Commemoration of Jan Palach

Students of the Faculty of Arts of Charles University in Prague commemorated yesterday the memory of Jan Palach, a student of this faculty, who committed a suicide in protest against the Soviet occupation of the Czechoslovakia.

Jan Palach publicly immolated himself at the upper part of Wenceslas Square on 16th January 1969. He suffered severe burns and died in hospital three days later. His funeral in Olsanske hrbitovy on 25th January 1969 turn out to a big manifestation for freedom and democracy.

Yesterday the Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek laid flowers at Palach’s commemorative plague on the front wall of the faculty next to the main entrance. The square where the faculty is situated is called after Palach – nam. Jana Palacha.