The Crushing of Democracy in Czechoslovakia 1947 – 1948

It was Thursday, the 10th of July, and the audience with Marshal Stalin had been arranged for 9.30am. Jan Masaryk and Dr Drtina met half an hour earlier in one of the rooms of the State residence put at their disposal, but Gottwald was late.

Coventry Empathy and Support for the Lidice Cause – 1943

It was announced in late 1943 that Coventry was to join the Lidice Shall Live movement. The decision was made at a meeting at the Council House on Wednesday the 1st of December, attended by representatives of the churches, Civil Defence force, social and other organisations.

UNRRA – A Vision for Creating a Way Ahead 1945 –

UNRRA was a United States led initiative under the auspices of the United Nations. Set up in Washington D.C. on the 9th of November 1943 at the White House, it was signed off by Franklin D Roosevelt along with 44 signatories representing nations throughout the world (this was later extended to 48).

Crewe Creates Activities and Exhibitions in Support of Lidice – 1944

The campaign was realised when The Exhibition of Czecho-Slovakian Friendship opened at the Prudential Buildings on Monday the 9th of October 1944 by a Czechoslovak Army Captain, in the presence of Dr Victor Fischl, the Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs, an associate of Jan Masaryk, and a company of Czech infantry from nearby Cholmondeley Castle.

A British Lidice – The Silent Village by Humphrey Jennings 1943

In August 1942, having received consent from the President of the Mineworkers’ Federation of Great Britain, Will Lawther, at their Conference in July, the British Crown Film Unit began scanning the country’s coalfields looking for a location to create a propaganda film based on the Lidice atrocity.

Eden, Masaryk and the Nullification of the Munich Agreement – 1942

Formal negotiations on the renouncement of the Munich Agreement began at the end of January 1942. At a luncheon given by Anthony Eden on January 21st and attended by Dr Beneš; Ambassador to Czecho-Slovakia, Philip Nichols; and Hubert Ripka, Czechoslovak Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.