On Friday, September 19, 2025, a mysterious envelope with a message from Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk was officially opened in Lány. He was a philosopher, professor, politician, and in 1918, became the first president of the new state created after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This document lay in storage for decades and was sealed with the note "Open only in 2025."
The envelope was kept among the belongings of his son, Jan Masaryk, and in 2005, it was transferred to the National Archive of the Czech Republic. Today, it was opened for the first time in the presence of President Petr Pavel and Masaryk's great-grandson, Tomáš.
The five-page letter turned out to be written mostly in English – the language Masaryk used after a severe stroke. Experts believe it might have been created as early as 1934, when the president's health worsened sharply, not in 1937 as previously thought.
Quotes from the letter that have already become known:
"I am sick, seriously sick, it is the end, but I am not afraid," Masaryk stated. He also touched on the topic of death and confessed that he wanted a simple grave.In the letter, he also addressed the national minorities of the time – particularly the Germans. Even then, the situation with the Sudeten Germans was tense."You will continue the work. You know how, but you must be careful. But you know how to behave. And I don't need to tell you more. I am incapable, truly completely incapable," the document reads.
"Give them what they deserve, but no more," he noted.Also, in his letter, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk called Andrej Hlinka a "hlupák" ("fool"). The first president was a strong supporter of the unity of Czechs and Slovaks in a common state. Hlinka, however, advocated for Slovakia's autonomy, which contradicted Masaryk's concept of a strong Czechoslovakia.
President Petr Pavel, commenting on the event, recalled one of Tomáš Masaryk's favorite quotes: "Patriotism is love for your own people, not hatred for others." He emphasized that Masaryk is a symbol of statehood based on democratic principles and that his thoughts remain relevant even today – especially on the eve of the parliamentary elections in October 2025.
Historian Jakub Rákosník from Charles University believes that even if the letter contained unexpected political or social statements, they would hardly significantly change the public or academic perception of Masaryk's figure. He also stressed that the document is only indirect evidence and should be interpreted considering that the president was in a serious health condition at the time of dictation.
The director of the National Archive, Milan Vojáček, announced that the document will be returned to the archive for further analysis. Experts plan to verify the authenticity of the letter, conduct a chemical analysis of the paper, and organize a historical workshop with independent scientists. The final results may be published within a month.
