Projev vojenského a leteckého přidělence na státní recepci dne 29. září 2021

Distinguished Minister, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, dear Friends,

allow me also to welcome you on behalf of the Office of the Defence Attaché of the Czech Republic at today's reception.

As our ambassador has already said, the history of our countries bears many similarities in the twentieth century. What's more, it is even closely related.

Our independent states, the Czech Republic, formerly Czechoslovakia, and Estonia were established in the same year of 1918 at the end of one of the world's greatest disasters. And one of the parallels in our history is that both our nations had to fight for their independence. I do not want to discuss in detail the context of the emergence of our modern states. Instead, I would rather invite you to an exhibition which we have prepared together with the Military History Museum and which you can visit on the first floor. In this way, you will be able to assess yourselves the effort and dedication of our ancestors towards the foundation of our country. It is a great honour for me that you took your time today and came to commemorate and celebrate this historical event with us.

When I mentioned the close connection of the Czech and Estonian modern history, I had one particular person in mind. In 1897, Magda was born as the third child into the Remelgas family in the village of Anija. Shortly after she had begun studying at a secondary school in Weisenberg, Germany, the First World War broke out. Magda Remelgas completed a Red Cross course and began treating wounded and sick soldiers in one of the largest field infirmaries in St. Petersburg. The lazaret was often moved as needed. After four years of service, in 1917, during the Bolshevik Revolution, the infirmary was relocated in Chelyabinsk, Siberia. After its liquidation by the Bolsheviks and a three-month internment, Magda Remelgas joined the Czechoslovak legions in June 1918 and began working in the first Czechoslovak infirmary. She was very popular among the wounded and sick Czechoslovak legionaries. Later she travelled all the way to Vladivostok with our troops and then sailed around the world to finally arrive in Prague in October 1920. There she continued to treat patients in one of Prague hospitals and at the same time studied physical education at Charles University. After having completed her studies, she returned to Tallinn where her mother and brothers lived. There she worked as a physical education teacher at various Tallinn schools, but she was also a tireless organizer and promoter of sports and cultural life in Tallinn and worked closely with the Czechoslovak Embassy. Also, she often contributed to Czech and Estonian magazines by publishing remarkable articles about our countries. In 1932, she brought a group of Estonian gymnasts to a sports festival in Prague, and on this occasion, she also met our first president, T. G. Masaryk.

Magda Remelgas died unexpectedly in Pärnu in April 1935 as a result of hernia surgery. Her funeral in Tallinn took place on April 10, 1935, and Magda Remelgas was in memoriam decorated with the Order of the White Lion for her services to Czechoslovakia. Her friends in Prague fundraised for a bronze bust to be installed on their friend's grave. You can now see it right behind us.

It is, therefore, my privilege to inform you that the largest Czech veteran organization, the Association of Czechoslovak Legionnaires, founded by our soldiers from the First World War, decided to award a commemorative medal to Magda Remelgas In memoriam on the occasion of this year's 100th anniversary of the Association´s foundation.

I would therefore now like to ask the Ambassador to hand over this medal to Mr Hellar Lill, the Director of the Military Museum who represents an institution which, by its very nature, is the bearer of the historical memory and military tradition of the Republic of Estonia.