Rudolf Viest
Encyclopedia
Rudolf Viest was Czechoslovakian division general of Slovakian ethnicity, commander of the partisan army during the Slovak National Uprising
and the only Slovak general during the interwar period in the first Czechoslovak republic
.
In the years 1920-1939 he was commissioned officer, at the diplomatic and commanding services. In 1933 he was promoted to the position of brigadier general
and in 1938 to division general.
In 1939, he was serviceman in the Slovak army, belonging to the group of anti-Fascist officers, and was against the break-up of Czechoslovakia
into Slovakia
and the protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
. He was keeping contact with the Czechoslovak government-in-exile in London
. He emigrated into France
via Hungary
, where he became a member of Czechoslovak national committee in Paris and commander of the exile Czechoslovak army. Since 1 January 1940 commander of the 1st Czechoslovak division in France. After the Nazi occupation of France in June 1940, he moved to Britain and became a minister of Czechoslovak government-in-exile.
On August 1944, he flew with the Czechoslovak delegation to the Soviet Union
and from there to Banská Bystrica
on October 1944 to help the partisans fighting during the Slovak National Uprising, where with Ján Golian
became the commander of the 1st Czechoslovak Army in Slovakia.
The Czechoslovak government-in-exile tried to gain influence in the army and the Slovak national uprising through Viest, but the situation for the partisan troops was worsening, with Viest issuing final order during the night from 27 to 28 October in Donovaly
: „Boj za slobodu Československa sa nekončí, bude pokračovať v horách“ (Struggle for the freedom of Czechoslovakia doesn't end, it will continue in the mountains). On 3 November 1944, he was captured with Golian in Pohronský Bukovec
, taken to Berlin in Germany, sentenced to death, and executed in the Flossenbürg concentration camp
in 1945.
After his death, he was honoured in memoriam with the Order of Slovak national uprising 1st class (1945), Czechoslovak military cross (1945), as well with many other Czechoslovak or foreign medals. In 1945, he was promoted in memoriam to the position of army general.
Slovak National Uprising
The Slovak National Uprising or 1944 Uprising was an armed insurrection organized by the Slovak resistance movement during World War II. It was launched on August 29 1944 from Banská Bystrica in an attempt to overthrow the collaborationist Slovak State of Jozef Tiso...
and the only Slovak general during the interwar period in the first Czechoslovak republic
First Republic of Czechoslovakia
-Independence:The Czechoslovak declaration of independence was published by the Czechoslovak National Council, signed by Masaryk, Štefánik and Beneš on October 18, 1918 in Paris, and proclaimed on October 28 in Prague...
.
In the years 1920-1939 he was commissioned officer, at the diplomatic and commanding services. In 1933 he was promoted to the position of brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
and in 1938 to division general.
In 1939, he was serviceman in the Slovak army, belonging to the group of anti-Fascist officers, and was against the break-up of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
into Slovakia
Slovak Republic (1939-1945)
The Slovak Republic , also known as the First Slovak Republic or the Slovak State , was a fascist state which existed from 14 March 1939 to 8 May 1945 as a puppet state of Nazi Germany. It existed on roughly the same territory as present-day Slovakia...
and the protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
The Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia was the majority ethnic-Czech protectorate which Nazi Germany established in the central parts of Bohemia, Moravia and Czech Silesia in what is today the Czech Republic...
. He was keeping contact with the Czechoslovak government-in-exile in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He emigrated into France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
via Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, where he became a member of Czechoslovak national committee in Paris and commander of the exile Czechoslovak army. Since 1 January 1940 commander of the 1st Czechoslovak division in France. After the Nazi occupation of France in June 1940, he moved to Britain and became a minister of Czechoslovak government-in-exile.
On August 1944, he flew with the Czechoslovak delegation to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and from there to Banská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica is a key city in central Slovakia located on the Hron River in a long and wide valley encircled by the mountain chains of the Low Tatras, the Veľká Fatra, and the Kremnica Mountains. With 81,281 inhabitants, Banská Bystrica is the sixth most populous municipality in Slovakia...
on October 1944 to help the partisans fighting during the Slovak National Uprising, where with Ján Golian
Ján Golian
Ján Golian was a Slovak Brigadier General who became famous as one of the main organizers and the commander of the insurrectionist 1st Czecho-Slovak Army in Slovakia during the Slovak National Uprising against the Nazis...
became the commander of the 1st Czechoslovak Army in Slovakia.
The Czechoslovak government-in-exile tried to gain influence in the army and the Slovak national uprising through Viest, but the situation for the partisan troops was worsening, with Viest issuing final order during the night from 27 to 28 October in Donovaly
Donovaly
Donovaly is a village in the Banská Bystrica Region of central Slovakia. Being situated in an important pass between the mountains of Veľká Fatra and Starohorské vrchy, on the route connecting Banská Bystrica with Ružomberok, it became a prominent centre of winter and summer...
: „Boj za slobodu Československa sa nekončí, bude pokračovať v horách“ (Struggle for the freedom of Czechoslovakia doesn't end, it will continue in the mountains). On 3 November 1944, he was captured with Golian in Pohronský Bukovec
Pohronský Bukovec
Pohronský Bukovec is a village and municipality in Banská Bystrica District in the Banská Bystrica Region of central Slovakia.-Geography:The municipality lies at an altitude of 530 metres and covers an area of 14.771km². It has a population of about 88 people.-External links:...
, taken to Berlin in Germany, sentenced to death, and executed in the Flossenbürg concentration camp
Flossenbürg concentration camp
Konzentrationslager Flossenbürg was a Nazi concentration camp built in May 1938 by the Schutzstaffel Economic-Administrative Main Office at Flossenbürg, in the Oberpfalz region of Bavaria, Germany, near the border with Czechoslovakia. Until its liberation in April 1945, more than 96,000 prisoners...
in 1945.
After his death, he was honoured in memoriam with the Order of Slovak national uprising 1st class (1945), Czechoslovak military cross (1945), as well with many other Czechoslovak or foreign medals. In 1945, he was promoted in memoriam to the position of army general.