Kliment Florián

A Police Constable Murdered on October 7th, 1929

Even the men who devoted their lives to protect and serve the general public become the target of various criminals. In Želetice, near Znojmo, the police constable, Kliment Florián, was shot to death. The same person murdered his wife, named Marie, too... A vagabond, named František Ellinger (born on January 1st, 1891), was produced by the police constable, Kliment Florián, to police station for some petty theft on October 7th, 1929. A day-labourer, a seventeen-year-old Josef Baloun, was produced together with him. When sitting at the desk and putting their names down, the police constable, Kliment Florián, was shot to death with one shot to back of his neck, by František Ellinger.

The wedding photograph of the murdered couple

The murdered Kliment Florián's wife hears the noise and thus she enters her husband's office. Ellinger shoots her to death as well. When searching through the police station, Ellinger comes across with the six-year-old Florian's son and he tries to shoot him death too, but he fails. The little boy manages to escape. The Kliment Florán's daughter manages to hide somewhere in the living wing of the police station.

Having done this, Ellinger spends some hundreds crowns and he spends some more money on a prostitute. When being in custody, Ellinger tries to get a help-mate to attack the warder and to escape from prison. During the trial, Ellinger highlights his acts done during the World War I, such as saving the president's life in Russia...

The burial service

Ellinger spends most of his childhood years in the house of correction as his alcohol-addict mother failed to bring him up. Having finished his military service, Ellinger is punished for arson. He fought in Russia, during the World War I, where he should suffer an injury. After that, Ellinger deserts to Wienna, where he robs. For that, he is sentenced to ten years of penal servitude.

The truth is, the murder was hate-motivated. He wanted to murder a completely different police constable who thought Ellinger to be a rather dangerous criminal. Not finding him, he murdered Kliment Florián, his wife Marie, and tried to murder even their son...

Mr. Putna, the General of the Police, with the orphans

On February 19th, 1930, Ellinger was sentenced to death for a twofold murder, fraud, and a murder-attempt. He was hanged on December 1st, 1930.

ThePpresident T. G. Masaryk and the government give the orphans the subsidy as high as 60.000 Czech crowns. Mr. Putna, the General of the Police, becomes their trustee till their age of eighteen. When the Nazi came to the Czech Republic, the memorial plaque, placed on the house, was removed. Nowadays, pupils of the near-by school use that house as a canteen.

the next room