Josef Ježek (2 August 1884 – 10 May 1969) was a Czech General of Gendarmerie, Politician and the
Minister of the Interior in the government of the
Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia during the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia.
Early life and education
Josef Ježek was born to František and Josefa Ježek in Žamberk, Austria-Hungary, a town currently located in the
Pardubice Region of the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
. His father, František, was an educator who founded the town school in
Senftenberg. He completed his early education and some high school when he enrolled in cadet school in
Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
. After graduation he was assigned to the 22nd Home Guard Infantry Regiment in
Chernivtsi
Chernivtsi (, ; , ;, , see also #Names, other names) is a city in southwestern Ukraine on the upper course of the Prut River. Formerly the capital of the historic region of Bukovina, which is now divided between Romania and Ukraine, Chernivt ...
. He ended his army service with the rank of lieutenant.
Police career
In 1909 Ježek joined the government police, where he served on the Provincial Gendarmerie Command No. 13 in Chernivtsi. The following year passed the professional exam and became commander of the gendarme department in
Vyzhnytsia. A few months later he was appointed adjutant commander in Chernivtsi. In 1913 he was promoted to the rank of captain and two years later in 1915 he was transferred to the police headquarters in Vienna, where he was assigned as commander of the department in
Sankt Pölten. In 1918, after the establishment of independent
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 ...
, he became the commander of the police department in
Jindřichův Hradec. In 1919 he was sent to
Bratislava
Bratislava (German: ''Pressburg'', Hungarian: ''Pozsony'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Slovakia, Slovak Republic and the fourth largest of all List of cities and towns on the river Danube, cities on the river Danube. ...
, where he became as adjutant provincial police commander. Several years later he was promoted to General Commander of the Police.
Political career
On 16 March 1939
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 ...
established the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia after the German occupation of Czechoslovakia the previous day. In July 1939 Prime Minister
Alois Eliáš appointed Ježek the Interior Minister of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia government. Soon after his appointment Ježek was summoned to Berlin where he was informed by Heinrich Himmler that Germany would do whatever was necessary to have the Czech people conform to the new regime. His sentiment often opposes the occupation officials and although he could not openly join the resistance, he supported it. In January 1942 Ježek was relieved of his duties as the Interior Minister for refusing to swear an oath of loyalty. After the war, in 1945 and again in 1947, Ježek was arrested for his activities for the Protectorate but was acquitted of the charges and set free. In 1954 the Communist regime tried him for espionage and treason and sentenced him 25 years. He was released early in 1960.
Personal life
In the 1910 Ježek married Olga Semak, a local noblewoman, daughter of Eugene Semak. In 1913 they had a daughter. Ježek died in Prague on 10 May 1969. He is buried in the
Olšany Cemetery in Prague.
See also
*
Jaroslav Eminger
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jezek, Josef
1884 births
1969 deaths
People from Žamberk
People from the Kingdom of Bohemia
National Partnership politicians
Government ministers of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
People convicted of treason against Czechoslovakia
Czech police officers convicted of crimes
Czech politicians convicted of crimes