King Philippe is travelling to the Czech Republic to participate in the commemorations of the liberation of the city of Pilsen.
Tuesday marks 80 years since a Belgian battalion helped repel Nazi troops from the city, known locally as Plzeň. For the first time, both the Belgian and Czech heads of state will be present at this event, according to the Palace.
The King will arrive in the Czech Republic on Monday and will be received by President Petr Pavel at Prague Castle in the afternoon. Following a meeting between the two leaders, they are scheduled to visit the Strahov Monastery.
The primary reason for the Belgian King’s visit is the commemoration in Pilsen, in the west of the country, on Tuesday.
On 6 May 1945, the city was liberated by the American army with the assistance of the 17th Belgian Fusilier Battalion. This battalion consisted of volunteers from the province of Liège, all former members of the Secret Army resistance group.
Pilsen is one of the few cities not liberated by Soviet troops at the end of the Second World War. During the Cold War, the event received little attention. It was only after 1990, following the Velvet Revolution that ended communist rule in the former Czechoslovakia, that the liberation began to be celebrated. Pilsen is also known for giving its name to the pilsner beer.
The last Belgian veteran passed away in 2023, but family members of the 17th Battalion veterans are expected to attend the commemoration in Pilsen on Tuesday.
