The Museum of Memory of the 20th Century will receive ten million CZK from the town hall for its operation

Prague - The Prague Museum of the Memory of the 20th Century will receive ten million crowns from the city council for its operations. The museum will use the money to cover part of its operational costs or for this year's projects and activities. The allocation of funds was approved today by Prague city councilors. The museum was founded by Prague in 2019 and is tasked with commemorating the crimes of totalitarian regimes in the Czech lands.

The Museum of the Memory of the 20th Century is preparing, for example, the exhibition European Gulag, a historical walk dedicated to the Prague locations associated with the fate of Jan Palach, or a debate titled Open Apartments, Open Hearts, Defiant Women During the Normalization Era at the Václav Havel Library.

According to the document approved today, Prague sees it as necessary to commemorate not only the memory of the victims of totalitarian regimes but also the bravery of citizens who, based on their democratic convictions, decided to fight for freedom and actively opposed totalitarian regimes.

The amount was criticized by opposition councilor and former councilor Hana Třeštíková (Prague for Themselves). According to her, considering that it is the middle of the year and that the museum is not yet fully operational, the amount is too high. She stated that she attempted in recent weeks to propose a lower amount at the city council's cultural committee meeting, but unsuccessfully. Coalition councilor Jaromír Beránek (Pirates) also opposed the amount of the subsidy.

The Museum of the Memory of the 20th Century was established on November 17, 2019, to mark the 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution. According to city information, it has acquired many exhibits for its collections, such as the bronze statue of Soviet Marshal Ivan Stepanovich Koniev, which Prague 6 had removed from Interbrigade Square. It is currently awaiting the reconstruction of the House of Pages in Hradčany, where a permanent exhibition will be established thereafter. However, it is intended to be a temporary location; in the future, according to previous statements by city representatives, the institution could move to the Strahov Stadium.