Josef Ježek

Josef Ježek

Josef Ježek 1939
Minister of the Interior of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia
In office
July 1, 1939 – January 19, 1942
President Emil Hácha
Preceded by Alois Elias
Succeeded by Richard Bienert
Personal details
Born (1884-08-02)August 2, 1884
Žamberk, Austria-Hungary
Died May 10, 1969(1969-05-10) (aged 84)
Prague , Czechoslovakia
Political party National Partnership

Josef Jezek (August 2, 1884 - May 10, 1969 ) was a Czech General Police Officer, Politician and the Minister of the Interior in the government of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia during the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia.

Early life and education

Josef Jezek was born to Frantisek and Josefa Jezek in Žamberk, Austria-Hungary, a town currently located in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic.[1] His father, Frantisek, was an educator who founded the town school in Senftenberg. He completed his early education and some high school when he enrolled in cadet school in Vienna. After graduation he was assigned to the 22nd Infantry Regiment zeměbraneckému in Chernivtsi. He ended his army service with the rank of lieutenant.

Police career

In 1909 Jezek joined the government police, where he served on the Provincial Gendarmerie Command No. 13 in Chernivtsi. The following year passed the professional exam and became commander of the gendarme department in Vyžnyjcy . A few months later he was appointed adjutant commander in Chernivtsi. In 1913 he was promoted to the rank of captain and two years later in 1915 he was transferred to the police headquarters in Vienna, where he was assigned as commander of the department in Sankt Poelten. In 1918, after the establishment of independent Czechoslovakia, he became the commander of the police department in Jindrichuv Hradec. In 1919 he was went to Bratislava, where he became as adjutant provincial police commander. Several years later he was promoted to General Commander of the Police. [2]

Political career

On March 16, 1939 Adolf Hitler established the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia after the German occupation of Czechoslovakia the previous day. In July 1939 Prime Minister Alois Elias appointed Jezek the Interior Minister of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia government. Soon after his appointment Jezek was summoned to Berlin where he was informed by Heinrich Himmler that Germany would do whatever was necessary to have the Czech people conform to the new regime.[3][4][5] His sentiment often opposes the occupation officials and although he could not openly join the resistance, he supported it.[6] In January 1942 Jezek was relieved of his duties as the Interior Minister for refusing to swear an oath of loyalty. After the war, in 1945 and again in 1947, Jezek was arrested for his activities for the Protectorate but was acquitted of the charges and set free. In 1954 the communist regime tried him for espionage and treason and sentenced him 25 years. He was released early in 1960.[7][8]

Personal life

In the 1910 Jezek married Olga Semak, a local noblewoman, daughter of Eugene Semak. In 1913 they had a daughter. Jezek died in Prague on May 10, 1969. He is buried in the Olšany Cemetery in Prague.

References

  1. ↑ "Czech Republic Church Books, 1552-1963, Baptisms (Křty) 1876-1888 (v. 2245) image 180". FamilySearch.
  2. ↑ Long, Michal (2014). Century Chetnik Criminology: History of criminology at the gendarmerie in the Czech Republic. World of Wings. pp. 316–317. ISBN 978-80-87567-42-5.
  3. ↑ "In the World". The New York Sun (Page A1 July 22, 1939) – via fultonhistory.com.
  4. ↑ "PROTECTORATE'S GOVERNMENT ISSUED SEPTEMBER 1939". Radio Praha.
  5. ↑ "NAZI EXASPERATION WITH CZECHS GROWS; Interior Minister Is Warned by Himmler That Ruthlessness May Become Necessary". The New York Times (Page 10). July 20, 1939.
  6. ↑ "Generálmajor Josef Ježek" (PDF). ŽAMBERSKÉ LISTY.
  7. ↑ Klečanský, Martin (2014). Modern History: Studies into 19th and 20th century history. Institute of History, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. pp. Volume 22, Issue 2, Pages 155–187.
  8. ↑ "Generals tried for collaborating with the Germans". Fronta.cz.
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