Masaryk's Letter Revealed: The Czechoslovak President's Last Words

At Lány Castle, historians and archivists opened an envelope sealed for nearly 100 years containing the final words of Czechoslovakia's first president, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk. The five-page document was written by his son, Jan Masaryk, and—according to preliminary analyses—is authentic.

The envelope arrived at the National Archives on September 19, 2005, thanks to Antonín Sum , Jan Masaryk's secretary. He sealed it and, together with the president's granddaughters, agreed that its contents would be hidden from the public for twenty years.

On Friday, researchers saw the document for the first time, and an initial reading was conducted in the presence of historians, current President Petr Pavel , and the Masaryk family. The ceremony took place at Lány Castle and was broadcast live by Czech media.

Antonín Sum claimed that the envelope contained a message with the last words of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, which the president had dictated to his son Jan just before his death in 1937 .

Over the years, speculation about its contents has grown. Some researchers believed it was the president's "last letter," in which he intended to leave a symbolic farewell to the nation.

Others, however, suspected that the document could have revealed personal secrets and even details about Masaryk's origins - according to one of the most sensational theories, his father was the Emperor of Austria, Franz Joseph I.

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The excerpt read included both fragments related to his personal life and political reflections.

Masaryk wrote about preparing for his own funeral, treating death with distance - "People are afraid of death, but there is nothing to be afraid of - it's like buying new clothes."

The letter includes references to the Germans : "Give them what they deserve, but no more," he noted. He criticized the Slovak politician Andrej Hlinka, calling him a "fool." At the same time, with a hint of self-irony, he wrote about himself: "I was as stupid as anyone else."

"If people are uneducated and stupid, there is little you can do . Argue with them, argue with them," he appealed.

According to Milan Vojáček , director of the National Archives, the document was likely created at a time when Masaryk was actually expecting his death to be imminent. Preliminary analysis indicates it is authentic.

"It seems that Masaryk dictated the words to his son Jan on his deathbed," Vojáček told Czech Television.

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Historians emphasize that a quick reading of the text may have contained inaccuracies . Only after full preservation and analysis will archivists release the complete text, along with the annotations. Publication of the digital version of the letter is planned for October .

Masaryk, who co-founded independent Czechoslovakia in 1918, abdicated in 1935 for health reasons. He died on September 14, 1937, in Lány.