On the Pink Meadow, exiles could deposit artifacts from their new homes

Project of garden modifications of the area by architect Alois Josef Kulišan from 1923

Újezdec (Svitavsko) – The Pink Meadow in Újezdec in the Svitavy region is expected to become a meeting place for Czech expatriates, rather than a place of farewell. The space could also include a collection of boxes where they could leave items from their new homes. Miloš Krejčí, the chairman of the Friends of the Pink Meadow Association, stated this for ČTK. According to legend, the meadow is the place from where Czech brothers left for emigration in the 17th century. A folklore festival is held there on Sunday to commemorate this.

During the counter-reformation period, persecuted non-Catholics may have gathered there, which formed the basis of the legend about the Czech brothers, written by Alois Jirásek. According to him, in 1620, the Unity of Brethren had to go into exile after the anti-Habsburg uprising and forced reconversion. Among the Czech brothers who said farewell at the meadow was reportedly Jan Amos Komenský.

"We want to transform a place of farewell into a place of meeting. There are many crosses in the landscape. Alois Jirásek wrote that when the Czech brothers went abroad, each took a piece of soil to have a piece of their homeland with them. I would be glad if this were reversed, each expatriate could place an artifact from their residence in the box," said Krejčí.

Krejčí would like to reach out to expatriate associations around the world to have their own box at the Pink Meadow, which their members would have access to. "They lost their homes for political or religious reasons. The meadow could be a place where expatriates can turn to have something concrete and physical and say to themselves that they are back home here,” Krejčí stated.

The specific design of the boxes will be proposed by an architect. The chairman of the association would also like there to be a nature prayer room created as a space for contemplation, he noted.

The meadow is maintained by the municipality of Újezdec and also by the association. The fenced garden architectural area covers 1.85 hectares. The central element is a memorial from 1921 in the shape of a square column with a calyx on top. A unique botanical species of rose grows there. It is called the Gallic rose or also the meadow rose and steppe rose. The roses reportedly grew from the tears of the Czech brothers. Another legend says that they bloomed after crumbs of bread fell to the ground during the secretly held last service.

The meadow has been a meeting place since the second half of the 19th century. The association has been organizing festivals in honor of the Czech brothers and expatriates since 1991, making this year the 34th edition. This event represents generations of Czechs whose ancestors were compelled to leave for abroad since the 17th century, as well as the Czech School Without Borders association, which supports Czech schools abroad. In addition to speeches, guests will listen to famous opera arias, a Czech-German trombone ensemble, and old Czech songs with a heligonka on Sunday from 2:00 PM, Krejčí added.

> Memorial to the Czech Brothers at the Pink Meadow (Litomyšl Architectural Manual)