Military flyover marks Czech statehood anniversary at Prague’s Vítkov

Military aircraft and helicopters flew over Prague’s Vítkov memorial Wednesday as Czech leaders gathered to commemorate the 108th anniversary of Czechoslovakia’s founding.

President Petr Pavel, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and other senior officials laid wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. War veterans, military personnel and church representatives also attended the ceremony at the National Memorial.

The commemoration formed part of nationwide observances of Oct. 28, the public holiday marking the establishment of an independent Czechoslovak state in 1918.

The ceremony opened with the national anthem. Soldiers then carried historic military banners into the memorial’s ceremonial courtyard to the sound of the Hussite hymn Ktož jsú boží bojovníci.

After the wreath-laying, those present observed a minute of silence for fallen soldiers. A military bugle call and a ceremonial gun salute followed.

The event concluded with a military march and the flyover above the memorial, which overlooks Prague from Vítkov Hill.

Among those laying wreaths were Senate President Miloš Vystrčil, Chief of the General Staff Miroslav Hlaváč and Defense Minister Jaromír Zůna. Chamber of Deputies Speaker Tomio Okamura and outgoing Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda also attended.

Anniversary events were taking place elsewhere in Czechia, including in Lány, Plzeň, Ostrava, Hradec Králové and Znojmo.

Pavel’s holiday program also included the appointment of new generals at 11 a.m. and an evening state honors ceremony at Prague Castle. This year, 51 people are due to receive state decorations, three more than last year.

The National Memorial was built between 1929 and 1938 to honor the Czechoslovak Legionnaires, whose service during World War I was closely associated with the creation of the independent state.

Its role changed after the communist takeover in 1948. The regime used the building for political promotion, and prominent Communist Party figures were buried there.

Following the fall of communism in 1989, their remains were removed from the memorial.

The National Museum took over administration of the site in 2000. In June 2024, ownership transferred to the Defense Ministry, with the Military History Institute Prague assuming responsibility for its management.

Wednesday’s ceremony centered on remembrance at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, bringing the memorial’s military heritage into the national observance of Czechoslovakia’s founding.