The Brno Memorial to Red Army Soldiers will remain a cultural monument

Brno - The Memorial to the Soldiers of the Red Army on Božetěchova Street in Brno will remain a cultural monument. The Ministry of Culture rejected the proposal for its decommissioning, said Jan Satoria, chairman of the Brno KSČM, to journalists today. The removal from the list was proposed by the district of Královo Pole, whose deputy mayor, René Pelán (ODS), had the sickle and hammer removed from the monument last year. He argued that the grave was a monument mainly for ideological reasons. However, the ministry rejected it.
    According to the ministry, the memorial demonstrates characteristics of a cultural monument, as it is still "a carrier of significant architectural, urban, and historical values." "It is an exceptionally valuable testimony of our recent history," wrote Petra Ulbrichová from the heritage protection department in the decision.
    The Královo Pole city hall proposed decommissioning because, according to its representatives, the monument is not an architecturally or historically unique work. During communism, they claimed, it became "literally a pilgrimage site of the communist regime," as children from nearby schools had to publicly "demonstrate their agreement with the totalitarian regime at the monument during various anniversaries." Additionally, they stated that the bodies of fallen soldiers were exhumed after the war. The Brno communists rejected this claim as false information.
    The memorial has been in the Central Register of Cultural Monuments since 1958. It commemorates almost two thousand soldiers who fell during the actions associated with the liberation of Brno in April 1945. The memorial and especially its surroundings are now in a neglected state, and the city council approved 400,000 crowns for repairs last year. However, this has not yet taken place. According to Satoria, the work needs to be discussed with the Russian side, but the leadership at the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Brno is changing, and they are waiting for the arrival of a new consul.
    The memorial on Božetěchova Street has been a topic of discussion in Brno since last year when Deputy Mayor Pelán had the carved sickle and hammer ground off the stone pillar. He argued that these are symbols of totalitarianism. This action was condemned by both Russians and Czech diplomacy, and several protests were held at the memorial afterward. Pelán faced police investigation for his act. They looked into whether he misused his power as a public official or committed damage to someone else's property and public disorder. The case was dismissed.