Statues - Hither & Thither

 

Description

Large granite monolith from - 6,000 kg and 3.5 metres high - with on its front a sculpture featuring a double portrait of T. G. Masaryk and Edvard Beneš, alongside a portrait of M. R. Štefánik, complemented by a relief of a wreath, in the centre of which are inscribed the names: MASARYK | BENEŠ | ŠTEFÁNIK.

Tomáš G. Masaryk (Hodonín 1850 - Lány 1937), founder and first President of Czechoslovakia (Wikipedia) Edvard Beneš (Kožlany 1884 - Sezimovo Ústí 1948), leader of the Czechoslovak independence movement, second President of Czechoslovakia (Wikipedia).

Milan Rastislav Štefánik (Košariská 1880 - Ivanka pri Dunaji 1919 in air crash), Slovak politician, diplomat, and astronomer. General of the French Army and Czechoslovak Minister of War (Wikipedia).

The original monument was unveiled on 7 September 1930 and featured a ceramic relief of T. G. Masaryk by the Černokostelec artist F. X. Pokorný (now housed in the local museum), which was replaced in 1936 by a bronze sculpture depicting Masaryk, Beneš and Štefánik by the sculptor Karel Babka. This was removed in during World War II from 1939 to 1945. After 1948, the portraits were removed once more and, between 1952 and 1968, replaced by a sculpture of a Red Army soldier by J. Štramberský. This was removed following the Soviet occupation in 1968 and, between 1974 and 1990, replaced by the inscription: In memory of victorious February 1948: Forward, not a step back. Klement Gottwald. The monument was restored to its original form, featuring portraits of the founders of Czechoslovakia, in 1990.

Signature

Artist

• Karel Babka ( Královské Vinohrady 1880 - Praha 1953), Czech sculptor, medallist, conservator and Czechoslovak Legionnaire (Wikipedia).

Sources & Information

• Cesty a Památky, Pomník zakladatelů čsl. státu.

Tags

Location (N 49°59'40" - E 14°51'37") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

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