Alois Elias
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Alois Eliáš (September 29 1890 – June 19 1942) was Czechoslovakian general and politician. He served as prime minister of Protectorate Bohemia and Moravia from April 27, 1939 to September 28, 1941.
The first government of the Protectorate Bohemia and Moravia was only provisional in nature because it served as a survival of the Second Republic. An appropriate replacement of the mentioned government was discussed from the end of April 1939. The State President of the Protectorate Bohemia and Moravia Emil Hácha sought Alois Eliáš as his best choice. Hácha counted on popularity which had been earned by Alois Eliáš during his famous military career. He served as Czech legionary in France during the World War I, later he reached the rank of general. Although doubtful, some historians assume Hácha also hoped Eliáš' former contacts with the Reichsprotektor Konstantin von Neurath could persuade the Reichsprotektor of a desirability of appointing Eliáš as the Prime Minister.
Finally, on April 27, 1939, he was appointed as the Prime Minister. Eliáš took the office led by a conviction of having a unique possibility to help his country. During his service he supported underground resistance to Nazi occupiers. On September 27 1941, a week after the appointment of Reinhard Heydrich into the office of Reichsprotektor, Eliáš was arrested, put into trial and sentenced to death, but his execution was postponed. After Heydrich was successfully assasinated nearly a year later, on May 27 1942, Eliáš was finally executed as a part of wide German reprisals for Heydrich's death.
Eliáš was given a state funeral with full honours on May 7, 2006 and was buried at Vítkov Cemetery in Prague.
References
- Kvaček, Robert, 2002. Czech History: Part Two [České dějiny II]. Prague, CZ: SPL-Práce, Úvaly, CZ: Albra.
See also
- Emil Hácha, president of the protectorate
External links
- [Biography of Alois Elias (in Czech)]
- [Members of government led by Elias, 27.4.1939 - 19.1.1942 (in Czech)]
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