Location in relation to the surroundings

The memorial is situated in Nerudova Street, near Prague Castle.

Text of the inscription

The plaque is in Czech, next to it is a sign with an English translation:

25 ÚNORA 1948 / BYLI V TĚCHTO MÍSTECH A NA HRADČANSKÉM NÁMĚSTÍ BRUTÁLNĚ NAPADENI OZBROJENOU KOMUNISTICKOU POLICIÍ VYSOKOŠKOLÁCI, KTEŘÍ V MNOHATISÍCOVÉM POCHODU NA HRAD ŠLI PODPOŘIT PREZIDENTA BENEŠE V ÚSILÍ ZACHOVAT SVOBODU A DEMOKRACII. NA PAMĚŤ ODVÁŽNÝCH STUDENTŮ, KTEŘÍ SE V OSUDOVÝCH CHVÍLÍCH NAŠEHO NÁRODA NEBÁLI VZEPŘÍT NASTUPUJÍCÍMU BEZPRÁVÍ. / PRAŽSKÝ AKADEMICKÝ KLUB 48 / SENÁT PARLAMENTU ČR

ON 25TH FEBRUARY 1948 / A MULTI-THOUSAND MARCH OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS HEADING TO PRAGUE CASTLE IN SUPPORT OF PRESIDENT BENEŠ AND HIS EFFORTS TO PRESERVE FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY, WAS BRUTALLY ATTACKED BY ARMED COMMUNIST POLICE AT THIS PLACE AND IN HRAČANY SQUARE. IN MEMORY OF THE BRAVE STUDENTS WHO, AT THE FATEFUL MOMENTS OF THIS NATION, WERE NOT AFRAID OF OPPOSING INCOMING LAWLESSNESS. / THE PRAGUE ACADEMIC CLUB 48 / THE SENATE OF THE PARLIAMENT OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC

General description

The bronze plaque contains text in Czech language. It is situated on the site where the incident – the Communist police intervention against the student demonstration heading to Prague Castle on 25 February 1948 during the governmental crisis. The plague also contains the English translation. Material: bronze, Dimensions: 1m x 0.5m.

Condition

Good

The circumstances of unveiling

The memorial was unvelield by the Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republlic Mr Petr Pithart and Prague Academic Club 48, which represents former university students persecuted for the political reasons after 1948. It informs about the brutal police action against the student demonstration on 25 Febraury 1948. The participants of the demonstration wanted to appeal on former president Dr. Edvard Beneš not to capitulate to the Communist Party pressure. Without success.

Later history

The plaque was renovated in 2018.

Contemporary importance

Annualy, on 25 February, a commemorative event is taking place with the participation of the 1948 protesters, the Senate representatives and politicians, ambassadors, city officials, former political prisoners etc. Main organiser is the Prague Academic Club 1948. It is a part of international anti-totalitarian conference Mene Tekel.

Publications, sources, links

http://totalita.cz/pomnik/pomnik_praha_007.php

http://www.pametnimista.usd.cas.cz/praha-1-pametni-desky-v-upominku-studentskych-demonstraci-25-unora-1948/

https://www.vets.cz/vpm/2157-pametni-deska-pochodu-studentu-z-25-2-1948/

https://www.radio.cz/cz/rubrika/udalosti/pochod-studentu-na-hrad-z-r-1948-pripomina-pametni-deska

https://www.radio.cz/en/section/curraffrs/plaque-unveiled-on-nerudova-street-to-commemorate-1948-student-march

BLAŽEK, Petr: Pamětní deska na studentskou demonstraci 25. února 1948, In: Paměť a dějiny, 2008, roč. 2, č. 1, s. 162–166.

HAVRÁNEK, Jan – POUSTA, Zdeněk: Dějiny Univerzity Karlovy IV. Karolinum, Praha 1995.