Monument to death partisans on Mělce

Monument to the Fallen Partisans on Mělce (Czech: Památník padlým partyzánům výsadku Jana Koziny) stands on a hillside called Mělce, just outside the western edge of the town of Louny in north-western Bohemia. It commemorates three Soviet paratroopers from the "Jan Kozina" partisan group who died here in combat with German forces in October 1944.

What happened at this site?

On 17 October 1944, German troops clashed on the Mělce hillside with a group of Soviet paratroopers operating as part of the wider effort to support the liberation of Czechoslovakia from occupation. Three fighters were killed in the engagement: Věra Morhunovová, Arkadij Jastremskyj, and Nikita Kosinkov. Their deaths form part of the broader story of partisan activity in the Louny region during the final months of the war, when airdropped groups worked alongside the local resistance movement, gathering intelligence and supporting sabotage actions against retreating German forces.

When was the monument unveiled, and what does it mark?

The memorial honoring the fallen paratroopers was formally unveiled on 15 September 1946, less than two years after the events it commemorates. It marks the exact site of the clash on the Mělce hillside and has since served as the main memorial to this particular group of paratroopers in the area around Louny.

Is there another memorial connected to this event?

Yes. The bodies of the fallen paratroopers were initially buried on the western outskirts of Louny, where a second, smaller monument was erected in 1976. Together, the monument on the Mělce hillside and the memorial at the original burial site in Louny commemorate the same historical episode, even though the two sites lie a few kilometers apart.

What protection status does the monument have?

Since 26 June 1973, the monument on Mělce has been listed as a Czech cultural monument (kulturní památka), giving this memorial site formal heritage protection and placing an obligation on local authorities to maintain it.

What should you know before visiting?

In 2014, ahead of the 70th anniversary of the 1944 events, both monuments — the one on the Mělce hillside and the smaller one in Louny — underwent renovation, and both are today in good condition. This is a modest, low-key memorial site away from the region's main tourist routes, visited mainly by people interested in the history of the Czech wartime resistance rather than travelers looking for a scenic attraction. The Mělce hillside lies directly adjacent to the town of Louny, in the Ústí nad Labem region of north-western Bohemia.

Frequently asked questions

What does the monument on Mělce commemorate? The deaths of three Soviet paratroopers from the "Jan Kozina" partisan group, killed in combat with German forces on 17 October 1944.

When was the monument unveiled? On 15 September 1946, less than two years after the events it commemorates.

Who were the fallen partisans? Věra Morhunovová, Arkadij Jastremskyj, and Nikita Kosinkov.

Is there another memorial linked to this event? Yes — a second, smaller monument has stood since 1976 in Louny, at the site where the fallen were originally buried.

Is the monument legally protected? Yes, it has been listed as a Czech cultural monument (kulturní památka) since 1973.

When was it last renovated? In 2014, ahead of the 70th anniversary of the 1944 events.