Jump to content

Memorial to the Victims of Communism: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 50°04′52″N 14°24′15″E / 50.08111°N 14.40417°E / 50.08111; 14.40417
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
add category
Oakley Kim (talk | contribs)
117 edits
No edit summary
Line 33: Line 33:
}}
}}
[[File:Prag10c.JPG|thumb|]]
[[File:Prag10c.JPG|thumb|]]
'''The Memorial to the victims of Communism''' ({{lang-cs|Pomník obětem komunismu}}) is a series of statues in [[Prague]] commemorating the victims of the [[History of Czechoslovakia (1948–89)|communist era between 1948 and 1989]]. It is located at the base of [[Petřín]] hill, Újezd street in the [[Malá Strana]] or the Lesser Town area.
'''The Memorial to the victims of Communism''' ({{lang-cs|Pomník obětem komunismu}}) is a series of statues in [[Prague]] commemorating the victims of the communist regime in [[Czechoslovak Socialist Republic|Czechoslovakia]] between [[History of Czechoslovakia (1948–1989)|1948 and 1989]]. It is located at the base of [[Petřín]] hill, Újezd street in the [[Malá Strana]] or the Lesser Town area.


It was unveiled on the 22 May 2002, twelve years after the fall of communism in the [[Eastern Bloc]], and is the work of Czech sculptor [[Olbram Zoubek]] and architects Jan Kerel and Zdeněk Holzel. It was supported by the local council and Confederation of Political Prisoners (KPV).
It was unveiled on the 22 May 2002, twelve years after the fall of communism in the [[Eastern Bloc]], and is the work of Czech sculptor [[Olbram Zoubek]] and architects Jan Kerel and Zdeněk Holzel. It was supported by the local council and Confederation of Political Prisoners (KPV).


==Description==
==Description==
It shows six bronze copies of a single individual, standing on a flight of stairs, each statue in a different stage of the individual's destruction. The statues appear more "decayed" the further away they are from you - losing limbs and their bodies breaking open. It symbolises how political prisoners were affected by Communism.
The memorial shows six bronze statues depicting a single individual standing on a flight of stairs. Each statue is in a different state of decay representing the different stages of the individual's destruction. This symbolizes the treatment of [[Political prisoner|political prisoners]] by the Communist government. The individual's continual defiance is represented by the fact that all of the statues, regardless of the level of decay, remain standing.


There is also a bronze strip that runs along the centre of the memorial, showing estimated numbers of those impacted by communism:
There is also a bronze strip that runs along the centre of the memorial, showing the estimated numbers of individuals that faced state repression during the communist era:


* 205,486 arrested
* 205,486 arrested
Line 48: Line 48:
* 248 executed
* 248 executed


The bronze plaque nearby reads:
A bronze plaque nearby reads:
<blockquote>"The memorial to the victims of communism is dedicated to all victims not only those who were jailed or executed but also those whose lives were ruined by totalitarian despotism"</blockquote>
<blockquote>"The memorial to the victims of communism is dedicated to all victims not only those who were jailed or executed but also those whose lives were ruined by totalitarian despotism."</blockquote>


On February 24, 2018, the adjacent pedestrian way to the memorial was named "Alej obětí totality" as suggested to the Prague City Council by [[Ivan Margolius]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.menetekel.cz/cz/aktualne/pamatnik-na-prazskem-ujezde-si-lide-pletli-s-modernim-umenim-nove-se-jmenuje-alej-obeti-totality/|title=Památník na pražském Újezdě se nově jmenuje Alej obětí totality |publisher=menetekel.cz/cz/ |access-date=2018-02-28}}</ref>
On February 24, 2018, the adjacent pedestrian way to the memorial was named "Alej obětí totality" as suggested to the Prague City Council by [[Ivan Margolius]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.menetekel.cz/cz/aktualne/pamatnik-na-prazskem-ujezde-si-lide-pletli-s-modernim-umenim-nove-se-jmenuje-alej-obeti-totality/|title=Památník na pražském Újezdě se nově jmenuje Alej obětí totality |publisher=menetekel.cz/cz/ |access-date=2018-02-28}}</ref>


== Controversy ==
== Controversy ==
Prior to the memorial being unveiled, there were reports in the local media about an apparent political row over who should attend the ceremony.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radio.cz/en/article/28266 |title=Memorial to the victims of Communism unveiled in Prague |publisher=Radio Prague |access-date=2012-09-18}}</ref> President [[Václav Havel]], a leading dissident in the communist era was not invited until the last minute, and then declined to attend.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cesky.radio.cz/pomnik-obetem-komunismu-8062019 |title=Újezd zdobí památník obětem komunismu |publisher=Radio Prague |date=2002-05-23 |access-date=2020-06-26}}</ref>
Prior to the memorial being unveiled, there were reports in the local media about an apparent political row over who should attend the unveiling ceremony.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radio.cz/en/article/28266 |title=Memorial to the victims of Communism unveiled in Prague |publisher=Radio Prague |access-date=2012-09-18}}</ref> Then-President [[Václav Havel]], despite having been a leading dissident in the communist era, was not an original invitee and only received an invitation two days before the ceremony. Havel ended up visiting the monument with its sculptor Zoubek the day prior to its unveiling.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cesky.radio.cz/pomnik-obetem-komunismu-8062019 |title=Újezd zdobí památník obětem komunismu |publisher=Radio Prague |date=2002-05-23 |access-date=2020-06-26}}</ref>


The memorial has not been universally welcomed, with some artists saying the memorial is kitsch and others critical that female figures were not included. One of the statues was damaged during two bomb blasts in 2003. No one has admitted carrying out the attacks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radio.cz/en/article/47274 |title=Prague monument to Communist victims damaged in explosion |publisher=Radio Prague |date=2012-01-14 |access-date=2012-09-18}}</ref>
The memorial has not been universally welcomed, with some artists saying the memorial is kitsch and others critical that female figures were not included. One of the statues was damaged during two bomb blasts in 2003. No one has admitted carrying out the attacks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radio.cz/en/article/47274 |title=Prague monument to Communist victims damaged in explosion |publisher=Radio Prague |date=2012-01-14 |access-date=2012-09-18}}</ref>

Revision as of 00:21, 26 January 2024

For other memorials, see Victims of Communism Memorial in Washington D.C.; and Memorial to the Victims of Communism – Canada, a Land of Refuge in Ottawa.
Memorial to the Victims of Communism
Pomník obětem komunismu
Memorial to the victims of Communism
Map
50°04′52″N 14°24′15″E / 50.08111°N 14.40417°E / 50.08111; 14.40417
LocationPrague
DesignerOlbram Zoubek
TypeMemorial
Opening date22 May 2002
Dedicated toVictims of the communist era

The Memorial to the victims of Communism (Czech: Pomník obětem komunismu) is a series of statues in Prague commemorating the victims of the communist regime in Czechoslovakia between 1948 and 1989. It is located at the base of Petřín hill, Újezd street in the Malá Strana or the Lesser Town area.

It was unveiled on the 22 May 2002, twelve years after the fall of communism in the Eastern Bloc, and is the work of Czech sculptor Olbram Zoubek and architects Jan Kerel and Zdeněk Holzel. It was supported by the local council and Confederation of Political Prisoners (KPV).

Description

The memorial shows six bronze statues depicting a single individual standing on a flight of stairs. Each statue is in a different state of decay representing the different stages of the individual's destruction. This symbolizes the treatment of political prisoners by the Communist government. The individual's continual defiance is represented by the fact that all of the statues, regardless of the level of decay, remain standing.

There is also a bronze strip that runs along the centre of the memorial, showing the estimated numbers of individuals that faced state repression during the communist era:

  • 205,486 arrested
  • 170,938 forced into exile
  • 4,500 died in prison
  • 327 shot trying to escape
  • 248 executed

A bronze plaque nearby reads:

"The memorial to the victims of communism is dedicated to all victims not only those who were jailed or executed but also those whose lives were ruined by totalitarian despotism."

On February 24, 2018, the adjacent pedestrian way to the memorial was named "Alej obětí totality" as suggested to the Prague City Council by Ivan Margolius.[1]

Controversy

Prior to the memorial being unveiled, there were reports in the local media about an apparent political row over who should attend the unveiling ceremony.[2] Then-President Václav Havel, despite having been a leading dissident in the communist era, was not an original invitee and only received an invitation two days before the ceremony. Havel ended up visiting the monument with its sculptor Zoubek the day prior to its unveiling.[3]

The memorial has not been universally welcomed, with some artists saying the memorial is kitsch and others critical that female figures were not included. One of the statues was damaged during two bomb blasts in 2003. No one has admitted carrying out the attacks.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Památník na pražském Újezdě se nově jmenuje Alej obětí totality". menetekel.cz/cz/. Retrieved 2018-02-28.
  2. ^ "Memorial to the victims of Communism unveiled in Prague". Radio Prague. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
  3. ^ "Újezd zdobí památník obětem komunismu". Radio Prague. 2002-05-23. Retrieved 2020-06-26.
  4. ^ "Prague monument to Communist victims damaged in explosion". Radio Prague. 2012-01-14. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pomník obětem komunismu (Praha, Újezd).
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Memorial_to_the_Victims_of_Communism&oldid=1199101635"