Jan Syrový (24 January 1888 – 17 October 1970) was a
Czechoslovak general
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
who was the
prime minister of Czechoslovakia during the
Munich Crisis.
Early life and military career
Jan Syrový studied building at a technical school. Following his graduation in 1906, he became a
one-year volunteer
A one-year volunteer, short EF (German language, de: ''Einjährig-Freiwilliger''), was, in a number of national armed forces, a Conscription, conscript who agreed to pay his own costs for the procurement of equipment, food and clothing, in return ...
in the
Austro-Hungarian army. After that, he studied at a technical college in
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
. During
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, he fought in the
Czechoslovak Legions of the Russian Army and lost his right eye at the
Battle of Zborov.
By the end of the war, he commanded the Legions and the
anti-Bolshevik forces on the
Trans-Siberian railway. A well-known veteran commander, he served as
Chief of Staff
The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supportin ...
of the
Czechoslovak Army from 1926 to 1933 and as its general inspector from 1933 to 1938.
[ Vojenské osobnosti-Jan Syrový](_blank)
/ref> He helped to prepare the Czechoslovak Air Force with the help of Jan Antonín Baťa and moved military personnel and materials away from Nazi Germany.
Munich Crisis
When Milan Hodža's government resigned on 23 September 1938, President Edvard Beneš
Edvard Beneš (; 28 May 1884 – 3 September 1948) was a Czech politician and statesman who served as the president of Czechoslovakia from 1935 to 1938, and again from 1939 to 1948. During the first six years of his second stint, he led the Czec ...
appointed Syrový to head a national unity government. Syrový demurred at first by insisting that he was just a soldier, not a politician, and that he lacked the qualifications and the relevant experience for such an important post. Beneš told Syrový that the nation needed him and added that as a soldier, Syrový should consider it not as an offer but an order. With some reluctance, Syrový accepted and took the defence portfolio as well.
Barely a week after becoming Prime Minister, he was forced to accept the terms of 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 ...
on 30 September. Announcing the acceptance of the agreement in a nationwide radio address, he stated that Czechoslovakia was not in a position to turn the agreement down because without British or French support, the country was outnumbered and any conflict would result in severe casualties. "We were abandoned", he said. "We stand alone".
After the resignation of Beneš on 5 October, Syrový assumed most presidential duties, in accord with the Czechoslovak Constitution until Emil Hácha was duly elected President on 30 November 1938.
He resigned the premiership on 1 December 1938 and remained as Minister of National Defence until 27 April 1939. He did not join the anti-German resistance since he was too well-known a figure for his involvement to be anything other than a liability. However, he arranged the transfer of substantial sums from a Legionary relief fund to assist the resistance and the people facing persecution.
Later life
On 14 May 1945, in the immediate aftermath of the war, Syrový was arrested and charged with collaboration
Collaboration (from Latin ''com-'' "with" + ''laborare'' "to labor", "to work") is the process of two or more people, entities or organizations working together to complete a task or achieve a goal. Collaboration is similar to cooperation. The ...
although he had consciously steered clear of that as far as his office allowed. In a show trial
A show trial is a public trial in which the guilt (law), guilt or innocence of the defendant has already been determined. The purpose of holding a show trial is to present both accusation and verdict to the public, serving as an example and a d ...
of alleged collaborators in 1947, the National Court found him guilty, along with Rudolf Beran, and sentenced him to 20 years of imprisonment in severe conditions.
Released in 1960 by Antonín Novotný's amnesty, Syrový was left with no pension or any means of maintenance, and the communist regime barred him from employment. Eventually, he was allowed to work as a nightwatchman, guarding Luděk Marold's panorama of the Battle of Lipany. Not until late 1967 would the regime grant him a limited retirement pension.
Syrový was deeply wounded by the verdict of the National Court and remained so for the rest of his life. His own conscience was clear, and he never came to terms with the apparent injustice of the decision. He reviewed his trial in an interview for the Report Magazine in 1968 and stated that there were three critical pieces of evidence laid against him. The first was a snapshot of himself shaking hands with Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
during a meeting that he was obliged to attend at the Prague Castle. Hitler had made a speech of reassurance as to Czechoslovakia's future under the 'protection' of the Reich
( ; ) is a German word whose meaning is analogous to the English word " realm". The terms and are respectively used in German in reference to empires and kingdoms. In English usage, the term " Reich" often refers to Nazi Germany, also ca ...
and then held out his hand to Syrový, and the photographers immediately took a picture.
Another photograph provided the second piece of evidence, which was taken at a government banquet that showed Syrový sitting alongside Konrad Henlein. Syrový stated that the picture was taken out of context, to be used for Nazi propaganda
Propaganda was a tool of the Nazi Party in Germany from its earliest days to the end of the regime in May 1945 at the end of World War II. As the party gained power, the scope and efficacy of its propaganda grew and permeated an increasing amou ...
.
The third piece of critical evidence was an arms contract with the Nazis. Syrový stated the weapons sold had been obsolete items from the First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, which were no longer of any use to Czechoslovakia, and that the weapons had been sold to German private companies. He also stated that the decision to sell was made ultimately not by him alone but by the government as a whole. Syrový felt that if the Czechoslovak allies had offered their promised help, he would never have had to accept the Munich Agreement, but under the circumstances, the Czechoslovak Army had no chance of success on its own.
, Interview in the Report Magazine
Syrový died on 17 October 1970.
Decorations
Awarded by Belgium:
:
Order of the Crown (Belgium), Order of the Crown, in the grade of: Grand Officer
:
Croix de Guerre 1914-18
Awarded by Czechoslovakia:
:
Czechoslovak War Cross 1918: with four linden branches
:
Order of the Falcon: with swords
:

Czechoslovak Revolutionary Medal 1914–18 with clasps: "Č.D.", "Zborov" and numbers "1", "2"
:

Czechoslovak Medal of Victory 1918
Awarded by Estonia:
:
Military Order of the Cross of the Eagle, for the Protection of the Country: I. class
Awarded by France:
:
Légion d'honneur
The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...
, in the grade of: Grand Officier
::::Légion d'honneur, in the grade of: Commandeur
::::Légion d'honneur, in the grade of: Officier
::::Légion d'honneur, in the grade of: Chevalier
night
Night, or nighttime, is the period of darkness when the Sun is below the horizon. Sunlight illuminates one side of the Earth, leaving the other in darkness. The opposite of nighttime is daytime. Earth's rotation causes the appearance of ...
:
Croix de Guerre 1914-18: with palme
Awarded by Italy:
:
Order of the Italian Crown: II. class
:
War Merit Cross
Awarded by Japan:
:
Order of the Sacred Treasure: II. class
Awarded by Yugoslavia:
:
Order of St. Sava: I. class
:
Order of the White Eagle: I. class
::::Order of the White Eagle: II. class
:
Order of the Karađorđe's Star with Swords : II. class
Awarded by Lithuania:
:
Order of Vytis Cross: Cross, II. class
Awarded by Latvia:
:
Order of Lāčplēsis: II. class
:
Order of the Three Stars: II. class
Awarded by Morocco:
:
Nischan el Quissam Alaouite: I. class
Awarded by Poland:
:
Order of Polonia Restituta
The Order of Polonia Restituta (, ) is a Polish state decoration, state Order (decoration), order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on alien (law), foreigners for outstanding achievements in ...
: II. class
Awarded by Romania:
:
Order of the Star of Romania: I. class
:
Order of the Crown: II. class
:
Order of Faithful Service: I. class
:
Commemorative Cross 1916-19: with the clasp: "Siberia"
Awarded by Imperial Russia:
:
Order of St. Vladimir: IV. class
:
Order of St. Anne: IV. class
:
Order of Saint Stanislaus (Imperial House of Romanov): III. class
:
Cross of St. George: IV. class
Awarded by Greece:
:
Order of the Phoenix: I. class
:
Medal of Military Merit
Awarded by Tunisia:
:
Order of Nischan el Iftikchar: I. class
Awarded by Great Britain:
:
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior British Armed Forces, military officers or senior Civil Service ...
, in the grade of: Knight Commander
CB
See also
*
Occupation of Czechoslovakia
*
List of prime ministers of Czechoslovakia
External links
*
Short biography*
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Syrovy, Jan
1888 births
1970 deaths
Politicians from Třebíč
People from the Margraviate of Moravia
Prime ministers of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovak soldiers
Czech generals
Chiefs of the General Staff (Czechoslovakia)
People of the Russian Civil War
Czechoslovak Legion
Czechoslovak military personnel of World War I
Austro-Hungarian military personnel of World War I
Recipients of the Order of Saint Stanislaus (Russian), 3rd class
Recipients of the Croix de guerre (Belgium)
Recipients of the Czechoslovak War Cross
Knights of the Order of the Falcon (Czechoslovakia)
Recipients of the Military Order of the Cross of the Eagle, Class I
Grand Officers of the Legion of Honour
Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France)
Recipients of the War Merit Cross (Italy)
Recipients of the Order of the Sacred Treasure, 2nd class
Grand Crosses of the Order of St. Sava
Recipients of the Order of Vytautas the Great
Commanders with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta
Grand Crosses of the Order of the Star of Romania
Grand Officers of the Order of the Crown (Romania)
Recipients of the Order of St. Vladimir, 4th class
Recipients of the Order of St. Anna, 4th class
Recipients of the Cross of St. George
Grand Crosses of the Order of the Phoenix (Greece)
Recipients of the Medal of Military Merit (Greece)
Grand Officers of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)
Recipients of the Order of Lāčplēsis, 2nd class
Honorary Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Vytis
Burials at Olšany Cemetery
Acting presidents of Czechoslovakia
Eyepatch wearers