Communism and Those Affected

Memorial to the Victims of Communism

This memorial is powerful in and of itself. It is honestly one of those pieces of art that simply needs no words but I will say this. It was placed at the bottom of Petřín Hill and has actually suffered damage from a bombing in 2003 which no terrorist or activist groups ever claimed.


The interesting part is that while most memorials are for those who have died, this memorial is for everyone who was affected by the communist regime in the Czech Republic, or in the artists words, "also those whose lives were ruined by totalitarian despotism."


On the bronze line going through the middle it says:

• 205,486 arrested
• 170,938 forced into exile
• 4,500 died in prison
• 327 shot trying to escape
• 248 executed

Living here has taught me many things and that is that this sort of affect on people's lives doesn't just end overnight. It's a long struggle for the people to finally gain control over their lives and their government again.