Krematorium Strašnice

Why did Prague need a new crematorium in the 1920s? The Krematorium Strašnice, standing before us, holds the answer. This imposing constructivist structure, designed by Alois Mezera, opened in 1932. It wasn’t Prague’s first crematorium. The city’s initial, temporary crematorium was located at Olšany Cemetery. The first cremation in Prague took place there on November 23, 1921. The remains of Dr. František Adamec marked the beginning of this practice in the city. By 1926, the need for a dedicated crematorium became clear. An architectural competition was launched, resulting in Mezera’s winning design for Krematorium Strašnice. Construction began in 1929, including the adjacent urn grove. The Krematorium Strašnice officially opened in January 1932. The ceremony was attended by Prague’s mayor, Karel Baxa. The new crematorium took over operations from the Olšany facility on April 4th of the same year. Krematorium Strašnice is not just an architectural marvel. It also carries a heavy historical burden. During the Nazi and Communist regimes, it became a site of unspeakable tragedy. Thousands of victims of show trials, secret executions, and police brutality were cremated here. František Suchý, the director during these dark times, secretly kept a list of those cremated. He and his son risked their lives to inform families of their loved ones’ fate. While ordered to dispose of the ashes, Suchý hid them, diligently recording the names of all those cremated. He even held the urn of the executed Milada Horáková. This act of defiance earned him a 25-year prison sentence under the Communist regime. The Krematorium Strašnice witnessed both the best and worst of human nature. It is a testament to both architectural innovation and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable suffering.