Memorial to the Victims of Communism
in Prague, Czech RepublicCategory: Attraction
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pomník obětem komunismu, Újezd, 118 00 Praha 1-Malá Strana, Czech Republic Print route »
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For the American monument see Victims of Communism Memorial; for the proposed Canadian monument see Memorial to the Victims of Communism (Ottawa)The Memorial to the victims of Communism (Czech: Pomník obětem komunismu) is a series of statues in Prague commemorating the victims of the 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.
It was unveiled on the 22 May 2002, twelve years after the fall of communism, 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 shows seven bronze figures descending a flight of stairs. 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.
There is also a bronze strip that runs along the centre of the memorial, showing estimated numbers of those impacted by communism:
205,486 arrested
170,938 forced into exile
4,500 died in prison
327 shot trying to escape
248 executed
The 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"
