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Adolf Opálka

Czechoslovak officer · OUT DISTANCE and Prague parachutist commander

4 January 1915–18 June 1942

Adolf Opálka commanded the OUT DISTANCE sabotage team and later the parachutists gathered in Prague. His own mission fragmented after a mistaken landing, but he continued resistance work. After the attack on Heydrich, he hid with other soldiers in Resslova Street. On 18 June 1942 he led the gallery’s defence and died during the German assault.

An officer in exile

After a commercial academy, Opálka attended the Military Academy in Hranice. He left the occupied country in 1939 and reached Britain via France, completing sabotage and parachute training. He commanded the three-man OUT DISTANCE team with Karel Čurda and Ivan Kolařík.

A mistaken landing, a continuing mission

In late March 1942 the team landed outside its intended area near Ořechov in the Telč region and separated. Opálka reached Prague and assumed command among the parachutists gathered there.

He also participated in cooperation between teams attempting to guide a British raid on the Škoda works. His story shows that the soldiers in Prague did not all belong to one original parachute team.

Resslova Street and Čurda

After the attack, Opálka hid in the church with six other soldiers. On 16 June Karel Čurda, formerly in his own team, denounced supporters he knew to the Gestapo. Their interrogations led to the refuge.

Opálka commanded the gallery defenders on 18 June. Wounded, he took his own life to avoid capture.

Explore further

Sources

  • Atentát: Operace Anthropoid 1941–1942 · Michal Burian, Aleš Knížek, Jiří Rajlich, Eduard Stehlík · VHÚ Praha

    Original citations and evidence accompany the underlying accepted claims; especially relevant are PDF/printed pages 48–65, 76–80 and 90–93.

    This link leads to information about the publication. Chrona does not host a scan of the book.

  • Operace Anthropoid · Vojenský historický ústav Praha · výstavní panely

    PDF pages 20–28 (preparation, domestic network, flight and landing), 32–36 (attack, repression and refuge), 40–42 (battle and aftermath).

  • Nepostradatelná úloha domácích podporovatelů operace Anthropoid · Martin Jindra · Paměť a dějiny 2/2012 · ÚSTR

    PDF pages 1–6 (establishing the refuge, arrivals, Zelenka, the Moravec family and supplies), 10–15 (discovery, trial, executions and the Fafek family).

  • Adolf Opálka (4. 1. 1915 – 18. 6. 1942) · Vojenský historický ústav Praha

    Biographical passages on training, OUT DISTANCE and the final battle in Resslova Street.