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CZECHOSLOVAK SOCIETY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES |
7th March 2001 - The Day of President Tomas Garrigue Masaryk
MEMORANDUM - LEOPOLD HILSNER
Dear Mr. President Havel !
Dear Mr. President Klestil !
We would like to draw your attention to the fact that, 100 years on, Mr. Leopold Hilsner (1876-1928) is still condemned, simply because of his Jewish origins, for so-called ritual murder he never committed.
In recent years, little has been done in the Czech
Republic and in Israel to commemorate this victim of Czech Nationalism and Austrian
Antisemitism.The Charles University Prague organised a three-day conference on Hilsner in
November 1999 and the Hebrew University Jerusalem a lecture during its 75th anniversary
celebrations in May 2000.
Efforts to get a posthumous rehabilitation of Mr. Hilsner proved successful in Prague to
the extent that the verdicts of the lower courts in Kutná Hora and Písek were quashed
three years ago.
However, the verdicts of the Supreme Court based in Vienna have never been abolished. His
death sentence was not carried out only because of pressure from Paris and Berlin.
Given the fact that there are problems in Austria regarding the judicial approach to the
matter, we would like to suggest to both of you a symbolic political act.
As the Hilsner case is part of the Czech Republic' s and Austria' s shared past, a joint
declaration by both of you condemning what happened to Hilsner seems the best thing.
Czecho-Austrian heritage consists not only of wonderful things like the creation of
musical string quartets (the Lobkowicz family !), but also of dark sides like the Hilsner
affair of 1899/1900.
You both have been active in the past in your countries against antisemitism, racism and
xenophobia, and your personal authority would be fully appreciated.
The city of Polná has dedicated every effort to the memory of Hilsner - especially due to
author Jan Prchal and mayor Jindrich Skocdopole - and has issued the Polná Declaration of
10th November 1999 criticizing the behaviour of local authorities of 1899 and pointing out
the parallels and analogies today. Father Tomás Halík, a close friend of President
Havel, joined the commemorative acts there in March 1999.
And it was President Havel who, during the Masaryk celebrations in March 2000, spoke about
Hilsner together with US Secretary of State, Mrs. Madeleine Albright.
Why not perform that symbolic act in Polná, thus celebrating President Masaryk who was
engaged in the case and who symbolises another link between Prague and Vienna ?
The Iustinian Digest teaches us about the "right" solution to the Hilsner case:
"Qui damnare potest, is absolvendi quoque potestatem habet" (He who can condemn,
has the power to acquit too) Iustiniani Digesta, Liber 42, tit. 1, fragm.3, Paulus libro
septimo decimo ad edictum.
Please, accept this invitation.
Dekuji. Besten Dank. Thank you. Toda raba. Tante grazie. Merci beaucoup.
Dr. Petr Vasicek Dott. Mario U. Morini
Kaiserstr. 7Via Nova Levante, 23
A-1070 Wien I - 00135 Roma
tel/fax +43.1.5262403 tel. +39.06.35077092
Emai: pvasicek@hotmail.com
Email: mumorini@comm2000.it
Attention
Mr. Jindrich Skocdopole, Mayor, Polná, Czech Republic
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