Czech Republic — This Bohemian city known for its namesake beer had the thankfulness flowing all weekend long in tribute to the American forces who freed it from Nazi oppression 80 years ago The marquee events of this year’s milestone anniversary in the annual Pilsen Liberation Festival included a military parade Sunday that drew tens of thousands of flag-waving revelers on the streets the parade featured vintage military vehicles and equipment historical reenactors and marchers from the U.S was part of the American military presence for the commemoration in Pilsen “I wish more Americans had the opportunity to be where we are today,” Strong said while standing in Liberty Square after the parade “They’d be so proud of not only America and … the sacrifices in the liberation but the outpouring of gratitude from the Czech Republic.” “I have seen nothing like this in America on this scale,” Strong added He said many people of younger generations were reenactors which shows the importance of passing on the legacy and understanding of the war and ensuring these victories continue to be honored The Czech Republic has been paired with the Nebraska National Guard for over three decades through the Defense Department’s State Partnership Program Among those in attendance was 99-year-old World War II veteran Harry Humason according to festival spokeswoman Barbora Hajkova was invited to take part in the 80th anniversary celebration raised funds to return him to Europe for the first time since the war The celebrations marked 80 years since Patton’s troops marched through adjacent streets in Pilsen alongside the 16th Armored Division Located about 40 miles from the German border Pilsen was subjugated by the Nazis in March 1939 its Skoda factories produced arms and ammunition for the German war effort while the city’s Jewish population was interned and sent to concentration camps the 16th Armored Division under Patton entered the city That initial freedom for the Czechs was short-lived Czechoslovakia fell under repressive communist control and became a Cold War satellite of the Soviet Union who serves as acting squadron adjutant for the 2nd Cavalry Regiment based in Vilseck calling cadence as the formation marched through the streets They were greeted with loud cheers and enthusiastic praise from the crowds especially for young soldiers,” McDaniel said “They come in and they’re like … ‘Are we really that good of a force?’ and then they see people all around the world … (who) love what we do and the security we bring.” The Pilsen Liberation Festival is set to conclude Tuesday with a commemorative ceremony at the Thank You American and Belgian flags and bouquets of lilacs lined a more than two-kilometre stretch of Klatovská Avenue in Pilsen today along which the traditional Convoy of Liberty passed which every year is one of the highlights of the Pilsen Freedom Festival this year involved a record number of more than 400 pieces of mostly American military historical equipment Military history enthusiasts from several countries came with them The fighting head of the parade was the heavy equipment of the 16th Armored Division which was the first to enter Pilsen on the morning of May 6 The legendary American M4 Sherman medium tank took the first place in the column the M8 Greyhound armoured vehicles that were the first to enter Pilsen on 6 May 1945 half-track half-tracks and jeeps with family members of American and Belgian veterans who had visited the city in the past decades Most of them carried photographs of veterans Passing crowds greeted them with applause and chants who is the only foreign World War II veteran participating in this year's festivities he liberated southwest Bohemia and made it as far as Volary a regular guest at the festivities and the grandson of General Patton Tens of thousands of spectators did not miss the spectacle and selected vehicles from the head of the convoy reached the square around 1:00 p.m. according to Hana Josefová from the town hall "Thank you to all the enthusiasts of historical military equipment who came to Pilsen during the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Pilsen we can be proud that we had one of the largest parades of period military equipment in Europe in the West Bohemian capital I am happy that we celebrated this important anniversary with dignity and joy," said Mayor Roman Zarzycký (ANO) people could see not only historic tanks and jeeps motorcycles and other rear or service army equipment Members of military history clubs take great pride in keeping the equipment clothing and other realia as authentic and true to life as possible just as 80 years ago in the May days of joy of the newly acquired freedom many cars were driven by girls in Pilsen costumes with typical large caps soldiers with red lipstick on their faces smoked victory cigars and swing sounded from the lilac decorated cars several cars of the current American and Czech army joined the convoy Dingo and others passed along Klatovská třída Stinson Reliant and Boeing B 75 Stearman aircraft Gripen fighters and helicopters of the Czech Air Force flew over the heads of the spectators The Freedom Convoy arrived after noon at the Republic Square where there is a cultural programme until the evening Military historical camps are also going on a live radio broadcast will be heard from the confluence of the Radbuza and Mže rivers It will be broadcast from the place from where the opening words of Czech Radio Pilsen were heard 80 years ago: 'Pilsen speaks The Freedom Celebration will end on Tuesday with the main commemorative act at the Thanks where Belgian King Philippe and President Petr Pavel are also due to arrive Spravuje SITMP A network of correspondents providing impartial news reports and analysis in 33 languages from locations around the world Up-to-the-minute news and analysis from around the world and in Chicago Hosted by WBEZ's Mary Dixon and NPR's Steve Inskeep 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memorial on May 6 While most World War II veterans are unable to attend 99-year-old American veteran Harry Humason will return alongside 200 relatives of American and Belgian liberators as well as several Czech and Slovak veterans is known for having the second-largest synagogue in Europe and as the birthplace of pilsner beer But why does this Western Bohemian city maintain such strong ties with the U.S. the city became a strategic location near Nazi-annexed Sudetenland The Jewish population of Pilsen—more than 2,000 people—was deported to the Terezín ghetto in January 1942 The city also endured two significant bombing raids Eighth Air Force targeted the Škoda factory in its final European heavy bomber mission These strategic strikes left Pilsen’s infrastructure heavily damaged and its civilian population deeply scarred took over a German station and broadcast updates and disinformation during the Pilsen uprising—likely saving thousands of lives the city’s ethnic German minority was expelled in line with the postwar Potsdam Agreement American troops remained in the region until late November 1945 Pilsen has honored its liberators annually with a celebration that feels part-history lesson the government launched a currency reform in 1953 which caused a wave of discontent across the country The protesters forced their way into the town hall they destroyed the statue of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk but the 1953 uprising remains an important chapter in the city's history representing the ongoing resistance to oppressive regimes The Liberation Festival this year (May 2–6 A festival highlight will be the visit of King Philippe of Belgium—the first Belgian monarch to attend He will honor the 17th Belgian Rifle Battalion including 99-year-old Harry Humason from the 5th Infantry Division Pilsen’s liberation is not only a historic event but a symbol of alliance In a country where the Soviet liberation narrative once prevailed Pilsen’s American connection is a proud reminder of its WWII history It’s neat to see that connection to history that love that the people of Pilsen have for Americans.” Your morning coffee deserves a great companion. 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Today is the third day of the five-day Liberation Festival in Pilsen - a celebration of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Pilsen by the American army with the Convoy of Liberty being the main attraction and the most visited event of the festivities from 11:00 Around 350 pieces of US military historical equipment will pass along Klatovská třída in about two hours The more than two-kilometre journey will end with the selected equipment from the head of the parade at around 13:00 at the Republic Square Three to four tanks and a few dozen jeeps will form the battlefront of the convoy which will carry families of veterans from Belgium and the United States infantry sections with battalions and weapons as well as contemporary Czech and US military equipment The convoy will be accompanied by flyovers of historic military aircraft Mustang This year the participants of the convoy are very carefully selected Only vetted owners of historic military equipment who have been vouched for will get a place in it The organizers want to avoid excesses like what happened in last year's convoy when a hand with a swastika flag slid out of one of the historic vehicles for a few seconds while passing under the balcony with the guests of honor military history camps and a cultural programme continue today It will be heard from the place from where the opening words of Czech Radio Pilsen were heard 80 years ago: "Pilsen speaks free Pilsen speaks." The Liberation Festival will end on Tuesday with the main commemorative act at the Thanks With the 80th anniversary of VE-Day on May 8th many places throughout the continent are holding celebrations to commemorate the end of World War II in Europe Nestled in the rolling hills of western Bohemia the Czech city of Pilsen (Plzeň) is best known for being the birthplace of the golden beer that took its name and conquered the world; it has also become known for its annual liberation festival The Western Allies had swept across Bavaria and into Austria and the Russians were planting their flag on the Reichstag in Berlin But it wasn’t the Soviet Red Army that rolled into Pilsen The G.I.s were greeted by thousands of cheering Czechs who had resisted the Nazis for over seven years and awaited the day they would once again be free The Americans had liberated most of western Czechia and could have easily captured Prague At the Yalta Conference earlier in the war the Americans and Soviets agreed that Czechoslovakia would fall under the communist sphere of influence As the Cold War began and the Iron Curtain descended on Europe it also fell over the memory of American involvement in the liberation or even speaking fondly of the few months that Americans were in Czechia was a quick way to end up in prison or much worse Despite the oppression of the communist regime the people of Pilsen never forgot what the Americans did to free them and their country from the Nazis and told stories of the liberation to their children When the Velvet Revolution of 1989 removed the communists from power the city of Pilsen has thrown a massive week-long festival to show its thanks to the USA The 2025 commemoration is set to be especially notable and living history exhibits of previous years The festival is meant to be a joyous event: A tribute to the sacrifices of those before us an appreciation of the liberties now enjoyed The Pilsen Liberation Festival says to the world every year: “We remember and we will never forget.” That is something to raise a cold glass of Pilsner to Opening Ceremony on Republic Square (Friday Guided Walking Tours of the Old City (Saturday The largest living history encampment in Central Europe (May 2-6) Demonstrations of modern military firearms and equipment Speech & Commemoration by King Philippe of Belgium (Belgian Troops also helped liberate Pilsen) (May 6) Convoy of Liberty; more than 400 vehicles from the 1940s Soldiers from Stuttgart and Grafenwoehr (Sunday dedicated to the American General who liberated Pilsen Editor’s Note: This article was written by a member of the local military community Neither the organization nor the content is being represented by Stars and Stripes or the Department of Defense This year marks the tenth time that the Run for the Memory of the Nation has been held and in Pilsen it is the third time that it has been run as part of the Freedom Festival this time with a start in Kopeckého sady almost a thousand runners took part in the 5.5 the Bishop of Pilsen Tomáš Holub or the Chief of the General Staff of the Army of the Czech Republic Karel Řehka The one-kilometer run for everyone was also attended by family members of American and Belgian war veterans We join the Nation's Memory in congratulating the winners of the Pilsen Run for the Memory of the Nation and we also thank everyone who was there with the Nation's Memory and gave meaning to the routes not only through movement while awarding him a posthumous Medal of Honor for his bravery in the Korean War said the Catholic priest from Kansas wielded the mightiest weapon of all “A love for his brothers so pure,” Obama said during the 2013 ceremony “that he was willing to die so that they might live.” Kapaun dragged injured soldiers to safety during the Battle of Unsan he allowed himself to be captured so that he could continue to care for his men He prayed not only for his fellow prisoners of war but also for the guards who held them captive Pope Francis named Father Emil Kapaun “venerable,” bringing him one step closer to sainthood Kapaun’s story starts a long way from the battlefield On a recent Friday at the Chaplain Kapaun Museum tour guide Melissa Stuchlik flipped through a guest book filled with names of visitors — many from Kansas She says the museum draws a couple hundred visitors and Catholic pilgrims each month “There’s something special about driving away from the commotion of the city,” Stuchlik said She took visitors through the rectory where Kapaun lived as a young priest John Nepomucene Church houses two items that would be considered second-class relics if — or as Stuchlik says Relics are objects venerated due to their connection with a saint from their physical remains to personal artifacts Stuchlik points out the crucifix Kapaun carried as an altar server at the church and baptismal font in which he was baptized “We've had kids (from) as far as South Korea come to be baptized in our baptismal font,” she said “We know that this is the handle that Father would have touched a lot.” She encouraged visitors to touch their own rosaries and crosses to its handle — making them into third-class relics Visitor numbers have picked up here since Kapaun was named venerable But it’s nothing compared to what could happen in the years to come The relics of saints can draw tens of thousands of pilgrims to holy places each year “Pilsen would probably get bigger,” Stuchlik said “I think it would be a lot of bed and breakfasts popping up all over the place We joke about the McDonald’s and the Hyatt.” She says there’s a lot for Pilsen to gain — and maybe lose you would hear the quiet and the peacefulness “there will always be a place in Pilsen for Father.” Shrines for those venerated by the church are often constructed after they’re beatified by the Vatican It’s not clear yet where Kapaun’s would be located His body has rested in the Wichita cathedral since it was identified four years ago after decades in a military cemetery the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City wrestled with a similar question after the Vatican beatified Oklahoma martyr and priest Stanley Rother in 2017 says it’s unlikely Rother’s small Oklahoma hometown of Okarche could have supported the quarter million people who visited the shrine in 2024 “Part of the deal with building a shrine is that you have pilgrims coming on pilgrimage from all over and you have to have an amenities for them,” he said there’s more folks that are looking at investing in those types of businesses around us because there’s more demand.” large-capacity church to Oklahoma City’s heavily Hispanic south side which was struggling with overcrowding in its existing churches And it served as a new anchor to the city’s growing Catholic community “It’s an exciting time to see the church alive The Vatican will investigate potential miracles attributed to Kapaun’s intercession from heaven Catholics believe saints can bring prayers to God on their behalf these are medical miracles,” said Scott Carter the coordinator for Kapaun’s Cause for Sainthood “Because we're able to look for evidence of an actual problem to show that there’s a change that happens and that change can’t be explained through medical intervention.” Carter says saints and stories of their miracles perform two functions in the church They serve as examples for Catholics on how to live the gospel in today's age And they offer solace during times of hardship said he thinks the discovery of his uncle’s body four years ago came at exactly the right moment “We just seem to be more and more divided,” he said “And the one thing he did in that camp was pulling all the men together — everyone fighting for each other He hopes that message of brotherly love continues to spread along with his uncle’s story people need to be more loving and less judging and less hateful,” he said “I really do believe this is why Father was found now.” The Pilsen South Ashland Health Hub is a community-centered space dedicated to improving access to critical health services and fostering stronger connections within the Pilsen neighborhood The Pilsen Ashland Health Hub will offer mental health services and immunizations by appointment The Hub will also refer Pilsen residents who need Special Supplemental Nutrition for Women Infants and Children (WIC) services and sexually transmitted infections (STI) services to community health partners who provide those services Thursday & Friday: 8:30 am–3:30 pm Monday & Wednesday: 8:30 am–7:30 pmTuesday ©2025 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sign inMail24/7 HelpFor premium support please call: Saturday on the 2100 block of West Cermak Road inside El Taco Azteca two unknown female offenders battered the woman and then fled the scene People in the Pilsen neighborhood say the suspects were customers inside the restaurant EL Taco Azteca restaurant owner Carlos Garcia told WGN News that the 23-year-old waitress suffered a broken finger and other injuries during Saturday’s ordeal VIDEO: Man, 66, exchanges gunfire while trying to stop theft in Pilsen as he was walking his dog, witnesses say Paramedics transported the victim to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition and treated for minor injuries Garcia said the unknown female offenders ordered six tacos to go and several margaritas before the assault occurred Garcia added that the offenders paid for their food and left only to return a short time later and demand a refund The restaurant owner said only one taco remained Chicago Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez said the community is outraged by the widely circulated video “What we saw in those images is deplorable,” he said “We can not normalize this level of violence and attack on workers.” Charges expected against knife-wielding man shot by CPD officers in lobby of River North hotel on Monday For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV. Show commentsif (window.performance) {window.performance.mark && window.performance.mark('Col1-2-Rmp');window.performance.measure && window.performance.measure('Col1-2-RmpDone','PageStart','Col1-2-Rmp');} {"article1":{"uuid":"92b2db23-61f9-35f0-aa70-6ffc2b4c44ce","title":"At least 3 dead and 5 wounded after shooting at a restaurant in Glendale police say","href":"/9-people-shot-restaurant-glendale-072703278.html","commentsAllowed":false,"metadata":{"cosineSimilarity":0.5602933692582447}},"article2":{"uuid":"e2f4a795-dfda-30dd-8144-984e4c37d963","title":"3 dead Show commentsif (window.performance) {window.performance.mark && window.performance.mark('Middle-0-Rmp');window.performance.measure && window.performance.measure('Middle-0-RmpDone','PageStart','Middle-0-Rmp');}Advertisement Show commentsif (window.performance) {window.performance.mark && window.performance.mark('Middle-1-Rmp');window.performance.measure && window.performance.measure('Middle-1-RmpDone','PageStart','Middle-1-Rmp');}Advertisement Show commentsif (window.performance) {window.performance.mark && window.performance.mark('Middle-2-Rmp');window.performance.measure && window.performance.measure('Middle-2-RmpDone','PageStart','Middle-2-Rmp');}Advertisement The Dark Matter spinoff celebrates Latin heritage one sweet bite at a time “The fact that we remember them every year — that keeps their essence alive,” he says every kind of taste that they loved during their time with us — we bring that up to them on the altar every year for them to come back to us and for them to say to us and the beloved snacks of ancestors passed on: Flamin’ Hot Cheetos a text often referred to as “the Mayan Bible,” is prominently displayed next to bars of the shop’s award-winning chocolate The Popul Vuh was written during the beginning of the Spanish conquest which had been transmitted orally for millennia prior to European contact The text begins with a proud proclamation of this text as a record of who the Quiché people are and continue to be As a new addition to the Mexican-owned Dark Matter empire Sleepwalk Chocolateria is committed to uplifting pride in Chicano culture which can’t be separated from the Indigeneity of these Mexican ingredients it was important for us to focus on El Salvador Guatemala… places where the coffee is delicious and amazing director of operations at Dark Matter Coffee Sleep Walk produces arguably some of the best chocolate in the U.S. right here in Pilsen. It collaborates on chocolate-infused alcoholic beverages with Revolution Brewery, Half Acre, and 18th Street Distillery and has a partnership with chef Rick Bayless The company sources its cacao directly from Mexican farmers and processes the beans it also sources from the Mexican states of Chiapas and Tabasco buying ingredients from the Broca family in Comalcalco and farming collective Agrofloresta Cacao Comunitario “We’re going to work with our Guatemalan producers who just invested an entire piece of land in the valley to cacao production so we’re going to be able to pair the cocoa that grows from the same farm where the coffee we source is also grown right next to it a little farther up the mountain,” says Campos of future plans the beans roasted and cleaned with the husk separated from the flesh though traditionally it can be used in medicinal teas and sometimes mixed with other ingredients primarily coffee but sometimes chiles or marigold flowers Fierros arrived in the United States 24 years ago and in the steel mills for 12 years where he cut and melted steel in the furnaces Fierros found the work at Dark Matter comparatively peaceful the company made chocolate only the traditional way the chocolatiers added spices and herbs leading to bars infused with mezcal and tequila bars made from cacao beans fermented in whiskey barrels and one called Aztec with amaranth seeds and marigolds different kinds of chiles from Mexico like Oaxaca pasilla Fierros found his past life as a steelworker useful in the chocolate business “By turning liquids into solids and vice versa and you also have to temper chocolate to create a good bar so it’ll preserve,” Fierros says Marigold flowers are especially important for Día de Muertos as the bright yellow and orange petals are said to lure the dead to the ofrenda “We incorporate that form of expression in our work Every element that invites our Mexican culture is very important for us.” and Jalisco by assisting with replanting agave Bank introduced Garcia to a family farm called La Rifa that grew chocolate La Rifa was close to having to shut down operations due to the pandemic But when Dark Matter began their own chocolate journey La Rifa trained Fierros and others from Dark Matter in the art of chocolate making Cacao has long been sacred to the Indigenous people in the vast southern regions of Americas, encompassing what is now Mexico, Brazil, Guatemala, and beyond. It was used to heal, for religious ceremonies, and even as money. The word comes the Mayan belief that their god, Kukulkan (“Feathered Serpent”, yes the very same one referred to in the Black Panther sequel) The Aztecs believe Quetzalcoatl came from the sky to give them cacao along with other elements of Mexican and Indigenous cultures come through in Sleep Walk’s decor including jaguar paintings The jaguar is a significant figure in Mayan and other traditions with the ability to cross between worlds; the day and the night our world and the underworld where jaguars were said to be from make less than non-Indigenous Mexican migrants Sleep Walk will be able to connect with Indigenous farmers in Mexico “It would be something more intimate to dive into those areas,” he says “There are still communities that speak the mother languages He says the Mayan and Aztec influences here are “not just a gimmick,” but a need to honor their origins — all of them And Indigenous culture is deeply rooted in the history of cacao In the Popul Vuh there are numerous mentions of cacao readers are encouraged to drink cacao in honor of Hun Hunahpu out of a calabash that is actually Hun Hunahpu’s skull was called up by a maiden so she could produce nets of food to prove she was carrying One Hunahpu’s two offspring Fierros is from Guadalajara and didn’t grow up eating the kind of traditional dark or drinking chocolate he now makes “Mexico City and down south of Mexico are where I started learning about the craft of cacao and chocolate,” he says Fierros says that it’s easier to get creative and explore more flavors One of Sleep Walk’s more popular offerings is drinking chocolate The shop offers a picante flavor with cayenne which is the traditional way chocolate is consumed in Mexico “You hardly see chocolate bars,” says Fierros and because some chocolate producers also don’t have the means to invest in a cooling system they are forced to only do it as a drinking chocolate At Sleep Walk, they use a molinillo, a wooden whisk rubbed between palms, with rings that create a vortex and give the chocolate its frothy texture. ”The molinillo is quite an ancient tool used by artisans from Mexico. In Mexico, they even use huge ones, to mix up for massive production of drinking chocolate,” says Fierros. Sleep Walk’s are handmade by Arteollin Alonso a family company that’s made molinillos for five generations These reasons are why places like Sleepwalk are so important They try to understand the impacts of colonization and economic exploitation so they can provide a more ethical product “Coffee is like the second most traded commodity in the world besides oil in the world and when there’s a lot of money in something I feel like it’s constantly a minefield to understand who your supplier is and how it’s being cultivated,” says Campos adding that issues like politics and the climate crisis also must be factored in “It’s been way more comfortable for us to be able to work with people directly is a key part of the Chicano movement they try to represent in their stores ends with an acknowledgment that the Quiché people are no more and that the Spanish have come to destroy the Maya given that there is no longer a place to see it,” the text reads at the very end “There is the original book and ancient writing owned by the lords everything has been completed here concerning Quiché The Maya and the Aztecs are not extinct; Mayan languages are spoken by at least six million people and 1.5 million people speak Nahuatl It is because of Mayan record keeping that we know so much about what the cacao meant to them and continues to mean for the Indigenous people of Mexico and their descendants the meaning of the cacao bean is being preserved passionately with traditions passed down to a new generation in Chicago