The Hodonín u Kunštátu Memorial is set to open in the summer

Prague - This summer, the Memorial of Hodonín near Kunštát is expected to open to the public. It commemorates the local collection camp for Moravian Roma during World War II, the internment center for the deportation of Germans, and the forced labor camp from the 1950s. Construction work was completed last summer. A permanent exhibition is currently being prepared. The work is progressing according to plan, stated the Ministry of Education in a document for Monday's government meeting.

The decision to build the memorial in the municipality of Blanensko in this form was made by the then Nečas government in 2011. The total costs are expected to be 98 million crowns. Once completed, the camp in Hodonín near Kunštát could become an exemplary workplace for educating teachers, students, and scholars about the history of the 20th century, the ministry stated. It mirrored Czechoslovak history.

During socialism, there was a recreational facility here. In December 2009, the Ministry of Education purchased the building from a private owner. In 2012, the premises were transferred to the management of the National Pedagogical Museum and Library of J.A. Comenius.

The exhibition will be divided into several parts. In the only preserved prison barrack, which has been renovated, there will be a so-called emotional part of the exhibition. People will be able to learn about the lives of prisoners in the so-called Romani camp, such as their food, hygiene, work regime, or the repressive measures they faced.

In the individual rooms of the renovated former guard barrack, equipment that changed according to the purpose served by the premises will be presented. In the newly built information center, there will be an exhibition explaining the events in the camp in the context of contemporary events in Czechoslovakia and Europe.

In the multifunctional hall, documentaries and feature films about World War II, the Holocaust, totalitarian systems of the 20th century, or human rights will be screened. There may also be thematic short-term exhibitions, lectures, debates, or educational events.

At the memorial site, there will be a pole for every person who died in this building. There were 288 of them, including 207 Roma. The largest space will therefore be dedicated to the remembrance of the so-called Romani camp.

Trial operation is expected to begin in July. In August, the ministry anticipates the start of full operation for the public. The costs for this year will be covered by the Ministry of Education from its budget. The government is expected to discuss the concept and method of financing the operation of the memorial from 2018 in the first half of the year.