Jan Smudek

Jan Smudek (8 September 1915 – 17 November 1999) was a Czech resistance fighter. His activities during the World War II have inspired filmmakers to create films such as Georgian Uchinari Jan (Elusive Jan, 1943) and the renowned American film Casablanca (1942).

Smudek was born in Bělá nad Radbuzou, however, his family moved to Domažlice soon after his birth. He studied at various industrial schools.

In 1939, soon after the Nazi annexation of Czechoslovakia, he studied at School of Engineering in Kladno. Smudek, a member of Sokol and Junák, has decided to join the resistance movement. His group had the task to obtain weapons.

On 7 June 1939, Smudek, along with his friend František Petr, attacked and—apparently accidentally—shot and killed Wilhelm Kniest, a German police officer. The subsequent Nazi response led to arrest of 111 people, of whom two died in prison. One of them was František Pavel, mayor of Kladno. The others were transported to Buchenwald concentration camp. The Czech Protectorate press denounced the murder. Smudek and his friend fled to Prague.

He continued his illegal activities up to March, 1940, when the arrests of Domažlice resistance leaders have begun. He has decided to flee from the country, however, it proved to be very complicated. On 20 March 1940, a SS troup led by commander Jakob Neubauer arrived to Smudek's house to search for his suitcase. He led the commander to the attic of the house where he shot and severely wounded him. In the subsequent chaos, he fled again. He was arrested by two members of German customs border guards (Zollgrenzschutz) near the village of Březí (Plzeň Region), however, he killed both the men and continued escaping. In reaction, Nazis arrested 150 people in Domažlice and deported them to the Flossenbürg concentration camp. They also put a price of 120,000 crowns on his head. Smudek arrived to Prague on 27 March 1940.

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