CZECH POET REINTERRED

Evening Star, Issue 23353, 24 August 1939, Page 12

CZECH POET REINTERRED

PASSIVE DEMONSTRATIONS AT PRAGUE

“ Prague' has been the scene of passive demonstrations to mark the reinterment of Karl Hynek Macha, a great Czech patriotic poet, who died over 20 years ago, and who was originally buried at Leitmeritz,” writes the Prague correspondent of the ‘ Scotsman.’

‘‘ After negotiations, permission was given for the body to be moved to Prague and laid to rest in Vysehrad, the ‘ Wesminster Abbey ’ of Czechowhere ho now lies next to Karel Capek, the celebrated Czech writer, who died recently. Macha’s reburial was celebrated by the flying of the Czech national flag from nearly every house, and on Sunday thousands made tho pilgrimage to his grave to lay their tribute there.

“ In most of the bigger Czech .shops special displays of his books were on view, and the prologue of his greatest work, ‘ Maj.’ where he proclaims tho eternal spiritual of the Czech nation, whether free or in bond age, made the centre piece. “ In every Czech cinema notices are now displayed on the screen asking the audience to refrain from demonstrations hostile to the Reich during the performance. On Sunday at least one audience disobeyed this request when Herr Hitler, making his Reichstag speech, was shown in the news reels. “ Hoots of ironic laughter greeted his appearance, and it was impossible to hear a word that was said. In contrast, a brief appearance of the former n~nr*h pvtiv" ; n the news reel cycle was received with cheers. ■ t l ip mnnumpnt to King Wenceslas, the Patron Saint of Bohemia, the 'nnlv monument in Prague hitherto never decorated, is to-day ablaze with flowers. Crowds of people are passing, and some stand praying, perhaps St Wenceslas’s own prayer inscribed on tho case, that ‘ only a Czech may rule over Czechs.’ “ Tho inhabitants of Prague are mostly unaware of the extent of tho arrests made by the Gestapo. Great secrecy has been observed throughout, and persons questioned, and later released, have been warned against mentioning the matter to anyone. “ In Prague tho secret police have taken over tho headquarters of the bank house, Cetzchek, formerlv_ one of the largest private banks in the country, and are said to be using tho strong rooms and vaults as cells. “ As these were certainly not constructed for this purpose, the cpnditions of the prisoners can be imagined, though no first-hand information is available. Concentration camps have also been established near Pilsen and Molovice, while many prisoners are being transferred to camps in tho Reich proper.”