For Immediate Release					November 13, 1995
 
Former Lawrence Professor Awarded Czech Republic's Highest Civilian Honor
 
	
	APPLETON, WIS.-- For more than 40 years, Mojmir Povolny worked in exile
from Paris, Chicago and Appleton, fighting the Communists and working for
democracy in his native homeland of Czechoslovakia.  
	Last month, Povolny's tireless efforts were recognized by the Czech
Republic, which presented him with the country's Masaryk Order.  Named in honor
of T. G. Masaryk, the first president of the Czechoslovak Republic, the award is
given for service to democracy and human rights and is considered the highest
civilian honor awarded by the Czech Republic.  It is the first time the Masaryk
Order has been awarded since Czechoslovakia officially split into the Czech
Republic and the Slovak Republic in January, 1992.
	"With marriage and the birth of my children, it's one of the highest
moments of my life," said Povolny, 73, emeritus professor of government at
Lawrence University, where he spent 30 years on the faculty before retiring in
1987.  "I was very honored.  I don't know that I deserve such an award because
there are so many people who worked so hard in the fight for democracy.  But, you
take what comes."
	Povolny received the Masaryk Order, a silver enameled star with a
portrait of Masaryk on it, from Czech Republic President Vaclav Havel in the
Prague Castle on October 28, the country's national day of independence.  He was
one of 40 recipients honored that day in front of the national Parliament,
government officials, foreign diplomatic corps and invited guests, among them,
his wife, Joyce. 
	"I heard the rumors in late spring that I had been nominated, but it
wasn't until I was in the Czech Republic in September that I found out I had
actually won," said Povolny.  Nominations for the award are reviewed by the 
Parliament, which forwards a list of finalists to a presidentUs council for 
final selection.
	Povolny was the executive secretary of the Benes Party in Prague at the
time of the Communist takeover in 1949.  After fleeing the country, he worked in
the anti-communist movement in exile, operating out of Paris and Chicago and
eventually Appleton after joining the Lawrence faculty.  In 1974, Povolny was
elected chairman of the executive committee of the Council of Free 
Czechoslovakia in New York, a position he held until the Council was 
transformed into a Solidarity Council of Czechs and Slovaks in 1993.  He made 
his first trip back to his homeland in 1990, a few weeks after the fall of the 
Communist regime.
	"It was a very exciting moment to return after 40 years," said Povolny,
who met Havel for the first time during that trip.  "I still see him at least
once a year when I'm in Prague." 
	A life-long-human rights activist, Povolny has served with the Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace in Paris and New York and the American Friends
Service Committee in both Philadelphia and Tokyo.  He is also a former member of
the Fox Valley Human Rights Council.
	Povolny takes obvious pride in his country's return to democracy and the
role he played in reaching that goal.  As for returning to his homeland
permanently, Povolny's response is a simple and succinct, "not at this stage of 
my life.   
	"The moment and the future belongs to a new generation. I enjoy going 
back and doing as much as I can for the country," he said.  "The Czech Republic 
has problems of transition, but it's doing well and making great progress in 
its transformation from a communist nation to a free and democratic country." 
	And the Masaryk Order was the Czech Republic's way of telling Povolny
"thank you" for helping make that transformation possible.   	     
     

Contact:  Rick Peterson, Manager of News Services, 414/832-6590