 Edvard Beneš (28 May 1884 in Kožlany – 3 September 1948 in Sezimovo Ústí) was the second president of Czechoslovakia (1935 - 1938 and 1945 - 1948). During World War II, he led the government-in-exile in England (1939 - 1945). The next president was Klement Gottwald, a communist. 