4 May 1919 Milan Rastislav Štefánik died tragically

He was an astronomer, doctor of philosophy, politician and co-founder of Czechoslovakia. During the First World War, he organized the Czechoslovak legions in Serbia. Milan Rastislav Štefánik died after a plane crash on 4 May 1919.

Štefánik's death was unexpected and tragic, and it was even whispered that Edvard Beneš was involved. In 1919, France and Italy were competing for influence in Czechoslovakia. The Francophile Benes believed that France had the upper hand. He counted on its support at the peace conference. Štefánik, however, leaned towards Italy, whose involvement in Czechoslovak affairs was deeper. It was the Italians who first sent a relevant military mission to Czechoslovakia.

Beneš's actions towards Italy significantly worsened the relations between him and Štefánik. Beneš was critical of Štefánik's private life and his relationship with the Italian marquise Giuliana Benzoni. He was annoyed that Štefánik refused to renounce his French citizenship as a minister of our government. The disputes were "resolved" only by a tragic accident.

Stefanik wanted to spend a few days with his beloved. Their love endured, although they had not had the opportunity to meet since they met. He promised to return in a month and they would marry. Before Stefanik left for Rome, to ease the undisguised disillusionment of Italian politicians, he wrote a short letter to Masaryk.

"In a few points - as befits a military report - he set out his concerns regarding the position of the legionaries, the Paris conference and the Italo-French conflict. However, what strikes one's eye is the address "Dear Mr President" and the conclusion in which Stefanik wrote that he would do his best but was tired to the point of being tired. And that he believes in Masaryk and loves him as much as ever," says Mariusz Surosz in his book Pepíci.

The commander of the Czechoslovak military mission in Rome, Captain Jan Šeba, then persuaded Štefánik to return to his homeland by ambulance train. Štefánik, however, did not agree. He planned to take a course for Bratislava, visit his mother and the next day head to Prague to see Masaryk. So, on 4 May, he boarded a Caproni 450 bomber biplane at Udine airport with a crew of three (Lieutenant Giotto Mancinelli-Scotti, Sergeant Umberto Merlin and mechanic-radio operator Gabriele Aggiusti).

Problems during the flight had already occurred over Vienna when one of the crew members found a broken wire wrapped around the rudder rod. However, they decided to continue and not make an emergency landing. The aircraft crashed during the landing attempt. The cause of the crash was never clarified, but it was probably an accident.

"Benes, of course, did not escape the whispers that he had a hand in the death of Stefanik. However, this has never been proven," says Ivan Kazimour in his book Edvard Benes Without Adoration.

Sources.