Minister Naď visits WW2 national liberation struggle veteran Bernard Papánek
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- Date: 09.06.2020
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Today in the village of Šajdíkove Humence, Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď paid a visit to Bernard Papánek, veteran of the WW2 national struggle for liberation, on the occasion of his 100th birthday which he celebrated earlier in January. The Minister expressed his belated congratulations on his birthday and awarded him with the War Veterans Memorial Cross.
Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď said: “Undoubtedly, there are not so many war veterans like Mr Bernard Papánek any more. Their stories of heroism and courage, in which they show no hesitation to stand up against the oppression of the Nazi regime, conceal an unambiguous message – that of a tireless struggle for freedom, democracy and universal values, which we today take for granted and often forget about their fragility. Therefore, I appreciate all the more that today I had an opportunity to meet in person and pay homage to a hero of the national struggle for liberation.“ He further mentioned the Defence Department currently registers 452 WW2 veterans.
Bernard Papánek was born into a Jewish family in Vienna on 19 January 1920. After Germany's annexation of Austria in 1938, he escaped to Brno. Following the occupation of Bohemia and Moravia, he fled to Palestine where, on 19 October 1942, he joined the Czechoslovak Army units that redeployed to Northern Africa. He served with the 11th Company, 200th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, in the Siege of Tobruk. Later on, he was seriously wounded in the Battle of Dunkirk in France. After the operation and two months of medical treatment he was transported back to the United Kingdom.
For his uncontested meritorious combat achievements, Bernard Papánek was awarded the Africa Star, a British WWII military campaign medal, and the Czechoslovak Meritorious Service Medal, 2nd Grade. With the end of WW2, he went back to Palestine and later moved to Vienna before settling down in Czechoslovakia. He returned to Slovakia just a few years ago.
Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď said: “Undoubtedly, there are not so many war veterans like Mr Bernard Papánek any more. Their stories of heroism and courage, in which they show no hesitation to stand up against the oppression of the Nazi regime, conceal an unambiguous message – that of a tireless struggle for freedom, democracy and universal values, which we today take for granted and often forget about their fragility. Therefore, I appreciate all the more that today I had an opportunity to meet in person and pay homage to a hero of the national struggle for liberation.“ He further mentioned the Defence Department currently registers 452 WW2 veterans.
Bernard Papánek was born into a Jewish family in Vienna on 19 January 1920. After Germany's annexation of Austria in 1938, he escaped to Brno. Following the occupation of Bohemia and Moravia, he fled to Palestine where, on 19 October 1942, he joined the Czechoslovak Army units that redeployed to Northern Africa. He served with the 11th Company, 200th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, in the Siege of Tobruk. Later on, he was seriously wounded in the Battle of Dunkirk in France. After the operation and two months of medical treatment he was transported back to the United Kingdom.
For his uncontested meritorious combat achievements, Bernard Papánek was awarded the Africa Star, a British WWII military campaign medal, and the Czechoslovak Meritorious Service Medal, 2nd Grade. With the end of WW2, he went back to Palestine and later moved to Vienna before settling down in Czechoslovakia. He returned to Slovakia just a few years ago.
