Poignant figures stand before us. These are the statues of the Oběti koncentračních táborů Sculpture. This memorial commemorates the victims of the communist regime in Czechoslovakia. It stood between 1948 and 1989.
The Oběti koncentračních táborů Sculpture sits at the base of Petřín hill. You can find it on Újezd street in the Malá Strana area. The memorial was unveiled on May 22, 2002. This was twelve years after the fall of communism in the Eastern Bloc.
Czech sculptor Olbram Zoubek designed the Oběti koncentračních táborů Sculpture. Architects Jan Kerel and Zdeněk Hölzel also contributed. The local council and Confederation of Political Prisoners supported its creation.
The Oběti koncentračních táborů Sculpture features six bronze statues. These statues show a single individual on a flight of stairs. Each statue is in a different state of decay. This represents the stages of an individual’s destruction. It symbolizes the treatment of political prisoners. The statues remain standing to show defiance.
A bronze strip runs along the center of the memorial. It shows the estimated numbers of people who faced state repression. During the communist era 205,486 were arrested. 170,938 were forced into exile. 4,500 died in prison. 327 were shot trying to escape. 248 were executed.
A nearby bronze plaque provides more information about the Oběti koncentračních táborů Sculpture. It states the memorial is dedicated to all victims. This includes those jailed or executed. It also includes those whose lives were ruined by totalitarian despotism.
The adjacent pedestrian way was named “Alej obětí totality” on February 24, 2018. Ivan Margolius suggested this name to the Prague City Council.
Before the unveiling, there were reports of political disputes. They argued about who should attend the ceremony. Václav Havel was a leading dissident. He only received an invitation two days before. Havel visited the monument with Zoubek before its unveiling.
Not everyone welcomed the Oběti koncentračních táborů Sculpture. Some artists called it kitsch. Others criticized the lack of female figures. In 2003, bomb blasts damaged one of the statues. No one claimed responsibility.
The Oběti koncentračních táborů Sculpture serves as a reminder. It honors those who suffered under communist rule. It stands as a warning against totalitarianism. It is a place for reflection. It is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.