Poll: 38 percent consider Mašín brothers heroes

A new poll conducted by the STEM agency for public broadcaster Czech TV has suggested that around 38 percent of Czechs consider the Mašín brothers heroes. Josef and Ctirad Mašín, now in their seventies, resisted the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia and fought their way out of the country in 1953. They now live in the US. The Mašíns’ small resistance group killed six people - two police officers, a cashier, and three East German policemen – in their attempt to reach West Germany. This week Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek recognised the Mašíns, as well as fellow resistance member Milan Paumer, for their valour. But the STEM poll suggests that almost 70 percent of Czechs do not consider the move appropriate. An earlier study four years ago suggested that 55 percent of Czechs considered the Mašíns criminals.

Author: Jan Velinger