Member of the anti-communist resistance and opposition recognised by the Ethics Commission - Pavel Hanč

Pavel Hanč was born on 24th August 1926, after the World War II. he started his studies at the Pedagogical Faculty of the Charles University in Prague, was an active member of the Catholic Action Movement since 1947, when he was recruited for the movement by his fellow student Milada Kloubková. He took an oath in the St. Vaclav Chapel at the Prague Castle before the leader of the Catholic Action Mr. Alexander Heilder. After that he actively participated in the circle of the Catholic Action (striving to achieve its goals) within the Czech Academic League at the Pedagogical Faculty, which was led by Milada Kloubková. Pavel Hanč led this circle himself several times until 1949, i. e. even after 25th February 1948. He was among the circle’s most active members, participated in numerous activities related to the circle’s operation (e.g. the organization of the mass in the St. Salvator Church, religious courses, balls, agape and other social events).

Pavel Hanč recruited other members for the Catholic Action and actively distributed among them literature, which was not officially prohibited until the fallout between the catholic church and the communist regime in June 1949 and was “publicly” available; however it was obviously and undoubtedly anti-communist. In the years 1948 and 1949 Pavel Hanč distributed the pastoral lists, encyclicals of Pius XI., which are obviously anti-communist and also e.g. cyclostyled translations of books “Christian Humanism” by Jacques Maritain, “Christian Realism and Dialectic Materialism” by Dominik Pecka, Artur Pavelka and Bohdan Chudoba and “Christianity and Communism” by L. J. Lebret, the contents of which is also obviously anti-communist. The books imply that the “Christian humanism”, which is here compared with the Marxist materialism and communism and whose aim is, in contemporary words, the development of freedom and democracy, is not only an ideological, religious but also a real political goal, which should be realized.

By the listed actions from the years 1948 and 1949 Pavel Hanč fulfilled the form of the anti-communist resistance and opposition stipulated in §3 par. 2 a) of the Act No. 262/2011 Coll., which lies in the distribution of documents or public statements aimed directly or indirectly to renew freedom and democracy or to weaken the communist regime, whereas by performing this activity he actively participated in the operation of the Catholic Action within the Czech Academic League.

Pavel Hanč also knowingly lent his flat for meetings of the already illegal catholic movement (Family within the Catholic Action), i. e. even in 1951 and 1952. This proves that he helped the already obviously illegal movement of the Catholic Action (although he served the compulsory military service at that time), when he enabled the meetings to take place at his flat. During the proceedings it was also proved that in 1953 (during his military service) he contacted Karel Novák and Milada Kloubková, whom he knew to be active within the Catholic Action. Furthermore it is clear that he agreed with Milada Kloubková’s proposal that it is necessary to financially support families of persons from the Catholic Action, who were arrested, and supported this request financially as well.

By these actions Pavel Hanč fulfilled the form of the anti-communist resistance and opposition stipulated in §3 par. 2 b) of the Act No. 262/2011 Coll., which lies in provable anti-communist activity aimed directly or indirectly to renew freedom and democracy or to weaken the communist regime.

Pavel Hanč was arrested for these actions in 1953 and in a ruling of the Regional Court in Prague of 2nd June 1954 in the trial of “Jitka Malíková and others“ he was found guilty of the crime of association against the Republic according to § 80 par. 1 of the Criminal Code No. 86/1950 Coll. and sentenced to 4 years in prison and other penalties. After being released from his sentence he could not return to his occupation as a teacher and worked as a clerk.

Pavel Hanč died in 2007. The request for the award of the Member Certificate of the Anti-Communist Resistance and Opposition was submitted by his wife Hana Hančová.