Family History    Wines

Photography       Books


Amazon Bestsellers

TheRagens
Site Contents

Home Page

Book Resources

Family History

Newsletters

Reunions

Wildlife Photos

Wine Tastings
 - Bottled Poetry

Other Pages
 

About Us

Contact Us

Privacy Policy

Registration

Site Map
 


Affiliate Sites

Deal of the Day

Powell's Books

Altrec.com - Outdoor Gear

Additional Affiliate Programs

My Century And My Many Lives, by Frank Munk
Memoirs, 1993
Postscript, 1994

Frank Munk, my grandfather, wrote this autobiography to record his memories from 1901 onwards. This history and its postscript are available on our family website in his memory as they tell a complete story of the 20th century. These memoirs may be referenced as long as proper attribution is made; our family retains ownership and copyright. We have one request: if you reference this material in any way, please send us email at feedback@theragens.com and a copy of the paper, if possible, as we would like to know when this material is of interest and we are curious as to how it is being used. We'd like to hear from you.
© Copyright 1993, 1994, The Munk/Ragen Families

THE ROAD TO MUNICH
CHAPTER 10

Little did Nadia and I expect after our return from America in 1933 that the next few years would be the most nerve-racking period of our lives. On the way back we spent three months in Berlin, where I wanted to complete my research. We therefore saw Germany immediately after Hitler's seizure of power. Nevertheless, I did not expect that the next major crisis would involve Czechoslovakia.

The question of some three million German speakers in Czechoslovakia, mostly in areas adjacent to Germany, later known as the Sudetenland, became the focus of Hitler's drive to dominate Europe. I became involved in the crisis early. I found it recounted in a book that was smuggled out of Czechoslovakia and published in Canada, the memoirs of my old friend Prokop Drtina, who had served in the presidential office of T.G. Masaryk and later as Dr. Benes's secretary. In his autobiography called "Czechoslovakia - My Fate" ["Ceskoslovensko - Muj Osud"] Drtina described our efforts to come to terms with the leader of the German pro-Nazi movement, Konrad Henlein. Within a few years he became spokesman for the overwhelming majority of Germans and a very controversial figure.

Many leading Czech politicians, including the man who was soon to become President, Dr. Benes, were opposed to any dealings and compromises with Henlein. Others thought of possible accommodation. To reach a decision, a small group of young politicians, to which I belonged, decided to invite Henlein and have it out with him. Drtina in his memoirs describes the historic meeting in some detail, naming the participants, including me. Henlein, who was accompanied by his lieutenants, proclaimed his devotion to democracy, accommodation with the Czechs, and loyalty to the republic. The Czech participants disbelieved his professions, saw through his feints, and warned the government of the danger. They proved right later. When Henlein published his memoirs, he admitted that from the beginning he followed Hitler's orders. He then became his Gauleiter, when the Nazis annexed first a part and later the bulk of Czechoslovakia. I have to make a correction to a chapter I wrote earlier: this meeting took place in the fall of 1934, not in 1936.

In 1935, President Masaryk resigned on account of ill health and Benes replaced him. Two years later Masaryk died. His funeral became a manifestation of devotion to the idea of his republic and of opposition to fascism as represented by Hitler. The situation became more and more dangerous until Hitler openly proclaimed his aim of destroying Czechoslovakia.

In May of 1938, a few months after Germany invaded and annexed Austria, Czech intelligence warned Benes of German military moves in the direction of Czech borders. Germany issued a denial, but I am sure that the warnings were correct. As an example, the names of the German generals mentioned as commanding the three Reichswehr columns [Blaskowitz, Reichenau, and List] were the exact generals who led the real invasion on March 15, 1939. Benes declared a partial mobilization on May 20, 1938. It was vastly successful, but it enraged Hitler.

It so happened that my brother-in-law, Arthur F. Scott, husband of Nadia's sister Vera, was visiting us at that time. Through my connections with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I arranged for the Ministry to put at my disposal an official car and driver. We also received permission to visit the mobilized army units on the border of Germany. Both Arthur and I were impressed by the spirit and caliber of the regiments and the weapons we saw: heavy and field artillery, tanks, antiaircraft guns, etc. A major, who accompanied us, also showed us part of the fortifications along all the German borders. They were very impressive, at least to a layman. The heavy weaponry seized by the Germans after the 1939 invasion was said to have made the German breakthrough in France a year later.

Arthur Scott's visit proved to be very helpful to us when things got critical. After inspecting the fortifications, Arthur was rather pessimistic and offered us help if we ever should need it. I declined with thanks, but it happened to be vital when we had to leave Prague in a big hurry and he arranged with the President of Reed College in Portland for me to teach there.

Czechoslovakia tried desperately to assure French and British support in the face of the German challenge -- even I was mobilized to go to Cliveden, the core of English appeasement efforts in 1937. By the middle of September the situation got desperate. After Chamberlain visited Hitler in his mountain retreat near Berchtesgaden, France and Britain put pressure on Czechoslovakia to accept Hitler's demands and turn over the Sudetenland to Germany. There were massive demonstrations in Prague against the surrender and a new government headed by a general was appointed. We of the small political group that met in the Havel residence also opposed accepting the Franco-British plan.

Chamberlain flew once more to visit Hitler at Godesberg. He was enraged by the latter's intransigence and recommended that Czechoslovakia mobilize for defense against the expected aggression. Immediately a full mobilization was undertaken and the country made ready for war. I drove Nadia and the children to Kutná Hora, since I expected a bombing raid on Prague at any moment. I believed they would be relatively safe in Kutná Hora, which did not seem to be a military target. I myself returned to Prague and prepared for the bombing by blacking out the windows in our house.

A strange episode happened on September 29, 1938. Some time earlier I had joined the Defense Corps of Czechoslovak Motorists. Its members offered to volunteer with the armed forces in case of war by serving, together with their vehicles, in whatever way would be necessary. In the afternoon of that day I received a call from the army ordering me to report with my Skoda-Popular immediately at the barracks named after Czech King George of Podebrad. When I reported for duty at the barracks, which are located in the center of Prague, I was told that I would be taking two officers to a place in the north of Bohemia, that the officers would guide me, and that I was never to mention the trip to anybody, not even to army personnel. It was the worst trip of my life. It was a hazy day, it soon got dark and the only lights permitted at the time of general blackout was a blue plastic shield covering the lights. You could barely see a few yards ahead. I drove over two hours, practically blind and not knowing where we were. My two passengers, a colonel and a major, did not speak at all. Finally, we stopped at a barrier surrounded by soldiers in full field gear, supported by a machine gun. The two officers got out, showed their identification and walked away, ordering me to wait in the car. After several hours they came back and I drove them to Prague. In the meantime it started raining. I still do not know how I made it. When they got out they again warned me not to mention the trip to anyone. My guess is that it was an attempt at a military coup against the anticipated acceptance of surrender. Rumors of such a coup were certainly in circulation among the initiated.

The surrender came indeed the next day. Hitler, Mussolini, Chamberlain, and Daladier met in Munich and completely surrendered to Hitler's demands. One third of Czech territory was ceded to Germany. The rest was annexed six months later. My basic pessimism [call it realism] carries the dismal date of September 30, 1938. It was a historic day -- a day to remember. I never will forget it.

I have never felt more badly. My pessimism can be dated as of September 30, 1938.

 

The books listed below provide additional background on this period of history to help illustrate this portion of my grandfather's memoirs.

bullet

Czechoslovakia Between Stalin and Hitler: The Diplomacy of Edvard Benes in the 1930s; Igor Lukes (1996)

bullet

Chamberlain and Appeasement: British Policy and the Coming of the Second World War; Robert Alexander Clark Parker

 

 

Click here for the next chapter

Return to the Munk Biography Page

Return to the Ragen's Family History Page



 

TheRagens Home Page   Family History   Recommended Book Lists   Wine Tastings and Recommendations   Wildlife Photos   Feedback and
Site Registration

 

Search:
Keywords:
Amazon Logo
 
Abebooks
Author
Title
red

 

by title by author