The Sokolov Museum is hosting an exhibition about the life of architect Wels, who also worked in Sokolov

Sokolov - This week, an exhibition dedicated to the life and work of the First Republic Jewish architect Rudolf Wels opened in the Sokolov Castle. The exhibition follows several generations of a Czech Jewish family that contributed to the flourishing of Czechoslovak culture and left an indelible mark on the region. In Sokolov, Wels was responsible for the creation of the Mining House, two schools, and several family homes, said Michael Rund, the director of the Sokolov museum, today.

The exhibition describes the period from the meeting of Wels's parents to the moment when their descendants in Great Britain learn about their ancestors' fate through a secret family archive that miraculously survived World War II. The Wels family hid a box containing family memories, letters, photographs, drawings, and other documents with friends before being transported to a concentration camp. Rudolf Wels’s oldest son, Tomáš, who fled to Britain, collected the box after the war, stored it in a cupboard, and never spoke about life in Czechoslovakia. The documents were discovered later by his children, who reconstructed the family story.

The traveling exhibition titled "Není noci tak tmavé" (There is No Night So Dark) is organized by the branch of Memory of Nations for the Karlovy Vary Region in cooperation with the Sokolov Museum. It was first held at the Winternitz Villa in Prague. Its author is David Vaughan. The British journalist and writer, who has lived in Prague since 1991, participated in the search and helped the Wels family learn details about their family's life. The director of the Sokolov museum, Rund, also contributed to the exhibition. The Sokolov historian studied Wels's life and work in Sokolov and also wrote a book titled "Po stopách Rudolfa Welse" (In the Footsteps of Rudolf Wels), which is available for purchase at the exhibition.

In the early 1920s, Wels resided in Karlovy Vary. He built new structures for the famous glass company Moser. He also designed drink sets and vases with artistic decorations for this company. He planned several buildings in Karlovy Vary as well. Among his most successful works are the building of the health insurance company, now a polyclinic, on Milady Horákové Square, the Bellevue spa house, and the building of Bath VI., which has already been demolished.

In Sokolov, the architect became especially famous for constructing the Mining House. In the 1920s, he designed both its exterior and its lavish interiors. The house was originally created as a community house for the mining area. Its façade is iconic with a relief titled "One Day in the Life of a Miner." This theme was likely suggested by architect Wels himself, as the relief is already depicted in his project from April 1923. To this day, a memorial plaque on the façade of the Mining House reminds visitors of the author.

The Sokolov Museum is also preparing for an unusual vernissage later, on September 16. "It will be of a festive nature because Colin Wels, one of Rudolf Wels’s grandsons, has confirmed he will attend. The exhibition's author, David Vaughan, will also be here. We will have it set up as a guided tour of the exhibition," said Rund. The exhibition will be open until September 24.