Milán Václavík
Milán Václavík | |
---|---|
200px | |
Minister of Defense | |
In office 11 January 1985 – 3 December 1989 |
|
President | Gustav Husak |
Prime Minister | Lubomir Strougal Ladislav Adamec |
Preceded by | Martin Dzúr |
Succeeded by | Miroslav Vacek |
Personal details | |
Born | 28 March 1928 Predmier |
Died | 2007 (aged 78–79) |
Nationality | Slovak |
Political party | Communist Party of Czechoslovakia |
Alma mater | Frunze Military Academy General Staff Academy |
Military service | |
Allegiance | Czechoslovakia |
Rank | Colonel General |
Milán Václavík (28 March 1928 – 2007) was a Slovak-origin Czechoslovak military officer with the rank of colonel general. He served as defense minister from 1985 to 1989, being the last communist-era defense minister of Czechoslovakia.
Early life
Václavík was born in Predmier, Zilina district in Slovakia, on 28 March 1928.[1][2] He held an engineering degree.[1] In the 1950s he was sent to the Soviet Union for military training and attended the Frunze Military Academy and the General Staff Academy.[1]
Career
Václavík worked as an engineer until 1949 when he joined the Czechoslovak People's Army.[1] In the 1970s he served as deputy commander of the western military district.[1] He was later promoted to the rank of colonel general.[3] He served as first deputy chief of the army General Staff from 1983 to 11 January 1985.[1][4]
He was appointed defense minister on 11 January 1985, replacing Martin Dzúr in the post.[4][5] Václavík served in the cabinet led by Prime Minister Lubomir Strougal under the president of Gustáv Husák.[6] Václavík became a member of the central committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia soon after his appointment.[7] He retained his post in the cabinet formed by Prime Minister Ladislav Adamec in October 1988.[8]
On 29 November 1989 Václavík was asked by the Federal Assembly to answer the question to whom the Czech army was subordinated.[3] In response Václavík stated that it was subordinated to those who supported socialism, leading to concerns among the Czech parliamentarians.[3] Upon this incident and due to the pressures on the Prime Minister Adamec to relieve him from the post he was removed from office.[3][9] Then Miroslav Vacek became the new defense minister on 3 December 1989.[10][11]
Later years and death
Following his removal from office Václavík lost all his credibility due to his support for the continuation of the communist regime in the country.[12] He was prosecuted in January 1996 together with other major former Communist Party figures. All of them were charged with the illegal arming of the militia.[13][14] In September 1996 Václavík was pardoned by the president Václav Havel because of poor health.[13][14] Václavík died in 2007.[10]
References
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- 1928 births
- 2007 deaths
- Communist Party of Czechoslovakia politicians
- Czechoslovak expatriates in the Soviet Union
- Czechoslovak military personnel
- Frunze Military Academy alumni
- General Staff Academy (Soviet Union) alumni
- Government ministers of Czechoslovakia
- People of the Cold War
- People from Žilina District
- Slovak engineers
- Slovak generals