Heliodor Píka

General Heliodor Píka (3 July 1897 – 21 June 1949) was a Czechoslovak army officer who was the first victim of judicial murder of the Czechoslovak Communist show trials.

In 2001, Karel Vaš was indicted by the Czech police's State Office of Investigation on charges of having knowingly used false evidence, falsifying a confession, exceeding his powers and using psychological violence during the Píka affair. These counts would carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

In June 2001, after a trial before the Senate of the Prague City Court, the eighty-five-year-old Vaš was found guilty of introducing false documents and statements, and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment. Both Vaš and his attorney maintained Vaš's innocence, and promised to appeal.

Honours

The Czechoslovak government conferred the Milan Rastislav Stefanik Order, 3rd class upon Píka in 1991.

On 1 September 2004, Píka was awarded the highest Slovak decoration, the Order of the White Double Cross, 1st Class. (Píka was the first, and , the only recipient of the military version of this award.)

Píka earned several French medals for his military service as a Legionnaire in France during the First World War. He was also the recipient of many Soviet, American and British military decorations. A street in Prague 6 (Dejvice) was renamed in his honor in 1990 (Generála Píky).

In 1992, Píka was posthumously promoted to the rank of general. Following the conviction of Vaš, on 21 June 2001 a ceremony was held at Czech Army headquarters in Prague to confer full military honours upon Píka.

Notes

References

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