| Submit your comments on this article |
| Europe |
| Czech Senate to propose Masin brothers for state decoration |
| 2008-02-28 |
| Prague- The Czech Senate will again propose members of an anti-communist resistance group led by brothers Josef and Ctirad Masin for state decorations this year, for the fifth time in a row, Senate Chairman Premysl Sobotka (senior ruling Civic Democrats, ODS) told. The fact that Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek (ODS) will present a prime minister's medal to Josef Masin at the Czech embassy in Washington today changes nothing about this, Sobotka said. In the past, the awarding of state decorations to the Masin brothers was repeatedly supported by ODS senators, senators from the Open Democracy Club and from the SNK (Independents) group, while left-wing senators were against it. Senator Martin Mejstrik (for Path of Change) told CTK today that he would certainly vote for the awarding of six members of the group. However, he added that he did not expect President Vaclav Klaus to change his view and endorse the proposal for their decoration. Josef and Ctirad Masins and Milan Paumer, a member of their resistance group, managed to fight their way from Czechoslovakia to West Germany in the autumn of 1953. On the run they killed two policemen and a cashier in their homeland and later three East German policemen. Czech society is still divided on the Masins. Their critics often call them killers for this, but their supporters point out that sometimes it is necessary to fight for freedom and democracy using arms. Both Masin brothers have been living in the United States for a long time. They have not visited their homeland since the fall of the regime in 1989 because they say the Czech society has not yet reconciled itself with its communist past. The Czech communists are going nuts over this, of course. The Wikipedia article on the Masin brothers is here. |
| Posted by:mrp |