end of war celebrations in Moscow would symbolize “friendship and mutual respect between the two nations”.

The message comes in the wake of news that President Miloš Zeman is considering cancelling his planned visit to Russia next year in protest against what he described as Russia’s outrageously insolent reaction to the Czech Parliament’s decision to recognize the day of the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia as a day of remembrance for those who had been killed by the invading forces.

Moscow said in response to the news that Prague's efforts to return to the 1968 events in order to incorporate them into the current political context, would not contribute to good relations and cooperation between the two countries.

The local council of Prague’s western Řeporyje district has unanimously voted in favour of building a memorial to the Russian Liberation Army troops that helped fight Nazi forces during the Prague Uprising in May 1945. The vote was preceded by a heated confrontation between the district’s mayor and representatives of the Russian federation about the historical legacy of the troops often referred to in Czech as “Vlasovci”.

The Russian Embassy in Prague has criticised plans to erect a monument in the capital’s Řeporyje district to the so-called Vlasov Army, whose leader was hanged by the Soviets for collaborating with the Germans during World War II.

The Russian Embassy said in a press release building such a monument would constitute a violation of the Czech commitments to the 1968 Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity, defined at the Nuremberg trials.

At the start of the war, General Andrei Vlasov commanded the Red Army on the Smolensk front. After being captured, he embraced the German cause and went on to lead a collaborationist force comprised mainly of former Soviet prisoners of war.

By February 1945, his “army” – which had only one fully formed division – fought briefly on the Oder Front before switching sides and helping the Czechs liberate Prague from Nazi occupation in early May 1945.

On Wednesday, Prague’s statue depicting Marshal of the Soviet Union Ivan Konev was covered in red paint by unnamed vandals. The monument has been similarly abused many times before. However, this time the local district authorities, who have been trying to move the statue to the Russian Embassy, say they will not clean up the damage until the embassy “starts constructive discussions”.

The Czech president, Miloš Zeman, will attend events in Russia next May marking the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. He was invited to the take part by Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose advisor Yuri Ushakov visited the Czech head of state on Monday.

Mr. Zeman participated in celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the end of the war in Moscow in 2015 and has taken part in similar events at the Russian Embassy in Prague.

Russia marks the end of the war on May 9, a day later than Western European countries. The Czechs previously followed the Russian model but later switched to May 8.

President Miloš Zeman marked the anniversary of the end of World War II with a wreath-laying ceremony on Wednesday at the National Monument on Vítkov hill in Prague attended by Czech veterans.

Among the state officials and politicians in attendance were Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, Senate chairman Jaroslav Kubera and Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib, along with military figures such as Defense Minister Lubomír Metnar and Chief of General Staff Aleš Opata.

A pair of Gripen fighter jets flew over Vítkov ahead of the ceremony. The commemorative act was followed by a minute of silence for the fallen.

Paris, Lviv and Prague, over a thousand miles apart yet connected by the fact that they all initiated successful uprisings against their German occupiers during World War II. The Czech capital was the last of the three to do so, but the action arguably preserved the city’s beauty and led to a battle the Czech nation, previously starved of an opportunity to fight, needed. On the date famously named by Winston Churchill as Victory in Europe day, we take the opportunity to explore the story behind the Prague Uprising.

Pilsen’s annual Festival of Freedom marking the West Bohemian city’s liberation by General Patton’s Army in May 1945 drew some 70,000 people over the course of four days, organisers told news agency ČTK.

A dozen war veterans from the US and Belgium who helped to liberate the city attended this year’s event, which got underway on Friday. Among the highlights was the Convoy of Liberty with over 200 historical vehicles that crossed the town centre on Sunday.

It culminated on Monday at Pilsen’s memorial to the US army with an event called “Thank You, America!” Among the speakers was Senate chairman Jaroslav Kubera (Civic Democrats), who said that even an onslaught of lies and propaganda under Communism, the memory of the US and Allied liberators did not fade.

Meanwhile, members and supporters of the Night Wolves – a Russian nationalist biker gang close to President Vladimir Putin – rode across stretches of the country to commemorate the Soviet Army’s role in liberating Czechoslovakia.

Celebrations marking the liberation of Plzeň by General Patton’s Army on May 6th 1945 took place in the West Bohemian city at the weekend. Despite the cold, thousands of people lined the streets of the city to greet the war veterans who rode at the head of the Convoy of Liberty organized in remembrance of the event.