In the last chapter of our journey through Rotary history, we reached 1947, the year of the first post-war district conference held in Pilsen. We noted that this event was attended by Jan Masaryk, son of the first Czechoslovak president, a prominent politician, and lifelong contemporary of his godfather, Edvard Beneš.
Numerous articles published in the Czechoslovak Rotarian and the international The Rotarian highlight Jan Masaryk’s significance both domestically and globally within Rotary. We previously mentioned his role in founding the first Czechoslovak Rotary Club, RC Prague, in 1925—a contribution that runs like a red thread through the history of Rotary in our region.
Born in 1886 in Královské Vinohrady, Jan Masaryk inherited an international perspective from his American mother, spending part of his youth in the United States with relatives. During the First World War, he served as a soldier in the Austro-Hungarian army. With the establishment of Czechoslovakia, he entered the diplomatic service of the new state.
In 1925, Masaryk married the daughter of Charles R. Crane, an American businessman, philanthropist, and friend of his father. Through this connection, he became the brother-in-law of a former American ambassador to Prague. Alongside Crane's successor and several friends, Masaryk co-founded RC Prague, the first Rotary Club in Czechoslovakia. Early meetings of the club were even hosted in the Masaryk family apartment at Prague Castle. Later, as Czechoslovak ambassador to Great Britain, Masaryk built relationships with local Rotary clubs and strengthened ties with RC Prague.
Masaryk gained international recognition during World War II through his work with the Czechoslovak government-in-exile. His regular broadcasts on the BBC’s Calling London program, starting in 1939, offered hope to both Protectorate residents and exiles.
In 1945, Masaryk represented Czechoslovakia at the San Francisco conference that established the United Nations. As an honorary member of RC Prague, which had ceased to exist during the war, he was among forty Rotarians who contributed to the UN's formation. Reflecting on the process in The Rotarian magazine, he remarked:
"The United Nations peacekeeping and security organization is based on the legal principle of equal sovereignty of all member states. It is true, however, that the international community of nations consists of many countries of unequal size, population, and resources. However, the current war has shown that the responsibilities of greater powers are crucial for maintaining international security and for defending against aggression. The new world organization is inspired by the need to create an instrument capable of dealing effectively with any emergency that may arise."
Jan Masaryk also played a key role in post-war international aid efforts. Starting in 1943, the Allies addressed reconstruction needs through government-level initiatives such as the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA). Czechoslovakia, a founding member, benefited from food, seeds, fertilizers, vehicles, and industrial machinery supplied by UNRRA. This aid was vital, especially during the harsh winter immediately after the war.
In 1946, additional private initiatives emerged, including the Cooperation for American Remittances to Europe (CARE), co-founded by the Rotary Foundation. CARE facilitated the shipment of standardized aid packages from the United States and Canada to recipients in Europe. Jan Masaryk negotiated Czechoslovakia’s participation in this program, securing a contract signed by Prime Minister Zdeněk Fierlinger. This cooperation provided relief well into the 1950s.
Masaryk's advocacy extended beyond aid. In 1947, he published Report from Czechoslovakia in The Rotarian, offering insights into the nation’s evolving role:
"In the past, Czechoslovakia was seen as a bridge between East and West. The cultures of the Middle East and Europe flowed through it. This was largely true. But now we are no longer a bridge; the whole world has changed, and so has Czechoslovakia. If we produce good glass, porcelain, textiles, shoes, bridges, locomotives, and agricultural machinery, market them at fair prices, and ensure decent wages for efficient workers, I see no reason why we cannot restore friendly, honest, and reliable relations with customers worldwide."
Despite his optimism, Masaryk foresaw challenges. Czechoslovakia’s rejection of the Marshall Plan under Stalin’s pressure signaled a grim turn. The Communist Party’s 1948 coup and Masaryk’s tragic death that March marked the end of Rotary Clubs in Central and Eastern Europe for decades.
Jan Masaryk’s legacy resurfaced in modern history through RC Prague Classic (2000–2010). Members of this club supported the creation of a bust of Masaryk, now displayed at the Osvěta Villa in Vinohrady, his birthplace. During this period, the Czechoslovak Rotary District collaborated with the Jan Masaryk Society, which honored the partnership with an annual award.
Mgr. Svatopluk K. Jedlička
RC Praha City
Photo: Antonín Sum (center, holding a vase), long-time secretary of Jan Masaryk, presents the Jan Masaryk Society Award to Rotary District Governor Petr J. Pajas in 2005.
