FROM ZIZKA TO SYROVY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 132, 1 December 1938, Page 6

FROM ZIZKA TO SYROVY

Coincidence and history meet in many varied circumstances—at times on the beaten track of well-defined tradition, at others in unexpected byways along the march of time. To General Jan Syrovy, Great War veteran and post-war commander in chief of the Czechoslovakian Army, the worldstirring events of the past few weeks brought rapid transition from Minister of National Defence to Premier, and I Provisional President, says the Melbourne "Age." His sightless right eye is a legacy from the Rumanian offensive early in the Great War of 1914-18. The broad black patch he has worn over it now becomes symbolic of Bohemian history much further back. For, linked with Czech national his.tory and the martyrdom of John Huss is the name of John Zizka, fifteenthcentury soldier-statesman and "Administrator of the Communities of Bohemia." Like General Syrovy, Zizka early lost the sight of his right eye. lover which he wore a conspicuous, black patch. Like Syrovy, in times of great stress he combined leadership in arms with political administration. Zizka came from Trocnov. Syrovy was born at Trebitsch, Moravia, 50 years ago, and was thus still a young man when he lo^st his eye at Zborow and led the Czechs in a great march across Siberia. And again, like his medieval countryman of 500 years ago, he contributed largely to the preservation of his country's national identity. .