Prague Castle

History and tradition

The foundation of the Czechoslovak Republic on October 28, 1918 was the initial impulse for the establishment of a unit to guard the seat of the President at Prague Castle.

On November 14, 1918, Tomas Garrigue Masaryk was elected the first President of Czechoslovakia by the Constitutional Assembly. Masaryk's name is connected with the building of the guard of Prague Castle and the temporary seats of the President of the Czechoslovak Republic in Lany and Topolcianky.

In 1919 the Office of the President of the Republic was established by law. An integral component of this office was a military division providing contact of the President with the Czechoslovak army, of which he was Commander in Chief. A member of the military division was the Castle commander, whose field of activity included the administration and command of the Castle Guard.

The composition of the guard in the years 1918 - 1920 cannot be precisely specified, but it is clear that in the first period following the foundation of the Republic, Prague Castle was guarded by the Sokol Community of Hradcany. Later the guard was composed of legionnaires, who fought on the side of the Allies in Russia, Italy and France.

In 1920 Defence Act No. 193/20 Coll. was passed, which meant the legal delineation of defence of the Republic.

In 1921 the Lany Chateau became the seat of the President, used primarily by T.G. Masaryk. The complex in Topolciany was used for holidays and working visits.

During the course of 1922 the document "Organisation and functions of the Castle Guard" was compiled, and signed by the President of the Republic. This document sealed the creation of the Castle Guard, which in its initial phase numbered 195 officers and long-term personnel. A further important document was the processing of new ceremonial occasions, compiled by Dr. J. Guth‑Jarkovsky, which is valid with small amendments to this day. A third fundamental document of this year was the processing of the principles of supplementing the Castle Guard with members of the Czechoslovak army.

For the entire first decade of the Castle Guard's existence the issue of its apparel had been dealt with between the Military Department of the Office of the President of the Republic and the Ministry of National Defence. It was not until 1929 that the then Minister of National Defence consented that the Castle Guard may use the historic uniforms of Czechoslovak legionnaires from the French, Italian and Russian fronts. This first time took place on October 28, 1929 on the occasion of the celebration of the foundation of the Republic, and this state of affairs continued uninterrupted until the May mobilisation of forces in 1938.

In the years 1936 - 1938 the international situation became increasingly complicated and the pressure from Nazi Germany on the Czechoslovak Republic became ever greater. During this period also the Castle Guard fulfilled the tasks it was assigned, and during the September mobilisation in 1938 was prepared to protect Prague Castle as the seat of the President of the Czechoslovak Republic.

Following the occupation of the Republic by the German armies on March 15, 1939, the Castle Guard at Prague Castle continued to serve until June 29. After July its tasks were taken over by the 1st Battalion of the governmental army, which began guarding the Presidential seat in Lany and subsequently Prague Castle in September 1939. However, this did not concern the guarding of the entire complex of Prague Castle, but only a very small part thereof, since the predominant part was guarded by the German armies. This state of affairs was more evident still after the time when the infirm "State President" Emil Hacha dwelled in Lany. This state of command and subordination continued until the uprising of the Czech people in May 1945. Prague Castle was cut off by the German armies and Czech patriots were executed in the lower Jeleni prikop ("Deer Moat").

On May 12, 1945 the Government Army was dissolved by the order of the Minister of National Defence, and the guarding of Prague Castle and the President of the Republic Edvard Benes was taken over for a short period by members of the Presidential Guard from Great Britain.

In the years 1945 - 1948 the Castle Guard was again built up according to the model which was applied in the years of the First Republic. The composition of the Castle Guard varied, from members of the foreign resistance to members of the former 1st Battalion of the Government Army. Lieutenant Colonel Novak, commander of the Guard of President Edvard Benes in London became Commander of the Castle Guard. During these years there were constant dealings over certain competences between the Castle Guard and members of the newly appointed National Security Corps. Until the abdication of President Edvard Benes in June 1948, the Castle Guard had the same standing as before World War II. This was symbolically documented also by the fact that the original standard of the Castle Guard was ceremonially returned in July 1945, after having been stored for the entire period of the occupation.

With the election of Klement Gottwald as President of the Republic in June 1948, the Castle Guard gradually lost its privileged status in guarding the President of the Republic and became more or less a merely symbolic unit designated for carrying out representative tasks. The Castle Guard was subordinated to a Special Division of the National Security Corps "HRAD" ("CASTLE"), for the protection of the President, which gradually took over all internal guarding of Prague Castle and the Castle Guard performed only outside guarding. With regard to the insufficient number of new long-term servicemen, soldiers from the compulsory military service joined the Castle Guard for the first time.

A crucial date was December 15, 1952, when the Castle Guard ceased to be a part of the army but became a part of the Ministry of the Interior - Home Guard as the 14th Special Battalion, with the task of guarding the building of Prague Castle. In the 1950s and 60s the unit underwent several changes. The number of guarded buildings increased, such as the Ministry of National Security, the Government Presidium Office, the State Planning Commission and others. The Battalion was a part of the 1st Motor-Mechanised Brigade of the Home Guard, but this underwent various reorganisations, which were so typical of this period.

In 1960 the entire Battalion moved from the original barracks of the Castle Guard on Jirske square to the barracks on Loretanska street (the former Martinicky palace), which are used by the Castle Guard to this day.

In 1962 the Battalion was detached from the 1^st Motor-Mechanised Brigade of the Home Guard and became directly subordinate to the Command of the Home Guard - as the 7th Special Battalion of the Home Guard - Ministry of the Interior.

On January 1, 1963, Major Karel Svoboda took over the function of commander, and remained in this position until April 30, 1987.

In 1964 the commands of the Border and Home Guard were combined, and the 7th Special Battalion was subordinated to the command of the 2nd Regiment of the Home Guard in the Vrsovice district of Prague. During this period, the Castle Guard took part in several security events, ceremonial acts at Prague Castle, Letna, the May 1st celebrations, Spartakiad festivals and many more events with which it was entrusted by the 8th Administration of the National Security Corps.

In 1966 a further serious reorganisation took place - the 7^th Special Battalion was subordinated to the Civil Defence Headquarters of the Ministry of the Interior.

In 1967 and 1968 no fundamental changes took place within the performance of service. During the events of August 1968 a partial breakdown of the service occurred in the case of the then guarded buildings, but the guard was renewed within a few days.

On the basis of several negotiations, the CASTLE GUARD OF THE CZECHOSLOVAK SOCIALIST REPUBLIC was established upon the order of the Minister of the Interior, with effect as of March 1, 1970. As appendices to this order, the "STATUTES OF THE CASTLE GUARD OF THE CZECHOSLOVAK SOCIALIST REPUBLIC" were issued, in which the tasks of the Castle Guard of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic were precisely specified, including its subordination to the 5th Administration of the National Security Corps and other professional units of the Federal Ministry of the Interior. At the same time a building was obtained in Dobra Voda u Breznice, where basic training of rookies entering compulsory military service in the Castle Guard takes place to this day. During these years the Castle Guard also gradually transferred buildings for guarding to the 5th Administration of the National Security Corps or to the Security Regiment of the Ministry of the Interior.

In the years 1973 - 1975 the Castle Guard protected only one building of special importance - the Castle itself. In co-operation with the 5th Administration of the National Security Corps and the Office of the President of the Republic, the Czech crown jewels were opened up to the public between the years 1968 and 1975.

In 1976 the Armies of the Ministry of the Interior, of which the Castle Guard became a component, were founded on the order of the Minister of the Interior No. 019/76. From 1978 the Castle Guard was subordinated in terms of organisation and command to the Administration of the Armies of the Ministry of the Interior, and in the fulfilment of security tasks continued to be subordinate to the 5th Administration of the National Security Corps. This situation continued until January 31, 1990. The Castle Guard protected the building in Lany and the Prague Castle complex. From the perspective of a surveillance service and protection of the President of the Republic, the Castle Guard was divided in terms of its competences into two guards: "HRAD" ("CASTLE") - for representative guarding and "BELVEDER" ("BELVEDERE") for surveillance of the Presidential residence in co-operation with the 5th Administration of the National Security Corps.

In 1981 the Guard Battalion Drin in Kladno became a component of the Castle Guard.

From 1985 to 1989 the Castle Guard of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic took part in several representative and security events, but did not intervene against demonstrators in a single incident.

The intervention against students on November 17, 1989 set a nationwide movement in motion, which brought fundamental changes to the life of our nations. Naturally this intervention had impacts also on the members of the Castle Guard. In December 1989 Vaclav Havel was elected President by the Federal Assembly of the CSSR. On January 8, 1990 he visited the barracks of the Castle Guard in Loretanska street.

On January 31, 1990 the Federal Assembly passed Act No. 20/1990 on the establishment of the Administration of the Protection of the President of the Republic of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic ("CSSR") and the Castle Guard of the CSSR, with effect as of February 1, 1990. The most fundamental change was that the Castle Guard was transferred from its subordination to the Ministry of the Interior back to the Ministry of National Defence, with direct command subordination to the Chief of Staff of the Military Office of the President of the Republic, and that its tasks were stipulated by law for the first time. With the passing of the law on the Castle Guard, the gradual building of a new organisation of the Castle Guard was commenced, composed of a regiment, education and training group, technical group, administrative group, financial group, health service and six guard- and security groups detached in Prague, Dobra Voda and Lany. For the first time in history a fanfare orchestra was founded in the Castle Guard, as well as a motorcycle unit. Fundamental changes also occurred within the guarded complex of Prague Castle. From the beginning Prague Castle was guarded only by the one "HRAD" ("CASTLE") guard from the guard house on the 4th courtyard of Prague Castle, and later the "ZAHRADY" ("GARDENS") guard was created, with a guard house on the Stajovy dvur ("Stable courtyard"), for guarding of the Garden residence of the President of the Republic in the Royal Garden. Surveillance of the southern gardens of Prague Castle and the Royal Garden became a part of the guard service, following their opening to the public. The guard service itself was demanding, particularly in terms of psychological resilience, since as a result of the number of soldiers on compulsory military service caused by the gradual reduction of compulsory military service, the service had to be performed in a double-shift manner.

On March 15, 1990 new uniforms were introduced. New service dresses and dress uniforms were created according to the designs of the film artist Theodor Pistek, which were presented to the public for the first time at high noon, during the performance of the newly established ceremonial changing of the guard with musical accompaniment, on the 1st courtyard of Prague Castle.

After 1992 the Castle Guard renewed the tradition of lighting up the Christmas tree on Jirske square and the subsequent St. Nicholas celebrations for children. The Castle Guard arranges the event to help children in SOS Children's Villages. This tradition links back to the Christmas tree from the time of the First Republic. In the last three years alone an amount of CZK 1,252,000 has been collected for SOS Children's Villages. The largest amount of money was donated in 2002, despite the fact that the Czech Republic was hit by disastrous floods in that year. The amount donated in 2002 was CZK 807,912.

A further important humanitarian act is the year-round free blood donation by several dozen members of the Castle Guard from the ranks of soldiers on compulsory military service and professional soldiers.

On the basis of the approved laws, all members of Slovak nationality were relocated to Bratislava on November 16, 1992, where they formed the basis of a newly created analogous unit in Slovakia. On January 1, 1993 the Czech Republic came into existence as a separate entity. Act No. 114/93 Coll. on the Office of the President of the Republic dated March 24, 1993 resolved the legal issues relating to the relationship of the Military Office of the President of the Republic to the Castle Guard. On February 20, 1993 the President of the Republic conferred a combat standard on the unit of the Castle Guard.

The Castle Guard established co-operation with similar units in Europe (the Republican Guard in France, the Royal Guard in Spain and Great Britain), with the aim of making use of their experience in guarding buildings and conducting representative events. In 1997 fundamental organisational changes took place. Regiments of two battalions were established within the Castle Guard, into which the existing units were incorporated. Ever greater attention is devoted to the selection and preparation of new rookies who enter the Castle Guard. Attention is devoted not only to the prescribed height and condition of health, but also in particular to the performance of psychological tests in order to determine psychological preparedness and resilience of soldiers for the performance of guard services. The need to improve the quality of training led the command of the Castle Guard to process new Preparation Programmes, which addressed the themes of professional preparation of the Castle Guard at a higher standard.

In the years 1997 - 1998 the barracks of the Castle Guard in Prague underwent extensive reconstruction, concentrating primarily on improving the living conditions of soldiers on compulsory military service. Increased attention has been devoted to the physical fitness of all members of the Castle Guard. Gyms were constructed and equipped in the barracks in Prague and Lany, and sports grounds at Ruzyne and Juliska are used for physical training. Basic training of new rookies continues at the Castle Guard training centre in Dobra Voda. During the course of basic training new soldiers are sworn in. Oath of enlistment takes place in Breznice u Pribrami in January and July, and traditionally in May on the 3^rd courtyard of Prague Castle, and together with the soldiers of the Prague garrison on Hradcanske square in October. The May and October oaths of enlistment take place on public holidays and are attended by the President of the Republic and the Minister of Defence.

In 1999 Act No. 219/1999 Coll. on the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic was passed, which resolved the position of the Castle Guard within the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic in a fundamental manner. It states that the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic are divided into the Army, the Military Office of the President of the Republic and the Castle Guard. The Castle Guard thus became a separate component of the Armed Forces by means of this law, which is financially and logistically secured by the Army of the Czech Republic, but professionally and in terms of command fully subject to the Military Office of the President of the Republic, in which the Commander of the Military Office has authorisations with regard to the soldiers of the Castle Guard as the Minister of Defence as stipulated by the separate legal regulations (Act No. 220/1999 Coll., Act No. 221/1999 Coll.).

In August 2002 a large part of the Czech Republic suffered disastrous flooding. Members of the Castle Guard participated in rectifying the damages caused by this flooding. From the period from August 19 to September 15, 2002, the Castle Guard, on the direct instruction of the President of the Republic detached a separate unit for restoring order in hostels of evacuated persons at the Strahov dormitories and for rectification of damages in the Lysolaje district of Prague and the Central Military Archive. Even despite the long-term absence of these detached units in the barracks, the Castle Guard continued to perform all its service tasks at a high standard.

The handling of the international NATO SUMMIT 2002 in Prague can be evaluated very positively. The Castle Guard participated in the fulfilment of representative tasks at this summit, as well as in security tasks in co-operation with the Unit for the Defence of the President of the Republic of the Czech Police, during the arrival and residence of leading representatives of NATO states and other guests within the premises of Prague Castle and the Chateau at Lany.

On February 2, 2003 the Castle Guard in co-operation with the Czech Republic Army organised a farewell troop review for the occasion of the end of the electoral term of President Vaclav Havel.

March 7, 2003 saw the inauguration of the new President of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Klaus. On this occasion the new President conducted a troop review of the units of the Castle Guard and Army of the Czech Republic on the 3^rd courtyard of Prague Castle.

The accession of the Czech Republic to NATO in March 1999 and the endeavour to accede to the European Union within the shortest possible deadline provides a guarantee of the further democratic development of our society. The Castle Guard connects to the democratic traditions of the first members of the Castle Guard - former members of the Czechoslovak Legions. The professionalization of the Castle Guard also ensues from these traditions as a part of the Reform of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic approved by the Government in 2002, and which is being progressively implemented.

Activities of Castle Guard

The Castle Guard participates in securing the Open Days of Prague Castle in May and October each year, at which thousands of Czech and foreign visitors have the opportunity to see official premises which are not usually open to the public. During these days, servicemen of the Castle Guard also help to make these premises accessible to physically handicapped citizens. For a number of years, the Castle Guard has taken part in demonstrations of military technique and presentations of the representative activities of the Castle Guard each year, in co-operation with the Army of the Czech Republic, on the military training ground "Bahna". The Castle Guard also shares to a significant extent in exhibitions of the Czech Crown Jewels at Prague Castle, which takes place periodically for the occasion of significant anniversaries or events (1993, 1998 and 2003).

Events of the Castle Guard

Events of the Castle Guard in 2004

• 8 state and working visits of the highest representatives of foreign states in the Czech Republic
• 28 inaugural audiences of ambassadors accredited in the Czech Republic
• 9 visits of heads of government of foreign states
• 1 recall of the old Government of the Czech Republic and appointment of the new one
• 6 appointments of constitutional judges
• 4 appointments of judges of the Czech Republic
• 2 appointments of generals
• 1 appointment of the Chairman of the Securities Commission
• 11 honorary motorcycle escorts for official guests of the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic
• 1 awarding of state decorations
• 2 Open Days at Prague Castle
• 2 piety acts in Prague and Lany for the occasion of the anniversary of the first President of the Czechoslovak Republic T.G. Masaryk
• Celebrations of the 5th anniversary of the Czech Republic's accession to NATO
• A range of cultural and social events and public musical performances of servicemen of the Castle Guard Orchestra.

Events of the Castle Guard in 2003

• 2 state visits of the Presidents of Slovenia and Austria
• 22 inaugural audiences of ambassadors accredited in the Czech Republic
• 10 visits of heads of government of foreign states
• 3 appointment of members of the Czech Republic Government
• 1 appointment of university rectors
• 4 appointments of constitutional judges
• 8 appointments of judges of the Czech Republic
• 1 appointment of the Chairman of the Constitutional Court
• 4 appointments of generals
• 1 appointment of the Chairman of the Czech Statistical office
• 1 appointment of the vice-President of the Supreme Audit Office
• 21 visits of important guests from the Czech Republic and abroad
• 1 inauguration of the President of the Republic Vaclav Klaus and troop review of the Castle Guard and servicemen of the Army of the Czech Republic in honour of the President
• 1 awarding of state decorations
• 2 awarding of medals to members of the Army of the Czech Republic
• securing of exhibition of the Czech Crown Jewels
• 2 Open Days at Prague Castle
• 4 ceremonial oaths of enlistment of soldiers
• a range of cultural and social events and public musical performances of servicemen of the Castle Guard Orchestra
• 700 musical performances at the ceremonial changing of the guard and opening of the Southern gardens of Prague Castle to the public

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