Martin Dzúr

Martin Dzúr (12 July 1919 – 15 January 1985) was a Slovak military officer and a communist politician, who served as defense minister of Czechoslovakia from 1968 to 1985.

Early life and education Dzúr was born in Ploštín (now part of Liptovský Mikuláš), Slovakia, on 12 July 1919.

In 1959, Dzúr was made deputy defense minister. He was a colonel general when he was named as the minister of defense. Four months after Dzúr's appointment the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia in August 1968. Ivan Yershov, Soviet chief of staff during the invasion, stated in 1989 that Dzúr initially refused to take orders from the Soviets, arguing that only Alexander Dubček, leader of the Czechoslovak communist party, could give orders to him. However, Andrei Grechko, the former commander of the Warsaw Pact, told Dzúr by telephone that "if a single Czechoslovak soldier fired so much as one shot, he would personally hang Dzúr from the first tree."

Dzúr was elected to the communist party's central committee in 1971. Milán Václavík replaced him in the post.

Views Dzúr was close to Alexander Dubček.

Honours and awards Dzúr was awarded the highest Soviet prize, the Order of Lenin, in 1983.

Death Only four days after his removal from office Dzúr died of "a long and serious illness" in Prague on 15 January 1985.