It is not just a national holiday. 17 November is a reminder of freedom and democracy, which is not a given
It was the students who brought hundreds of thousands of people into the streets of the then Czechoslovakia in the chilly autumn weather. They showed the communist regime unprecedented courage and determination to live differently after 40 years of totalitarianism. With dignity and, above all, freedom.
The revolutionary events of the end of 1989 started with a gathering of about 15 thousand Czech and Slovak students in the university quarter of Prague's Albertov district. They gathered on 17 November 1989. However, the date they chose, which later shaped our modern history, was not accidental. They came to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Jan Opletal, a student at the Faculty of Medicine of Charles University. His tragic death referred to another important historical event, again connected with the immense courage of the young generation.
International Student Day
Jan Opletal was mortally wounded by the troops of Nazi Germany during a student demonstration against the German Nazi occupation. Opletal's death triggered a wave of further protests that were brutally suppressed by Nazi Germany. Subsequent events led to the execution of nine students, while more than 1,200 others were deported to the then newly established concentration camps.
The tragic events were brought to an end by the then Reich Protector Konstantin Von Neurath, who decided to close all Czech universities and boarding schools on 17 November 1939. The day of Jan Opletal's funeral, 17 November 1942, was designated International Student Day in London.
Day of the Struggle for Freedom and Democracy
Opletal's legacy was not forgotten even during more than 40 years of repression by the Communist regime. The gathering during 17 November 1989 expanded from the original 15 thousand to 50 thousand students. The crowd carried national flags, chanted demands for human rights and called for the resignation of communist politicians. The peaceful demonstration was harshly repressed by the State Security. Hundreds were counted injured.
The brutal crackdown provoked an indignant reaction throughout society - further, this time much more massive, demonstrations and strikes were organised throughout Czechoslovakia. The sequence of events culminated in the fall of the communist government in December 1989 and the first free elections in June 1990.
It is no coincidence that the Day of Students, which we celebrate today, 17 November, is also the Day of the Struggle for Freedom and Democracy. At key moments in history, it was students who courageously confronted evil in its various forms. Following their example, let us be proud bearers of democratic values and use education to shape positive social change. For we must not forget that, even in the 21st century, freedom is not a given in many countries.
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