Supplement to the Liberation Memorial by the Red Army in Olomouc

In 2016, the Ječmen studio in Olomouc developed a proposal for the modification of the surroundings of the Memorial to the Liberation by the Red Army in Olomouc. The order for the surroundings was commissioned by the City of Olomouc, while the memorial itself was renovated with funds from the Russian Federation.

The area around the memorial was in poor condition; the implementation from the 70s expanded the originally minimal surroundings and, due to its size, was a tribute to the normalization worship of the Soviet Union. The entire area was falling into disrepair.

As part of the proposal for the surroundings of the memorial, a stone block with the inscription was suggested:
At the end of World War II, the Red Army fought for the liberation of the city of Olomouc. From May 7 to May 9, 1945, many Czech patriots also participated in the battles. Honor to all fallen Red Army soldiers and their Czech comrades-in-arms. On August 21, 1968, the Soviet Army occupied Czechoslovakia for its struggle for political independence. After the November Revolution in 1989, it had to leave Czechoslovakia.

The installation of the stone was rejected by the then City Council of Olomouc, led by former mayor Antonín Staněk. As authors, we repeatedly requested a discussion, for the invitation of historians and authorities regarding the text's form.

We are now supplementing the stone with the text. This is a model in real size. The inscription is abbreviated. The installation will take place on Friday, March 25, 2022, at 12:00 PM on Havlíčkova Street in Olomouc.

By Ječmen studio architects Lukáš and Eva Blažek and Vojtěch Jemelka.