Dear Mr. President Havel !

 

        We would like to draw your attention to the fact that, 100 years on, Mr. Leopold Hilsner (1876-1928) is still condemned, simply because of his Jewish origins, for so-called ritual murder he never committed.
 

        The Charles University Prague organised a three-day conference on Hilsner in November 1999 and the Hebrew University Jerusalem a lecture during its 75^th anniversary celebrations in May 2000.

        Efforts to get a posthumous rehabilitation of Mr. Hilsner proved successful in Prague to the extent that the verdicts of the lower courts in Kutná Hora and Písek were quashed three years ago.

        However, the verdicts of the Supreme Court based in Vienna have never been abolished. His death sentence was not carried out only because of pressure from Paris and Berlin.

        Given the fact that there are problems in Austria regarding the judicial approach to the matter, we would like to suggest to both of you a symbolic political act.

        As the Hilsner case is part of the Czech Republic' s and Austria' s shared past, a joint declaration by both of you condemning what happened to Hilsner seems the best thing.

        Czecho-Austrian heritage consists not only of wonderful things like the creation of musical string quartets (the Lobkowicz family !), but also of dark sides like the Hilsner affair of 1899/1900.

        You both have been active in the past in your countries against antisemitism, racism and xenophobia, and your personal authority would be fully appreciated.

        The city of Polná has dedicated every effort to the memory of Hilsner - especially due to author Jan Prchal and mayor Jindrich Skocdopole - and has issued the Polná Declaration of 10^th November 1999 criticizing the behaviour of local authorities of 1899 and pointing out the parallels and analogies today. Father Tomás Halík, a close friend of President Havel, joined the commemorative acts there in March 1999.

        And it was President Havel who, during the Masaryk celebrations in March 2000, spoke about Hilsner together with US Secretary of State , Mrs.Madeleine Albright.

        Why not perform that symbolic act in Polná, thus celebrating President Masaryk who was engaged in the case and who symbolises another link between Prague and Vienna ?

        The Iustinian Digest teaches us about the "right" solution to the Hilsner case:

        "Qui damnare potest, is absolvendi quoque potestatem habet" (He who can condemn, has the power to acquit too) Iustiniani Digesta, Liber 42, tit. 1, fragm.3, Paulus libro septimo decimo ad edictum.
 
 

        Please, accept this invitation.
 
 

        Dekuji. Besten Dank. Thank you. Toda raba. Tante grazie. Merci beaucoup.
 

        Dr.Petr Vasicek Dott. Mario U. Morini
 
 

        Kaiserstr. 7Via Nova Levante, 23

        A-1070 Wien I - 00135 Roma

        tel/fax +43.1.5262403 tel. +39.06.35077092

        Email :pvasicek@hotmail.com

        Email: mumorini@comm2000.it
 
 

        Attention

        Mr. Jindrich Skocdopole, Mayor, Polná, Czech Republic