Pomník obětem fašismu

Pomník obětem fašismu (Monument to the Victims of Fascism) stands in Rokycany, a town in the Plzeň Region of western Bohemia, on náměstí 5. května — a small square right in front of the local train station. It is a modest but meaningful memorial dedicated to victims of the Nazi occupation from 1939 to 1945 across the wider Rokycany district.

Who is the monument dedicated to?

The inscription on the monument reads "Obětem fašismu okres Rokycany 1939–1945" ("To the victims of fascism, Rokycany district, 1939–1945"), honoring residents of the Rokycany district who were executed or tortured to death by the Nazi regime during the occupation. A crown of thorns motif forms part of the composition, evoking the suffering of those years.

When was the monument built, and who designed it?

The original version of the monument was unveiled on 25 September 1955, as part of the Week of International Struggle Against Fascism, a commemorative campaign held in postwar Czechoslovakia to honor victims of Nazism. The design came from academic sculptor Václav Koukolíček, himself connected to Rokycany.

Has the monument changed over the years?

Yes. Half a century after its first unveiling, on 7 May 2000, residents of Rokycany saw a reconstructed version of the monument. The rebuilt memorial added a list naming 142 victims of the Nazi occupation from Rokycany — turning the monument from a purely symbolic marker into a place where visitors can read the actual names of the people it honors. The reconstruction project was prepared by architect Vladimír Štrunc.

Where exactly is it located?

The monument stands on náměstí 5. května in Rokycany, on a small square directly in front of the town's railway station building. This makes it an easy stop for travelers arriving by train — stepping out of the station is enough to come across the memorial, with no need to search for it deeper in town.

Why is it worth seeing when visiting Rokycany?

For a visitor exploring Rokycany, the Pomník obětem fašismu offers a different angle on local history than the town's older architecture — one rooted in the memory of events from less than a century ago. Its location right by the station means it can be visited almost in passing, on the way to or from a train, without a special detour to another part of town. It is also a useful stop for anyone curious about how Czech towns commemorated occupation-era victims in the postwar decades, and how those forms of remembrance evolved after 1989 — as shown by the 2000 reconstruction, which gave the victims back their names.

Frequently asked questions

What does the monument in Rokycany commemorate? It commemorates victims of the Nazi occupation from the Rokycany district between 1939 and 1945 — people executed or tortured to death by the regime, 142 of whom are named on the reconstructed monument.

When was the monument unveiled? The original version was unveiled on 25 September 1955, during the Week of International Struggle Against Fascism.

Who designed the monument? It was designed by academic sculptor Václav Koukolíček from Rokycany.

Was the monument changed later? Yes — on 7 May 2000, a reconstructed version was unveiled, adding a list of 142 victims' names, based on a project by architect Vladimír Štrunc.

Where exactly does the monument stand? On náměstí 5. května in Rokycany, on a square in front of the town's railway station.