Jan Sejna
Encyclopedia
Jan Šejna also Sejna in English, (12 May 1927, Radhostice
CSR
– 23 August 1997, New York
) was, in the time of communist Czechoslovakia, a Major General of the Czechoslovak Army. After losing political power and influence at the beginning of the Prague Spring
, he sought refuge in the U.S. consulate in Trieste and defected to the United States
. He is the highest ranking (Major General) Soviet bloc official to ever defect.
(KSČ) thanks to his political contacts and friends – like with Antonín Novotný Jr., the son of President Antonín Novotný
and General Lomský at the Ministry of National Defence (Ministerstvo národní obrany, MNO) – built up a privileged position in the Czechoslovak People's Army (Československá lidová armáda, ČSLA).
In 1956, he became Chief of the Secretariat of the MNO, in 1963 the Chief Secretary of the Main Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia at the MNO. In October 1967 he was promoted to the rank of General. He fully supported Stalinist practices of suppression and intimidation.
Before the Prague Spring
of 1968 began, the Czechoslovak Communist Party and affiliated members of the Soviet regime sought change through new leadership. Novotný's position as First Secretary (since 1953) President (since 1957) weakened.
There were soon speculations about Šejna's personal participation in the planned military action of the army to support Novotný in the first weeks of 1968. Expecting backlash from reformers, "… General Jan Šejna convinced the presidium of the Main Party Committee in the Ministry of Defense to send to the Central Committee a petition … insisting on Novotný’s retention as first secretary." When Šejna failed to bring about Novotný’s reinstatement, he began plotting a military coup, a plan which failed to gain support as well.
Novotný was finally replaced by Alexander Dubček
, a reform-minded member of the Czechoslovak party presidium, as leader of the party.
($20,000) worth of state-owned alfalfa and clover seed". However, before he could be arrested he defected in February 1968 with his son and his son's fiancée to the Italy & settled in the USA.
News of Šejna’s indictment and defection quickly spread through Czechoslovakia’s increasingly open press. He soon came to be known as "Clover Seed General" for his alleged massive embezzlement of clover. Soon after he was completely removed from power.
Šejna was granted asylum in the United States, much to the dismay of Soviet authorities and became an intelligence source for American agencies and policy makers. According to Czechoslovak ambassador
Duda, it was ironic that, "Šejna, who represented the worst elements of the conservative clique in Prague, should find haven in the United States".
In 1970, Šejna was sentenced by Czechoslovak courts in absentia to ten years in prison, to the forfeiture of his property and loss of all of his official titles and decorations. ČSSR unsuccessfully requested the USA to extradite him.
later as a consultant to the Defense Intelligence Agency
until his death in 1997. He spoke out in interviews and appeared before U.S. Congressional committees.
collaborated with North Korea
in the capture of the U.S. intelligence ship Pueblo
from Pacific waters in 1968 and that Cuba
and Czechoslovakia
worked together to establish drug-trafficking networks throughout Latin America and to infiltrate those in existence … the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia tested drugs on U.S. prisoners of war during the Korean and Vietnam wars".
In his book We Will Bury You
, Sejna gave an insight into Soviet Cold War strategies, quoting Konstantin Katushev, secretary of the Soviet Central Committee: "If we can impose on the U.S.A. the external restraints proposed in our Plan, and seriously disrupt the American economy, the working and the lower middle classes will suffer the consequences and they will turn on the society that has failed them. They will be ready for revolution".
He provided a lot of interesting facts about the communist power system and its protagonists. However, he also fabricated some mere speculations. Along with the information he provided concerning covert Soviet strategy, he also gave the West an otherwise shrouded picture of political strife and reform in the Communist state of Czechoslovakia.
Šejna is remembered as "one of the highest ranking Communists ever to defect to the West".
Radhostice
Radhostice is a village and municipality in Prachatice District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 175 ....
CSR
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
– 23 August 1997, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
) was, in the time of communist Czechoslovakia, a Major General of the Czechoslovak Army. After losing political power and influence at the beginning of the Prague Spring
Prague Spring
The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II...
, he sought refuge in the U.S. consulate in Trieste and defected to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He is the highest ranking (Major General) Soviet bloc official to ever defect.
Rise to power
During the 50s and 60s, Šejna rose through the ranks of the Communist Party of CzechoslovakiaCommunist Party of Czechoslovakia
The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, in Czech and in Slovak: Komunistická strana Československa was a Communist and Marxist-Leninist political party in Czechoslovakia that existed between 1921 and 1992....
(KSČ) thanks to his political contacts and friends – like with Antonín Novotný Jr., the son of President Antonín Novotný
Antonín Novotný
Antonín Novotný was General Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia from 1953 to 1968, and also held the post of President of Czechoslovakia from 1957 to 1968. He was born in Letňany, now part of Prague....
and General Lomský at the Ministry of National Defence (Ministerstvo národní obrany, MNO) – built up a privileged position in the Czechoslovak People's Army (Československá lidová armáda, ČSLA).
In 1956, he became Chief of the Secretariat of the MNO, in 1963 the Chief Secretary of the Main Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia at the MNO. In October 1967 he was promoted to the rank of General. He fully supported Stalinist practices of suppression and intimidation.
Before the Prague Spring
Prague Spring
The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II...
of 1968 began, the Czechoslovak Communist Party and affiliated members of the Soviet regime sought change through new leadership. Novotný's position as First Secretary (since 1953) President (since 1957) weakened.
There were soon speculations about Šejna's personal participation in the planned military action of the army to support Novotný in the first weeks of 1968. Expecting backlash from reformers, "… General Jan Šejna convinced the presidium of the Main Party Committee in the Ministry of Defense to send to the Central Committee a petition … insisting on Novotný’s retention as first secretary." When Šejna failed to bring about Novotný’s reinstatement, he began plotting a military coup, a plan which failed to gain support as well.
Novotný was finally replaced by Alexander Dubček
Alexander Dubcek
Alexander Dubček , also known as Dikita, was a Slovak politician and briefly leader of Czechoslovakia , famous for his attempt to reform the communist regime during the Prague Spring...
, a reform-minded member of the Czechoslovak party presidium, as leader of the party.
Losing power, changing sides
Losing his political influence, Šejna was under investigation for corruption: "… the official case against General Šejna was limited to charges that he had allegedly misappropriated 300,000 crownsCzechoslovak koruna
The Czechoslovak koruna was the currency of Czechoslovakia from April 10, 1919 to March 14, 1939 and from November 1, 1945 to February 7, 1993...
($20,000) worth of state-owned alfalfa and clover seed". However, before he could be arrested he defected in February 1968 with his son and his son's fiancée to the Italy & settled in the USA.
News of Šejna’s indictment and defection quickly spread through Czechoslovakia’s increasingly open press. He soon came to be known as "Clover Seed General" for his alleged massive embezzlement of clover. Soon after he was completely removed from power.
Šejna was granted asylum in the United States, much to the dismay of Soviet authorities and became an intelligence source for American agencies and policy makers. According to Czechoslovak ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
Duda, it was ironic that, "Šejna, who represented the worst elements of the conservative clique in Prague, should find haven in the United States".
In 1970, Šejna was sentenced by Czechoslovak courts in absentia to ten years in prison, to the forfeiture of his property and loss of all of his official titles and decorations. ČSSR unsuccessfully requested the USA to extradite him.
Life in the United States
In the following three decades in the United States, Šejna worked as a counterintelligence analyst for the Central Intelligence AgencyCentral Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
later as a consultant to the Defense Intelligence Agency
Defense Intelligence Agency
The Defense Intelligence Agency is a member of the Intelligence Community of the United States, and is the central producer and manager of military intelligence for the United States Department of Defense, employing over 16,500 U.S. military and civilian employees worldwide...
until his death in 1997. He spoke out in interviews and appeared before U.S. Congressional committees.
Facts and fiction
He claimed, "that the Soviet intelligence agency directed terrorist training camps in Czechoslovakia in the mid-60s … the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
collaborated with North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
in the capture of the U.S. intelligence ship Pueblo
USS Pueblo (AGER-2)
USS Pueblo is an American ELINT and SIGINT Banner-class technical research ship which was boarded and captured by North Korean forces on January 23, 1968, in what is known as the Pueblo incident or alternatively as the Pueblo crisis or the Pueblo affair. Occurring less than a week after President...
from Pacific waters in 1968 and that Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
worked together to establish drug-trafficking networks throughout Latin America and to infiltrate those in existence … the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia tested drugs on U.S. prisoners of war during the Korean and Vietnam wars".
In his book We Will Bury You
We will bury you
"We will bury you!" was a phrase famously used by Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev while addressing Western ambassadors at a reception at the Polish embassy in Moscow on November 18, 1956....
, Sejna gave an insight into Soviet Cold War strategies, quoting Konstantin Katushev, secretary of the Soviet Central Committee: "If we can impose on the U.S.A. the external restraints proposed in our Plan, and seriously disrupt the American economy, the working and the lower middle classes will suffer the consequences and they will turn on the society that has failed them. They will be ready for revolution".
He provided a lot of interesting facts about the communist power system and its protagonists. However, he also fabricated some mere speculations. Along with the information he provided concerning covert Soviet strategy, he also gave the West an otherwise shrouded picture of political strife and reform in the Communist state of Czechoslovakia.
Šejna is remembered as "one of the highest ranking Communists ever to defect to the West".
by Šejna
- Czechoslovaks participated in human experiments on US POWs in North KoreaNorth KoreaThe Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
in the early 50s (see also section Speculations about medical experiments on POWs in the Ludvík SoučekLudvík SoucekLudvík Souček was probably the best-known author of science fiction in Czechoslovakia.He graduated at Medical faculty of Charles University in Prague as a dentist in 1951 and started his professional life at the dental clinic as an assistant. Later, he joined the military and became an officer...
entry)
Quotes
- Šejna should be judged as a prototype of an opportunist and a schemer brought up by the Communist party.
–Jan Kalous: General Šejna – An Object of Interest of the Military Counter-Intelligence (English summary)
External links
- Milan Macák: Questions About Šejna, Military Intelligence of the Czech Republic
- Jan Kalous: Generál Jan Šejna – předmět zájmu vojenské kontrarozvědky (in Czech, General Šejna – An Object of Interest of the Military Counter-Intelligence)