Prague’s Tribute to Karel Schwarzenberg

Pavel Jaňurek

On Sunday evening, in front of the Schwarzenberg house near the National Theatre in Prague, an impromptu memorial sprung up for the late Karel Schwarzenberg. Nearly a hundred people gathered to pay their respects and honor the memory of the statesman.

People began assembling outside the Schwarzenberg house on Voršilská Street. They lit candles on the sidewalks and even sang the Czech national anthem, their voices echoing softly through the quiet streets. The sight was a poignant testament to Schwarzenberg’s impact on his fellow citizens.

Karel Schwarzenberg, a former Foreign Minister, passed away on Saturday in Vienna, where he had been moved to a few days earlier. His family wished for him to be closer to them during his last moments.

Among those who appeared at the memorial site in the evening was Member of the European Parliament Jiří Pospíšil of TOP 09. Pospíšil shared his memories of Schwarzenberg, “Karel always said that a politician must love people. That’s why he often spoke with ordinary people and drank beer with them.”

Karel Schwarzenberg initially lay in a hospital on Charles Square. He originally had skin problems, but doctors also discovered that his kidneys were not functioning well.