Training Command – Military Academy

Artillerists in Vyškov celebrated the St Barbara`s Day

Celebrations to remember St Barbara`s Day – patron-saint of artillery – took place on 3 December 2009 in Vyškov Garrison. Artillerists have been celebrating the St Barbara`s Day since the 7th century when all corps chose their patron-saint.

The celebration had two parts. The first one was run by Cpt Pavel Šlimar, Artillery and Air Force Engineering Company Commander, Anti-Aircraft and Anti-Missile Corps. It started with a Company Commander’s Sports Day that morning.

At 1 pm Cpt Pavel Šlimar brought St Barbara and co. to Jan Lucemburský Restaurant at the Social Club of Dědice Barracks where the celebration continued. Then he proceeded to announce the results of the Sports Day and a ceremony of dubbing and accession of three members into the “Cannoneer Guild“ followed. In a special order Cpt Šlimar said: “On the occasion of celebrating this day I herby order to raise three apprentices into the rank of cannoneers and after their vow of loyalty to the traditions I will award them with a commemorative scroll”. The very act of raising into the rank of cannoneers was made by Lt-Col Ivan Mráz who has a position of a “Cannoneer Oberst”.
One part of this act was a presentation of the Commendation of the Honorary Membership in the Artillery Unit Award to Col Miroslav Hrebíček, Sc.D., for his contribution to the long-term following and development of the cannoneer`s traditions in Vyškov Garrison, followed by lunch.

The second part of the ceremony started at 2.30 p.m. and was represented by the arrival of St Barbara at Dědice parade ground who was again accompanied by Cpt Pavel Šlimar. This part of the ceremony was directed by Lt-Col Ivan Mráz, Chief of the Czech and Slovak Artillery Club within Vyškov Garrison.

“St Barbara is a patron-saint of all those who worked with explosives, artillerists in particular. Also navigators used to hang her picture on the stockroom`s door where gunpowder was stored and her portrait decorated gun barrels too,” said Lt-Col Mráz who started the ceremony at Dědice parade ground. During his introductory speech Lt-Col Mráz stressed significance of the St Barbara`s Day and traditions as such in soldies` lives.

Mr Streit, Chaplain of Vyškov parish, spoke about St Barbara and her message. He gave a clear and detailed description of her life and compared it to the lives of people nowadays. He dealt with issues of faith, power, possessions and denunciation in general and applied them to our times. His performance was given a warm and spontaneous round of applause.

Firing from a historic cannon was held afterwards and it was performed by students of the artillery course of the Artillery Company commanded by Cpt Peter Reichl. Firing was excellent and the operation of the cannon was applauded.

The following part of the ceremony took place in Jan Lucemburský Restaurant at the Social Club of Dědice Barracks. It was presented by Reservist Col Miroslav Hrebíček, founder of the tradition of celebrating St Barbara`s Day in Vyškov, Former Head of the Artillery Department of Military Ground Force College in Vyškov and Vice-Rector for Studies and Education of Military Ground Force College. He invited Lt-Col Ivan Mráz, “Cannoneer Oberst”, to invite St Barbara among the present artillerists.

Afterwards Lt-Col Ivan Mráz, Chairman of the Czech and Slovak Artillery Club elected on 1 October 2009, welcomed important guests. Among the invited were Dr Vladislav Raška, Director of Karel Dvořáček Library in Vyškov, Dr František Korvas, Director of Vyškovsko Museum, Dr Karel Čvančar, Chairman of the Military Senior Club in Vyškov and terrain worker of the WWII veterans, Šárka Fajkošová, MA and Director for Research and Development VOP Šternberk, Ing Milan Crhonka, Director of MIA STUDIO and Ing Dušan Krpec, Director of VOLARÉZA, Vyškov. The second part of the ceremony was attended by Colonel GS Jaromír Zůna, TC – MA Commander, and his Deputy for Pedagogy Dr František Herodek.

In his speech Lt-Col Mráz acquainted the participants with the foundation of the Czech and Slovak Artillery Club in Vyškov Garrison. He emphasized that one of the significant education and training institutions for the preparation of the AFCR professionals is situated in Vyškov Garrison which keeps being a traditional education centre of military professionals.

Lt-Col Mráz mentioned: “For this reason we decided to continue in these traditions and develop them, in an informal way, by the foundation of the CSAC in Vyškov Garrison.” He went on: “As I have already mentioned our today`s gathering can be understood symbolically to a certain degree. It links together previous command-education personnel of the Missile and Artillery Corps with their ex-students, their ex- and current subordinates and superiors as well as the current AFCR artillery personnel. Our gathering connects different artillery professions and specialists as well as a generation of people who have been performing their duties at different positions and contributing in different ways to the development of the corps. Today all of us are proud of being a part of the “Cannoneer Guild” because artillery has been represented for centuries as the elite of every army. It seems that also nowadays the artillery is still one of the significant corps, although its number has been reduced significantly in recent years. However, this fact does not prevent us from gathering regularly in the Club to exchange ideas, to chat and make new friends.” Lt-Col Mráz also mentioned traditions of the artillery of the soldiers in the Czechoslovak State and in the World War II.

After his speech the “Cannoneer Oberst” pronounced in his “Special Order” to “mark the Day of our patron St Barbara as a celebration of all cannoneers and enjoy this rich feast”. This was followed by a party and a video presentation showing the artillery training and live firing, awards of the knight crosses in Martin (Slovak Republic) as well as other images of the current life of the artillery personnel within the AFCR and the Artillery Company in Vyškov.

There was a great and friendly atmosphere during the whole day also thanks to the support of the important representatives of the garrison and the city of Vyškov. Also the young artillery personnel rated this event favourably and were proud of it. Also the evaluation of Colonel GS Jaromír Zůna, TC – MA Commander, was positive. A similar event might be expected to take place in the years to come.

At the end of the event Lt-Col Mráz wished all the participants “good health, plenty of ammunition, desired temperature of the charge, good mental resistance, lucky choice of your partner and firing positions, satisfying family life wherever you stay, small observation angle, favourable weather conditions, reliable connection with both the observation point and your partner and, in particular, may your cannon balls always hit the target.”

We are all looking forward to St Barbara`s Day 2010!

Text: Reservist Col Miroslav Hrebíček, Sc.D., Lt-Col Ivan Mráz, Ph.D.
English translation: Mgr. Katarína Murínová