Pardubice will begin the reconstruction of the Memorial Zámeček this week

Pardubice - This week, Pardubice will begin the reconstruction of the Zámeček Memorial, located at the site where Germans executed the inhabitants of Ležáky and other Czech patriots during the Heydrich era in 1942. The city is investing over 39 million crowns in the reconstruction, more than 21 million of which should be covered by European Union grants and contributions from the state budget. The reconstruction is expected to last about 15 months until July next year, stated Nataša Hradní from the mayor's office in a press release.

"In 2022, marking the 80th anniversary of the tragic events, we will remember the fates of all Czech patriots in the reconstructed memorial," said Pardubice Mayor Martin Charvát (ANO).

Unlike today, the memorial will be accessible year-round, with a new entrance from Průmyslová Street, where a parking lot will be created. The current monument will remain the centerpiece of the national cultural monument, while the inadequate facilities, fencing, and some minor architectural elements will be removed. "The basis for the new appearance of the area will be an underground exhibition, which will be created in a new museum building designed by architects Žalský and Podráský in collaboration with historian Vojtěch Kyncl," said Deputy Mayor Jakub Rychtecký (ČSSD).

The area of the Zámeček Memorial will maintain its solemn character and a new exhibition will be established here. The Czechoslovak Legionnaire Association is also working on revitalizing the nearby Larisch Villa, where prisoners spent their last hours before execution. The city will contribute 15 million crowns to its renovation, with the same amount provided by the Pardubice Region.

The memorial stands on the site of a former training shooting range of the reserve police regiment Böhmen, which the Nazis turned into a Gestapo execution site in the summer of 1942. From June 3 to July 9, 1942, 194 Czech patriots were executed here; their bodies were cremated and the ashes scattered into the Elbe River. A memorial was established at the site of the executions in 1949.