Historian: Cult of personality fit for Stalin, not TGM

Pavel Vondra
14. 9. 2007 20:20
Masaryk´s father figure still commands respect

Prague - One might be forgiven for thinking the famous acronym TGM stands for The Great Man, not for the actual name of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, the founding father and the first president of Czechoslovakia who died 70 years ago today.

Indeed, with all the homages being paid to the man whose name has to be undisputed number one in the Czech and Moravian urban topography of today, questions necessarily arise of the very nature of such devotion.

"Inappropriate term"

"Is this a cult of personality?" one of our readers, clearly thinking along the same lines, asked today during the on-line interview with Eva Broklová, Deputy Director of the Masaryk Institute of The Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and herself an author of several books on the topic of TGM.

"I would not use the term cult of personality for characterizing the affinity Czechoslovakian citizens felt for president Masaryk, because of the connotations it has of the cult surrounding (the Soviet Union leader Joseph) Stalin," said Ms Broklová.

Don´t say that word (Eva Broklová)
Don´t say that word (Eva Broklová) | Foto: Jakub Antoš

"I even consider it inappropriate. The esteem in which people held the founder of the state was adequate to his merits and personality. The educated stratum of the society realized how matchless he was in many ways," she added.

"Furthermore, the use of the word cult is inappropriate given Masaryk's modesty and his qualities. His was an extraordinary personality, which was noted already by his contemporaries," the historian said while refusing the reader's suggestion to compare Masaryk with some other statesmen of today. "It would not be in their favor," she explained.

Klaus inspired, Topolánek charged

The incumbent Czech president Václav Klaus paid respect to Masaryk during the special ceremony at the Prague Castle yesterday evening, which was attended by Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek, Chamber of Deputies chairman Miloslav Vlček and other prominent guests. The predecessor of Mr Klaus Václav Havel was also in the audience.

Towering figure. The statue of the first president in front of the Brno university bearing his name
Towering figure. The statue of the first president in front of the Brno university bearing his name | Foto: Tomáš Adamec, Aktuálně.cz

Mr Klaus called Masaryk an enduring inspiration for the Czech democracy and made a special mention of his "positive patriotism, which was not aimed against anybody".

Mr Topolánek, clearly taking a swipe at some of his own political rivals, found other features in TGM worthy of emulation, namely his "resistance against the pressures of populism" and his sticking to his vision and not changing it according to "where the media wind blows".

Masaryk was the president of Czechoslovakia from its inception in 1918 in which he played a major role until 1935 when he resigned for health reasons. He died two years later on September 14, 1937.

 

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