The Czech Republic is commemorating Jan Palach, who set himself on fire 56 years ago on Wenceslas Square in Prague, through events at various locations today. His act was intended to rouse society from the lethargy it had succumbed to following the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact troops in August 1968. The 20-year-old university student succumbed to his severe burns three days later, on 19 January 1969.
This morning, the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová (TOP 09), and the President of the Senate, Miloš Vystrčil (ODS), will honour Jan Palach’s memory on Wenceslas Square in Prague. Education Minister Mikuláš Bek (STAN) will participate in a commemorative event in Mělník, where Palach attended secondary school. Students and representatives of Charles University will also commemorate Jan Palach, as they do every year. In the early evening, a remembrance ceremony will take place in front of the Faculty of Arts building in the centre of Prague.
On 19 January, the anniversary of Jan Palach’s death, a symbolic candlelight procession will honour his legacy in the centre of Zlín. The “Light for Palach” (Světlo pro Palacha) event will take place on Gahurová Boulevard, a green space below the Tomáš Baťa monument.
With his self-immolation, Jan Palach sought to awaken the nation from its resignation and inspire resistance against the onset of “normalisation.” Following his example, another student, Jan Zajíc, set himself on fire on 25 February 1969 in protest against normalisation, just ten metres from the spot where Jan Palach had sacrificed his life.
In communist Czechoslovakia, the authorities and the media remained silent about the actions of Palach and Zajíc for more than two decades. However, their deeds were not forgotten by the people. The commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Palach’s death in January 1989 unexpectedly escalated into a massive protest against the regime, known as “Palach Week.” Thousands of people demonstrated for a week in the centre of Prague. The intensity of the protests surprised not only the authorities but also the opposition. A few months later, the totalitarian regime fell.
Today, Jan Palach is honoured worldwide as a symbol of resistance against the suppression of the Prague Spring.
