Lidice massacre

After the [[1948 Czechoslovak coup d'état]] the new [[Communist Party of Czechoslovakia|Communist Party]] government would not allow them to apply to be housed in the new Lidice, because they had served in the forces of one of the western powers. Horák and his family returned to Britain and the RAF; he died in a flying accident in December 1948.David Vaughan. [http://www.radio.cz/en/article/30570 "Josef Horak, a twentieth-century Czech hero"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222221839/http://www.radio.cz/en/article/30570 |date=2008-12-22 }}. ''[http://www.radio.cz Český Rozhlas] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010306221457/http://www.radio.cz/ |date=2001-03-06 }}''. 24 July 2002.

After the [[1948 Czechoslovak coup d'état]] the new [[Communist Party of Czechoslovakia|Communist Party]] government would not allow them to apply to be housed in the new Lidice, because they had served in the forces of one of the western powers. Horák and his family returned to Britain and the RAF; he died in a flying accident in December 1948.David Vaughan. [http://www.radio.cz/en/article/30570 "Josef Horak, a twentieth-century Czech hero"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222221839/http://www.radio.cz/en/article/30570 |date=2008-12-22 }}. ''[http://www.radio.cz Český Rozhlas] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010306221457/http://www.radio.cz/ |date=2001-03-06 }}''. 24 July 2002.

A sculpture from the 1990s by [[Marie Uchytilová]] overlooks the site of the old village of Lidice. Entitled "[[Memorial to the Children Victims of the War, Lidice|The Memorial to the Children Victims of the War]]" it comprises 82 [[bronze]] statues of children (42 girls and 40 boys) aged one to 16, to honour the children who were murdered at [[Chełmno extermination camp|Chełmno]] in the summer of 1942. A cross with a crown of thorns marks the mass grave of the Lidice men. Overlooking the site is a memorial area flanked by a museum and a small exhibition hall.{{cite web |url=http://www.lidice-memorial.cz/to2000_en.aspx |title=Lidice Memorial: History |publisher=Lidice-memorial.cz |date=10 July 1945 |access-date=2013-03-28 |archive-date=2014-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222055628/http://www.lidice-memorial.cz/to2000_en.aspx |url-status=live }} The memorial area is linked to the new village by an avenue of [[Tilia|linden]] trees. In 1955 a "Rosarium" of 29,000 [[rose]] bushes was created beside the avenue of lindens overlooking the site of the old village. In the 1990s the Rosarium was neglected but after 2001 a new Rosarium with 21,000 bushes was created.[http://www.lidice-memorial.cz/to2000_en.aspx "The History of Lidice Memorial Before Year 2000"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222072646/http://www.lidice-memorial.cz/to2000_en.aspx |date=2008-12-22 }}. ''[http://www.lidice-memorial.cz Lidice Memorial] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031006073052/http://lidice-memorial.cz/ |date=2003-10-06 }}''.

A sculpture from the 1990s by [[Marie Uchytilová]] overlooks the site of the old village of Lidice. Entitled "[[Memorial to the Children Victims of the War, Lidice|The Memorial to the Children Victims of the War]]", it comprises 82 [[bronze]] statues of children (42 girls and 40 boys) aged one to 16, to honour the children who were murdered at [[Chełmno extermination camp|Chełmno]] in the summer of 1942. A cross with a crown of thorns marks the mass grave of the Lidice men. Overlooking the site is a memorial area flanked by a museum and a small exhibition hall.{{cite web |url=http://www.lidice-memorial.cz/to2000_en.aspx |title=Lidice Memorial: History |publisher=Lidice-memorial.cz |date=10 July 1945 |access-date=2013-03-28 |archive-date=2014-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222055628/http://www.lidice-memorial.cz/to2000_en.aspx |url-status=live }} The memorial area is linked to the new village by an avenue of [[Tilia|linden]] trees. In 1955 a "Rosarium" of 29,000 [[rose]] bushes was created beside the avenue of lindens overlooking the site of the old village. In the 1990s the Rosarium was neglected but after 2001 a new Rosarium with 21,000 bushes was created.[http://www.lidice-memorial.cz/to2000_en.aspx "The History of Lidice Memorial Before Year 2000"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222072646/http://www.lidice-memorial.cz/to2000_en.aspx |date=2008-12-22 }}. ''[http://www.lidice-memorial.cz Lidice Memorial] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031006073052/http://lidice-memorial.cz/ |date=2003-10-06 }}''.

In 2024 as the state of the monument was damaged by time and conditions, a public collection started raising funds to restore it. A surprise donation of $165,000 was made by an American donor, Donald, R. Yadesky, a long-time supporter and member of the Friends of History Society.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-19 |title=Public collection underway to preserve bronze group sculpture of 82 murdered Lidice children |url=https://english.radio.cz/public-collection-underway-preserve-bronze-group-sculpture-82-murdered-lidice-8835028 |access-date=2024-11-19 |website=[[Czech Radio]]}}

In 2024, as the monument was damaged by time and conditions, a public collection started raising funds to restore it. A surprise donation of $165,000 was made by an American donor, Donald R. Yadesky, a long-time supporter and member of the Friends of History Society.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-19 |title=Public collection underway to preserve bronze group sculpture of 82 murdered Lidice children |url=https://english.radio.cz/public-collection-underway-preserve-bronze-group-sculpture-82-murdered-lidice-8835028 |access-date=2024-11-19 |website=[[Czech Radio]]}}

== See also ==

== See also ==