All remaining members of the Academic Council serving the country’s
Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes resigned on Monday.
Members
of the 15-person council began stepping down last week, primarily in
protest over the sacking of the institute’s head Daniel Herman. Critics
charged the firing was politically-motivated and an attempt by the
opposition to gain control at the institute. The first to step down last
week was the council’s chairman, Michael Kraus. Others who followed
include Igor Lukeš, a professor of history and international relations at
Boston University, Alena Šimánková of the National Archive, and Harvard
University’s Mark Kramer. Respected military historian Eduard Stehlík,
first deputy to Daniel Herman, meanwhile, failed to reach agreement with
the new head, Pavla Foglová, and also resigned from his post.