About this place
The Memorial to the Resistance 1938–45 stands in the woods near Michovka, a tiny village belonging to the municipality of Koberovy in the Liberec Region, within the Jablonec nad Nisou district. It is a modest stone monument dedicated to the memory of resistance fighters and victims of the occupation between 1938 and 1945 — the years when Nazi Germany first annexed the Czech borderlands and then occupied the whole of Bohemia and Moravia, bringing repression, deportations and loss to local communities.
Where exactly is the memorial?
The memorial stands within the Besedické skály (Besedice Rocks), right by the blue-marked hiking trail connecting Michovka with the neighboring village of Besedice. This is an area of sandstone rock formations rising above 500 meters above sea level, part of the protected landscape area of Bohemian Paradise (Český ráj). The monument is tucked away in a quiet pine grove, off the main path — visitors need to step briefly away from the marked trail to find it.
What is the memorial made of?
The monument consists of a solid block of sandstone bearing a cast bronze plaque with an inscription honoring the victims and resistance participants. Its plain, unadorned form — with no sculptural embellishment — matches its surroundings: a wild, rocky forest where sandstone is the defining natural material of the landscape.
Why was it placed here?
The Bohemian Paradise region, despite its peaceful tourist reputation today, was not spared the traumas of the Second World War. Like the rest of the Czech borderlands and the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, the surrounding villages paid a heavy price for resisting the occupying forces. The forest memorial near Michovka is one of many local, grassroots commemorations scattered across the country — not a grand national mausoleum, but a modest marker raised by the local community to keep the memory of neighbors and relatives who died or fought in the underground alive.
What else is worth seeing nearby?
The Besedice Rocks hold more historical traces than just this memorial. Nearby stands Kalich, a stone altar dating back to 1634, where secret non-Catholic services were once held during the Counter-Reformation — evidence of a long local tradition of religious and political resistance. Two viewpoints are also worth a detour: Vyhlídka Kde domov můj and Vyhlídka Františka Kinského, both offering views over the rock formations and surrounding forests. Michovka itself is a tiny settlement of around a hundred inhabitants, first documented as early as 1323, with a statue of Saint John of Nepomuk standing in the village.
How do you get to the memorial?
The easiest approach is on foot from Michovka or Besedice, following the blue-marked trail through the Besedice Rocks. The route runs through the scenic, rocky terrain typical of Bohemian Paradise, and the memorial itself sits just a short detour off the main path, shaded by pine forest.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the memorial dedicated to? Resistance fighters and victims of the German occupation between 1938 and 1945.
Where exactly is it located? In the woods along the blue trail between Michovka and Besedice, within the Besedice Rocks in Bohemian Paradise.
What is it made of? A block of sandstone with a cast bronze commemorative plaque.
Are there other attractions nearby? Yes — the historic Kalich altar from 1634 and the viewpoints Kde domov můj and Vyhlídka Františka Kinského.
How can I reach the memorial? On foot, via the blue-marked trail from Michovka or Besedice, taking a short detour into the forest off the main path.
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