Czechoslovak Legion in Italy marks its centenary, SVK delegation commemorates the milestone

It was exactly 100 years ago when General Milan Rastislav Štefánik took over the first Czechoslovak Legion Battle Flag from the hands of the then Italian Prime Minister, Vittorio Emanuele Orlando, in Piazza Venezia on 24 May 1918. The act of the Battle Flag handover meant that Italy extended de jure recognition to Czechoslovakia still prior to its official establishment. This milestone was today commemorated at the handover place in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Piazza Venezia in Rome by a SVK delegation, in the presence of SVK Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Security Anton Hrnko, and Chief of Defence Lt Gen Daniel Zmeko.
 
Reflecting on this landmark event in the run-up to the establishment of Czechoslovakia, SVK Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš said: “The Battle Flag that was taken over by General Milan Rastislav Štefánik at this very place exactly 100 years ago has become a symbol for the future forms of the Army, Armed Forces and their units to arise. It laid the foundation stone for the establishment of an independent Czechoslovak Army and a common state of Czechs and Slovaks. The significance and message of this Battle Flag is also underlined by the fact that even today it is true that if a military unit loses its Battle Flag, it ceases to exist.ˮ
 
Recognising the dedication of General Milan Rastislav Štefánik to the Czechoslovak cause, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Security Anton Hrnko said: “General Milan Rastislav Štefánik, who established the Czechoslovak Legion in Italy, Russia and France, was a true contemporary European. He was a great patriot without being a nationalist. He envisaged freedom for our nations so as not to suppress others but to enjoy equal rights and be on equal footing with other nations of our European family. As heirs to his message, we must be proud of the mindset our patriots had 100 years ago.”
 
Pointing towards an aspiration of Czechs and Slovaks for a common country, Director of the Military History Institute Col Miloslav Čaplovič said: “The Czechoslovak Legion paved the way for the establishment of a new State on the map of Europe. Therefore, the Legion is part and parcel of our symbols and traditions.”
 
The Czechoslovak resistance movement in Italy dates back to 1917, when the Czechoslovak Volunteer Corps was formed of the local POW community. A major breakthrough in the stand-up of the Legion occurred in April 1918. Following a series of demanding negotiations, Col Milan Rastislav Štefánik succeeded in concluding the Agreement between the Italian Government and the Czechoslovak National Council in Paris on the Formation of the Independent Czechoslovak Army in Italy. Accordingly, the Czechoslovak units in Italy were part of the Czechoslovak Independent Army in France; politically, they were subordinate to the Czechoslovak National Council in France; and militarily, they were be subordinate to the Italian Army Command. The Agreement is widely seen as the first recognition of a future independent Czechoslovak State by the Entente Powers.
 
Against the background of the commemorative event, Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš met for an office call with Italian Chief of Defence General Claudio Graziano, to address security and defence issues such as European security and current challenges, lessons learned from international missions and operations, and how to enhance their bilateral relationship. In addition to this, they spoke about the upcoming joint deployment of ITA and SVK troops on NATO’s eFP role in Latvia and the cooperation between the ITA Carabinieri and the SVK Military Police in Iraq.
 
During the meeting, Minister Gajdoš gave an update to General Graziano on the Slovak-led PESCO EuroArtillery project. He took the opportunity to thank Italy for its participation in the SVK-led project, and was keen to learn more about the progress of the Italian-led PESCO Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicle project, of which Slovakia is a participant.
 
Speaking after the bilateral talks, SVK Chief of Defence Lt Gen Zmeko said: “Italian Chief of Defence General Claudio Graziano and I agreed to support the Alliance’s intent to expand its capabilities in Afghanistan and Iraq. Provided that such demand for the expansion of capabilities in Iraq is confirmed, then the SVK Armed Forces have an interest in stepping up their contribution by training command staffs and posting additional personnel to command structures.”