Famous funerals in Czech history
T. G. Masaryk’s funeral (the first president of Czechoslovakia and most probably its biggest founder)
1. Funeral procession at Wenceslas square 2. Next to the Rudolfinum (former parliament) 3. Prague Castle 4. two minutes of silence
K. H. Mácha’s ‘second’ funeral during the Nazi occupation
5. Mácha’s first funeral took place only with the presence of his brother as his poetry wasn’t truly understood until later, however, in 1939 his last march on Vyšehrad cemetery wasn’t modest in attendance and turned into a silent protest against Nazism
Jan Masaryk’s funeral
6. and 7. The death of the last democratic politician in 1948, a month after the communist coup. The snowdrop next to his ear was suspected to be hiding a bullet hole. Jan Masaryk was said to have “fallen” from a window.
Klement Gottwald’s funeral (the first communist president)
8. and 9. Gottwald was something like a Czech Stalin and followed him to the grave only two weeks after. He was mummified and put on display in the same way as Lenin, however, his body had to be cremated 20 year later because it was falling apart.
“the living torch” Jan Palach
10. The funeral of a student Jan Palach in 1969 was attended by thousands of people. He lit himself on fire as a protest against the Soviet occupation and to rouse citizens of Czechoslovakia from indifference. His coffin was exhibited in the building of Charles University.
(source)
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