Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka Awarded Olga Sipplová for Her Lifelong Support of Democratic Values

During a visit to the Bavarian State Parliament, Premier Sobotka awarded the Karel Kramář Medal to Olga Sipplová for her lifelong support of democratic values, contribution to the development of Czech-German relations, and continuing endeavour to bring together citizens of the two countries.

While in Bavaria, Prime Minister Sobotka also visited the Bavarian State Parliament, where he met with President Barbara Stamm and deputies from the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). On this occasion, Premier Sobotka awarded the Karel Kramář Medal to Olga Sipplová, the Honorary Chairwoman of the Seliger Association.

Olga Sipplová

Olga Sipplová is the Honorary Chairwoman and one of the founding members of the Seliger Association. Established by social democrats from the Sudetenland region in Munich in 1951, the Seliger Association subscribes to the legacy of the German Social Democratic Workers Party in Czechoslovakia.

Olga Sipplová was born in Stará Role in the Karlovy Vary region in 1920. She joined the social democratic movement in Czechoslovakia in her early life. During the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia, she was persecuted by the Nazi regime. To this day, she is actively involved in preserving the legacy of the German Social Democratic Workers Party, which played an active role in the democratic political life in Czechoslovakia. Olga Sipplová remains politically active and contributes to the development of Czech-German relations through tireless work as the Honorary Chairwoman of the Seliger Association.

Olga Sipplová was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2002 and the Silver Bavarian Constitution Medal of in 2010.

Karel Kramář Medal

The Karel Kramář Medal is a commemorative award conferred by the Prime Minister to extol demonstrable merits in the advancement of democracy and human rights and freedoms. The medal was created on the occasion of the 90^th anniversary of the forming of the first Czechoslovak government and named after the first Czechoslovak Prime Minister, Karel Kramář. The concept of the medal was prepared by Jiří Fidler and Jan Novák and the graphic designed was made by Jindřich Žáček.

While serving as the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Bohuslav Sobotka has conferred the Karel Kramář Medal on three awardees – Second World War veteran  General Emil Boček, former Ambassador of Romania to the Czech Republic Daniela Gitman, and former Ambassador of Austria to the Czech Republic, Ferdinand Trauttmansdorff.