Memorial Plaque to Western Resistance fighter and Czechoslovak hero of Battles of Tobruk and Dunkirk Bernard Papánek unveiled

Deputy Defence Minister Marian Majer attended a ceremony marking the unveiling of the Memorial Plaque to Western Resistance fighter and Czechoslovak hero of the Battles of Tobruk and Dunkirk Bernard Papánek. The unveiling took place in the village of Šajdíkové Humence, County Senica, South West Slovakia.

The Military Support Foundation joined forces with Šajdíkové Humence Village Council to arrange for the design and installation of the Bernard Papánek Memorial Plaque. Through the MOD Grant Scheme, the Ministry of Defence contributed to funding the project.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, Marian Majer said: ”Mr Papánek was a real role model, embodying all the virtues of a genuine fighter for freedom and justice. Despite going through difficult times, he was committed to fighting for the principles he believed in, anywhere and under all circumstances. For his valiant service in the memorable Siege of Tobruk and the Battle of Dunkirk, he was called “Mr Indestructible” by his fellow soldiers. I hope this memorial plaque will help “Mr Indestructible” become “Mr Unforgettable” as well.”

Bernard Papánek was born into a Jewish family on 17 January 1920 in Vienna. However, his father's family roots were in Vrádište close to Skalica, hence his Slovak citizenship. After the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938, he managed to escape to Brno. Hardly had the Nazis occupied Bohemia and Moravia than he fled to Palestine.

In October 1942, Bernard joined the Czechoslovak Army units stationed in Palestine. On completing his military training in Haifa, he deployed with the Czechoslovak forces to take part in the Battle of Tobruk in North Africa. He served in an anti-aircraft battery of the 200th Czechoslovak Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment.

The Czechoslovak troops were then transferred to the UK, where they joined forces with the 1st Czechoslovak Independent Armoured Brigade Group (CIABG) before being shipped out to the Battle of Dunkirk in France. It was there in December 1944 that Bernard sustained two shrapnel wounds of the belly. He was lucky enough to survive and recover from the serious wounds.

All of his family, except for his younger brother and uncle, had perished tragically in the Nazi concentration camps in WW2. Shortly after the war, Bernard returned to Czechoslovakia only to face persecution for being a Western Resistance fighter at the hands of the communist regime. As communism overtook the country, Bernard and his wife fled to Israel in 1964. Following his wife's death, he moved to Slovakia in 2014. He lived out his last years with his step-daughter in Šajdíkové Humence.

For his dedicated service in WW2, Western Resistance fighter and Czechoslovak hero of the Battles of Tobruk and Dunkirk Bernard Papánek was awarded the Africa Star Campaign Medal, the Czechoslovak Military Medal of Merit 2nd Grade and the Czechoslovak Military Medal for Bravery in the Face of the Enemy.

To mark his 100th birthday in 2020, Bernard Papánek was joined for celebrations with Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď who turned up in person to recognise his service and sacrifice in WW2. On this occasion, Minister Naď presented him with the War Veteran Memorial Cross. Bernard Papánek passed away at the age of 101 on 21 January 2021 in Skalica.