Location in relation to the surroundings

The monument is at the entrance gate of the prison, in which many innocent victims of the communist regime were imprisoned.

Text of the inscription

Memorial to the Victims of Communism and Political Prisoners / 2009 / Jiří Sozanský / Technical Cooperation HVH Foundry and Kovovýroba Hrubý. To commemorate political prisoners and victims of the communist regime. The Prison Service of the Czech Republic 2009

General description

The monument is made of bronze, copper and stainless steel. It consists of a stylized star with a statue of a dog attacking a tied figure symbolizing political prisoners. The monument is three meters high

Condition

Good

The circumstances of unveiling

The monument was unveiled on 5th of June 2009 before entrace to the Valdice Prison. The initiator of the monument was the Prison Service of the Czech Republic and especially its General Director Mr Luděk Kula. The project was funded by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and the Ministry of Justice of the Czech Republic

Later history

Many political prisoners suffered in Valdice Prison in the 1950s. The memorial is to remind that some of the guards were particularly cruel to political prisoners, were exposed to various bullying and often worked in inhumane conditions. The memorial was unveiled in the presence of representatives of the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, the Ministry of Justice of the Czech Republic, the Prison Service of the Czech Republic and the Confederation of Political Prisoners of the Czech Republic

Contemporary importance

Thirty years after the collapse of the communist regime, there is often a relativization of violence and injustice that occurred throughout the Communist Party's rule in Czechoslovakia. The monument is a reminder of the atrocities that unjustly imprisoned citizens were subjected to under the totalitarian regime.

Publications, sources, links

BEZR, Ondřej. Byl odhalen památník politickým vězňům ve Valdicích. Místním příliš nevoní. iDnes.cz. 2009-06-04

MACHALICKÁ, Jana. Nechtěná socha bude stát. Lidové noviny. 2. června 2009

Valdice. Pomník obětem komunismu a politickým vězňům. Pamětní místa na komunistický režim

https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pam%C3%A1tn%C3%ADk_politick%C3%BDch_v%C4%9Bz%C5%88%C5%AF_(Valdice)