Monument to the Fallen Soldiers of the World War 1914-1918, Victims of the War 1939-1945

The monument to the fallen soldiers of the world war 1914-1918, victims of the war 1939-1945 is a local war memorial in the village of Střelice in the Czech Republic, commemorating villagers who died during the First World War and victims of the 1939–1945 war. The monument's own title — combining both dates into a single inscription — suggests it was first raised to honor those who fell between 1914 and 1918, and was later extended after the Second World War to also remember further victims from 1939 to 1945. This pattern is typical of hundreds of small Czech war memorials still standing today on village squares, by churches, or in cemeteries.

Where do memorials like this come from?

After the First World War, almost every Czech and Moravian municipality had lost some of its men, conscripted into the Austro-Hungarian army and sent to fronts in Galicia, Italy, or the Balkans. Through the 1920s, local citizens' committees across the country began raising monuments listing the names of the fallen — usually a stone obelisk, plaque, or cross bearing an inscribed list of names. After 1945, many of these existing memorials were extended with new plaques, adding the names of those who died during the wartime occupation, in concentration camps, on the fronts of the Second World War, or as a result of fighting that reached the village itself.

What does the monument in Střelice commemorate?

The inscription links two groups of victims: soldiers who fell in the world war of 1914–1918, and victims of the war of 1939–1945. Combining both periods on a single monument, rather than erecting a separate memorial after 1945, suggests the village community chose to keep the memory of all its residents affected by both conflicts in one shared place of remembrance.

Where can visitors find it?

The monument stands in the village of Střelice — several villages in the Czech Republic carry this name, so it is worth confirming the exact location and best route in advance, for example by checking a map or asking at the local municipal office. Memorials of this kind are typically placed in an easily accessible, central spot in the village — on a square, along the main road, near the church, or within the cemetery grounds — so that residents can lay flowers or light candles there on anniversaries and state holidays.

Why is it worth stopping by?

Small village war memorials rarely make it into travel guides, yet they remain an important trace of local history — showing the scale of loss even a small village suffered across a single century, in two entirely different conflicts. For travelers exploring the region, memorials like this offer a chance to step briefly off the main tourist routes and see how the history of the 20th century left its mark on even the smallest communities.

Frequently asked questions

Who does the monument in Střelice commemorate? Villagers who died during the First World War (1914–1918), together with victims of the war of 1939–1945.

Why does a single monument cover two different wars? It was originally built after the First World War, and after 1945 the community added a remembrance of the victims of the next conflict instead of building a separate memorial.

Is this a major, well-known tourist monument? No — it is a local memorial typical of Czech villages, significant mainly to residents and local history rather than a major regional tourist attraction.

Is there only one village called Střelice in the Czech Republic? No, several villages in different parts of the country are named Střelice, so it is worth confirming the exact location of this particular monument before visiting.