Zámeček Memorial
Under the name of the Memorial Zámeček (Castle Memorial), there is a commemorative area on the site of a former Nazi execution ground. On this area there is not only a memorial dedicated to the victims of World War II, but also a museum building with a unique exhibition.
A large preserve with a sandy mound belonging to the nearby Larisch Villa became a shooting range at the beginning of the German occupation. After the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, the shooting range turned into an execution ground. The first executions took place on 3 June, the last on 9 July 1942, and among the 194 executed were also inhabitants of the burnt village of Ležáky.
A monument honouring the memory of the victims was unveiled in 1949 and the memorial area was declared a national cultural monument in 1978. The last extensive reconstruction and renovation was completed in 2021 and the new modern exhibition was opened on 25 October of the same year. The exposition also commemorates the important role that Pardubice and its inhabitants played for the Silver A paratroop and its three members Alfred Bartoš, Josef Valčík and Jiří Potůček.
Unique architecture, unique exhibits
Unique written documents from Czech and foreign archives, preserved objects, audio and audiovisual materials reveal new and surprising historical contexts. The exhibition itself is set in the ground and is circular, working with a play of light and shadow and a sloping floor. Architects Jan Žalský and Vít Podráský designed the monument as a concrete cast, which is complemented by steel or metal elements, an earthen floor, granite cubes or sturdy wooden benches in the cinema hall.
The architectural design of the Zámeček Memorial was awarded two prizes in the Building of the Year competition in 2022 - the Prize for Outstanding Social Contribution and the Prize of the President of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic. The visitor's experience of the exhibition is therefore significantly shaped by the space in which you move.
What awaits you?
The exhibition is divided into several parts. The tour begins in the cinema room with a short introductory film. In the next room you can spend as much time as you want browsing through documents, learning about the roots of Nazism or the formation of the resistance in Pardubice. You can also listen to recordings of Protectorate Radio broadcasts and BBC broadcasts from London. The oppressive atmosphere in the dungeon, another room of the exhibition, is illustrated by entries from the diary of Jaroslav Charypar, who took the bodies of the executed from the execution site to the Pardubice crematorium. The actor Jiří Dvořák lent him his voice.
In the next part we come to the post-war events, the definition of war crimes and their punishment. The last inner part of the exhibition is dedicated to the witnesses of the events connected with Silver A and the survivors of the concentration camps from Pardubice and its surroundings. In the memorial courtyard surrounded by four walls, you can pay tribute to all 194 victims at the memorial plaque, reminisce and contemplate. After returning to the foyer and leaving the exhibition, we recommend a walk to the granite monument and around the memorial area.
Events in the Zámeček Memorial
During the year you can also visit the Memorial for various events. Of course, there are commemorative acts, but apart from that, you can also find a summer cinema in June, participation in national events such as the European Heritage Days or the Museum Night, lectures on various topics, a Christmas programme with a nativity scene and creative workshops for children. Follow the website or Facebook for current events.
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