Barium

Barium is a memorial site in the village of Slemeno (part of the Synkov-Slemeno municipality) in the Rychnov nad Kněžnou district of the Czech Republic, commemorating one of the most significant Czechoslovak parachute groups dropped from Britain during the Second World War.

What happened here?

On the night of 3–4 April 1944, at 23:15, three paratroopers jumped from a British Halifax aircraft to form the group codenamed Barium: First Lieutenant Josef Šandera, serving as commander (nicknamed "Velký Josef" — "Big Josef"), radio operator Sergeant Josef Žižka ("Malý Josef" — "Little Josef"), and his assistant Sergeant Tomáš Býček. A few days later, on 6 April 1944, the radio operator Žižka reached Slemeno and was taken in by the Rohlen family, who accepted him without hesitation as one of their own.

On 8 and 9 April the paratroopers brought a radio transmitter codenamed Marta to Slemeno, which they hid in the nearby Kněžná river to keep it safe from discovery by the occupying authorities. The clandestine work paid off on 19 April 1944, when the group established its first successful radio contact with London, allowing it to relay intelligence to the Allies over the following months.

The Barium group's activity ended in tragedy that same autumn. In October 1944 an informer, Gustav Žid, betrayed the group's collaborators, triggering a wave of arrests among the people across the region who had sheltered and supported the paratroopers.

Where does the memorial stand?

The memorial to the Barium parachute drop stands exactly where the Rohlen family's cottage once stood — the very place where radio operator Žižka found shelter after arriving in Slemeno. The original building no longer exists; the monument now occupies that space. It was unveiled on 17 November 2008, the work of sculptor Pavel Matuška.

Why visit?

The Barium memorial in Slemeno is a notable stop on the map of wartime history tourism in the Rychnov nad Kněžnou region, linking a well-documented, specific story to the authentic site of the events. Unlike many war memorials placed at symbolic locations, this one stands precisely where the described events unfolded — on the grounds of the former home of a family who took a paratrooper under their roof. That makes a visit here a chance to feel the history in a tangible place rather than simply reading about it from an information board.

Frequently asked questions

What does the codename Barium refer to? Barium was the codename given to one of the Czechoslovak parachute groups sent from Britain into the occupied Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia during the Second World War. The group consisted of Josef Šandera, Josef Žižka and Tomáš Býček.

When did the Barium group land in the region? The paratroopers jumped from a Halifax aircraft on the night of 3–4 April 1944, at 23:15.

What role did Slemeno play? Slemeno became one of the group's key operational bases — radio operator Žižka found shelter there with the Rohlen family, and the Marta radio transmitter was hidden in the nearby Kněžná river, enabling contact with London to be established on 19 April 1944.

When was the memorial unveiled? The memorial was unveiled on 17 November 2008, created by sculptor Pavel Matuška.

How did the group's activity come to an end? The Barium group's operations were cut short by arrests in October 1944, following betrayal by informer Gustav Žid.