Siarhei Vaitsyakhouski

Siarhei Vaitsyakhouski was a Belarusian-born general who served in the Czechoslovak Army and became known for his efforts to prepare the military for resistance against Nazi Germany during the late 1930s. Born in Vitebsk in 1883, he had a distinguished military career, including participation in World War I and the Russian Civil War, where he initially aligned with the White movement. After the Czechoslovak Legion's struggles, he became a prominent figure in the Czechoslovak military, commanding various divisions. His anti-capitulation stance during the Munich Crisis of 1938 led to his forced retirement, and he later became involved in underground resistance efforts against the German occupation. Vaitsyakhouski was arrested by Soviet authorities after World War II and died in a labor camp in 1951, but he was posthumously rehabilitated and honored for his service.