Czechs and Independence Day: Between History and Citizenship

The celebrations of the Czechoslovak Independence Day, held in Prague on 28 October 2025 with the participation of President Petr Pavel and the highest state authorities, highlighted the significance of the First Czechoslovak Republic’s traditions for contemporary Czech identity. The ceremonies at Vítkov and Prague Castle, during which state decorations and general appointments were presented, became symbols of the continuity of republican values. The Czech style of celebration is more formal than emotional, reflecting society’s pragmatic attitude toward the past.

On 28 October, Czechs celebrate the Day of the Establishment of the Independent Czechoslovak State (Den vzniku samostatného československého státu), or Czechoslovak Independence Day. The holiday, established in 2000, commemorates the anniversary of 28 October 1918, when representatives of the Czechoslovak National Committee issued a proclamation declaring the creation of Czechoslovakia and adopted the act founding the independent state. Today, the main ceremonies usually take place at the National Monument on Vítkov Hill in Prague. A military parade is held there, followed by a minute of silence and the laying of a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. On this day, a ceremonial swearing-in of Czech Army soldiers also takes place in Hradčany Square. The President of the Czech Republic, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, confers general ranks. On this occasion, the President also traditionally awards selected individuals with state decorations of the Czech Republic: the Order of the White Lion, the highest state honor; the Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk; the Medal for Heroism; and the Medal of Merit. The organization of such state ceremonies on the Day of the Establishment of the Independent Czechoslovak Republic confirms the immense importance of the interwar period for modern Czech national identity and political culture.

Czech national identity developed in the tension between the legacy of the Habsburg Empire and the ideals of the First Czechoslovak Republic. The Habsburg period represented an ambivalent heritage for the Czechs. On the one hand, it was a time of modernization, administrative development, and social reforms (especially under Maria Theresa and Joseph II), which paradoxically contributed to the awakening of modern national consciousness. On the other hand, it was a period of German language dominance and political dependence, which Czech National Revival activists viewed as a threat to Czech culture and language. In this context, the 19th-century Czech national movement, rooted in the idea of Slavic origin, elevated the Czech language to the status of the main national symbol and the foundation of distinctiveness from the German “Habsburg heritage.” The First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–1938) fulfilled the nation’s emancipatory aspirations and created the myth of a “golden age”: a democratic state grounded in the ideals of humanism and Masaryk’s rationalism. That state became a reference point for modern national identity, symbolizing a moment of full sovereignty after centuries of subordination. However, the republican vision of Czech identity was, in essence, a continuation and reinterpretation of the Habsburg legacy: it combined modern state institutions with ethnosymbolic references to “Czech roots,” language, and history. As a result, modern Czech national identity brings together elements of rational citizenship derived from the Habsburg tradition of modernization with the romantic myth of the First Republic as the realization of national aspirations.[1]

On 28 October 2025, the Czech Republic solemnly celebrated the 107th anniversary of the founding of independent Czechoslovakia. The celebrations began with President Petr Pavel laying a wreath at the grave of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk in Lány, followed by ceremonies at the National Memorial on Vítkov Hill in Prague, where representatives of state authorities, the military, and veterans paid tribute to the founders of the state. The highlight of the day was the evening ceremony in the Vladislav Hall of Prague Castle, during which the President presented state decorations and appointed new generals.

Petr Pavel, a former military officer and NATO general, awarded general ranks to eight individuals this year. The honorees included representatives of various institutions responsible for state security—both from the army and from intelligence, police, prison, and fire services. The range of nominations shows that the head of state honored not only military officers but also members of the internal security apparatus, emphasizing a broad understanding of service to the state.

Decorations. During the evening state ceremony, 48 decorations were also presented for merit in areas such as national defense, science, culture, social activity, and heroism. The highest Czech decoration, the Order of the White Lion, was awarded in memoriam to legionnaire and resistance activist Hugo Vojta, anti-Nazi and anti-Communist underground officer Jaromír Nechanský, and physicist and chairwoman of the State Office for Nuclear Safety Dana Drábová. Among the living recipients were Zdeněk Svěrák, a distinguished actor, screenwriter, and playwright (known to Polish audiences from films such as Kolya and Empties), and world-famous tennis player Martina Navrátilová, honored for representing the nation and for her work for freedom and equality.

The Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, awarded for outstanding contributions to democracy, human rights, and civic engagement, was presented in memoriam to former Minister of Justice Otakar Motejl, anti-Communist opposition activist and Charter 77 signatory Dana Němcová, and Šimon Pánek, director of the humanitarian organization People in Need. The Medal for Heroism was awarded to eight individuals, including both soldiers participating in foreign missions and ordinary citizens who displayed bravery in everyday situations. Among them were soldier David Hurák, who saved his unit in Afghanistan despite being seriously wounded, and 10-year-old Šimon Malý, who rescued his drowning grandfather. Also honored were brothers Martin and Jakub Černý, who pulled two boys from icy water near Prague’s Černý Most.

In his speech, President Pavel emphasized the importance of courage, responsibility, and solidarity in times of growing international threats. He also noted that the results of the recent parliamentary elections reflected society’s expectations for new faces in politics and greater participation of women and young people in public life. The entire celebration of 28 October 2025 thus took place in an atmosphere of national pride, reflection on history, and respect for those who serve the state—both in uniform and through everyday work for the common good.

Commentary. This year’s 28 October celebrations in the Czech Republic demonstrate that Czech national identity is founded on civic rather than purely historical principles. Although state ceremonies still refer to the founding myth of 1918, they also serve as opportunities for reflection on the condition of the modern state—its responsibilities, values, and place in Europe. In this context, the ceremony of presenting state decorations acquires particular significance as a form of symbolic dialogue between past and present. Honoring both historical heroes and individuals distinguished in science, culture, or humanitarian work shows that modern Czech patriotism is increasingly defined by everyday service to society rather than by great historical deeds.

At the same time, for much of Czech society, the anniversary has a more official than emotional character. This stems both from the Czechs’ pragmatic attitude toward the past and their detached approach to national symbols. Unlike many other countries in the region, where national holidays often serve as occasions for displays of patriotic emotion, in the Czech Republic 28 October is celebrated more as a state holiday than as a national one in the emotional sense—respectfully, but without excessive pathos. In public consciousness, it is seen primarily as a day to honor the state and its institutions, not necessarily as an occasion for spontaneous expressions of national unity. Ceremonies such as the presentation of decorations reinforce this tone of officialdom: they primarily express the continuity of statehood and recognition for those who serve it visibly and institutionally. As a result, the holiday fulfills its role of social integration more through shared respect for the state and its structures than through an emotional sense of national unity. This emotional distance, however, does not imply a lack of identification—it rather reflects the particular character of Czech patriotism, which remains balanced, ironic, and grounded in everyday loyalty to republican values.

[1] V. Kolaříková (2020), Czech National Identity and the Elements Through Which is Constructed, „Czech-Polish Historical and Pedagogical Journal”, 12/2, p. 66-96.