First Lieutenant Adolf Opálka (4 January 1915 – 18 June 1942) was a
Czechoslovak soldier, member of the
Czech
Czech may refer to:
* Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe
** Czech language
** Czechs, the people of the area
** Czech culture
** Czech cuisine
* One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus
*Czech (surnam ...
sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening a polity, government, effort, or organization through subversion, obstruction, demoralization (warfare), demoralization, destabilization, divide and rule, division, social disruption, disrupti ...
group
Out Distance, a
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
anti-Nazi resistance group, and a participant in
Operation Anthropoid, the successful mission to kill
Reinhard Heydrich
Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich ( , ; 7 March 1904 – 4 June 1942) was a German high-ranking SS and police official during the Nazi era and a principal architect of the Holocaust. He held the rank of SS-. Many historians regard Heydrich ...
.
Opálka was born into a middle-class family in
Rešice and joined the Czechoslovak Army in 1936 where he served in the 43rd Infantry Regiment in
Brno
Brno ( , ; ) is a Statutory city (Czech Republic), city in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. Located at the confluence of the Svitava (river), Svitava and Svratka (river), Svratka rivers, Brno has about 403,000 inhabitants, making ...
. The
Munich Agreement
The Munich Agreement was reached in Munich on 30 September 1938, by Nazi Germany, the United Kingdom, the French Third Republic, French Republic, and the Kingdom of Italy. The agreement provided for the Occupation of Czechoslovakia (1938–194 ...
and subsequent
German occupation of Czechoslovakia
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
led to the disbanding of the Czechoslovak Army, and Opálka's career ended. He escaped to North Africa where he served in the
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion (, also known simply as , "the Legion") is a corps of the French Army created to allow List of militaries that recruit foreigners, foreign nationals into French service. The Legion was founded in 1831 and today consis ...
, and he later returned to
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
. He then joined the Out Distance group and participated in Operation Anthropoid. He was found days later by the
Nazis
Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...
, and he took his own life in the
Cathedral of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Prague after a gunfight in which he was injured, to avoid being captured.
Early life
Opálka was born in
Rešice near
Dukovany the
illegitimate son of
miller
A miller is a person who operates a mill, a machine to grind a grain (for example corn or wheat) to make flour. Milling is among the oldest of human occupations. "Miller", "Milne" and other variants are common surnames, as are their equivalents ...
Viktor Jarolím (1889–1942) of
Tulešice and Anežka Opálková.
When his mother died in 1923, Opálka lived with his aunt Marie Opálková (1882–1942).
Between 1932 and 1936, Opálka studied at the Commercial Academy and, shortly after his graduation in 1936, he joined the army of
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
.
After recruitment and training, he was assigned to the 43rd Infantry Regiment in
Brno
Brno ( , ; ) is a Statutory city (Czech Republic), city in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. Located at the confluence of the Svitava (river), Svitava and Svratka (river), Svratka rivers, Brno has about 403,000 inhabitants, making ...
and shortly afterwards attended the Army Academy in
Hranice. After graduation, Opálka joined the 2nd Mountain Regiment in
Ružomberok as a lieutenant.
The
Munich Agreement
The Munich Agreement was reached in Munich on 30 September 1938, by Nazi Germany, the United Kingdom, the French Third Republic, French Republic, and the Kingdom of Italy. The agreement provided for the Occupation of Czechoslovakia (1938–194 ...
ended Opálka's army career in his homeland, and he left Czechoslovakia with his cousin František Pospíšil. First travelling through
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
and France, they fled to North Africa, where they joined the
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion (, also known simply as , "the Legion") is a corps of the French Army created to allow List of militaries that recruit foreigners, foreign nationals into French service. The Legion was founded in 1831 and today consis ...
.
Opálka served in
Sidi Bel Abbes as a sergeant of the 1st Infantry Regiment. Later, he joined
Senegal
Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It borders Mauritania to Mauritania–Senegal border, the north, Mali to Mali–Senegal border, the east, Guinea t ...
's Gunmen in
Oran
Oran () is a major coastal city located in the northwest of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria, after the capital, Algiers, because of its population and commercial, industrial and cultural importance. It is w ...
.
Opálka's fiancée spoke about this period of his life:
World War II
After the start of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
and the occupation of Czechoslovakia, Opálka returned to France from Africa and joined a developing Czechoslovak army in
Agde, serving as leader of an infantry platoon of the 2nd Infantry Regiment of the 1st Czechoslovak Infantry Division.
In January 1940, he was transferred to the 3rd Infantry Division and commanded the 5th Infantry Battalion.
On 12 July 1940, when
France was defeated, Opálka sailed on the
troopship
A troopship (also troop ship or troop transport or trooper) is a ship used to carry soldiers, either in peacetime or wartime. Troopships were often drafted from commercial shipping fleets, and were unable to land troops directly on shore, typic ...
to the United Kingdom and as an unfiled officer served in a machine gun
platoon
A platoon is a Military organization, military unit typically composed of two to four squads, Section (military unit), sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the Military branch, branch, but a platoon can ...
. In the summer of 1941, he volunteered as a soldier for
covert operations
A covert operation or undercover operation is a military or police operation involving a covert agent or troops acting under an assumed cover to conceal the identity of the party responsible.
US law
Under US law, the Central Intelligence Ag ...
behind enemy lines. He had been trained in
Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
in Special Training Schools. Afterwards, he became leader of the group codenamed "
Out Distance".
Out Distance
Opálka (cover name "Adolf Král"),
Ivan Kolařík ("Jan Krátký"), and
Karel Čurda ("Karel Vrbas") secretly parachuted into the
Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
The Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia was a partially-annexation, annexed territory of Nazi Germany that was established on 16 March 1939 after the Occupation of Czechoslovakia (1938–1945), German occupation of the Czech lands. The protector ...
on 28 March 1942 to perform covert operations including bomber navigation and sabotage. The operations of Out Distance were complicated from the beginning. A navigational mistake by the
Handley Page Halifax plane bringing them in caused the entire group to be dropped at the wrong location.
This, together with the loss of equipment, led to the splitting up of the group. Opálka contacted captain
Alfréd Bartoš from the group Silver-A and informed him of the situation. He later joined the group gathered around
Operation Anthropoid in Prague and became leader of the Prague parachuters.
Operation Anthropoid

Operation Anthropoid involved a plot to kill
Reinhard Heydrich
Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich ( , ; 7 March 1904 – 4 June 1942) was a German high-ranking SS and police official during the Nazi era and a principal architect of the Holocaust. He held the rank of SS-. Many historians regard Heydrich ...
, the Reichsprotektor of wartime
Bohemia and Moravia with a modified anti-tank
grenade
A grenade is a small explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a Shell (projectile), shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A mod ...
. After the mission was carried out, Opálka and his six fellow combatants (Josef Bublík,
Jozef Gabčík, Jan Hrubý,
Jan Kubiš,
Josef Valčík, and Jaroslav Švarc) were tracked to the
Church of St. Cyril and St. Methodius in Prague.
At 16:15 on 18 June 1942, the church was besieged by 800 soldiers of the
German army
The German Army (, 'army') is the land component of the armed forces of Federal Republic of Germany, Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German together with the German Navy, ''Marine'' (G ...
and
Waffen-SS
The (; ) was the military branch, combat branch of the Nazi Party's paramilitary ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with Waffen-SS foreign volunteers and conscripts, volunteers and conscr ...
.
After a seven-hour fight,
the outnumbered group of paratroopers fell. All died, including First Lieutenant Adolf Opálka who, injured by shrapnel, committed suicide.
Shortly after his departure, on his 27th birthday, Opálka wrote of
homesickness:
After the mission of the paratroopers, the
Nazis
Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...
unleashed strong reprisals. Opálka's aunt, Marie Opálková, was executed in
Mauthausen on 24 October 1942. His father, Viktor Jarolím, was also killed.
Honors and decorations
*
Czechoslovak War Cross, 1939, 1942, and 1945
*
King's Commendation
The Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct, formerly the King's Commendation for Brave Conduct, acknowledged brave acts by both civilians and members of the armed services in both war and peace, for gallantry not in the presence of an enemy. Est ...
,
posthumously
Posthumous may refer to:
* Posthumous award, an award, prize or medal granted after the recipient's death
* Posthumous publication, publishing of creative work after the author's death
* Posthumous (album), ''Posthumous'' (album), by Warne Marsh, 1 ...
, 1947
* Gold Medal of the Czechoslovak Military Order for Liberty, 1949
*
First Class Star of Czechoslovak Army Order of the White Lion for Victory, posthumously, 1968
* Order of
Milan Rastislav Štefánik, Third Class, posthumously, 1991
* Promoted to
colonel
Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
, posthumously, 2002
See also
*
Jan Kubiš
*
Jozef Gabčík
*
Josef Valčík
*
Operation Anthropoid
References
Further reading
*
David Stafford, ''"Britain and European Resistance, 1940–1945"'', University of Toronto Press 1980, .
* Lewis M. White, ''"On All Fronts: Czechoslovaks in World War II"'', .
* David Chackom ''"Like a Man"'', .
* J.B. Hutak, ''"With Blood and with Iron: The Lidice Story"''
External links
Remembrance of Operation Anthropoid members
Encyclopedia of Brno
{{DEFAULTSORT:Opalka, Adolf
1915 births
1942 deaths
People from Znojmo District
Czech resistance members
Czechoslovak military personnel killed in World War II
Czechoslovak soldiers
Grand Crosses of the Order of the White Lion
Operation Anthropoid
Resistance members killed by Nazi Germany
Recipients of the Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct
Recipients of the Czechoslovak War Cross
Recipients of the Milan Rastislav Stefanik Order
Soldiers of the French Foreign Legion
Forced suicides