Památník Vystěhování Neveklovska

The Memorial to the Displacement of the Neveklov Region stands on the main square in Neveklov, marking one of the harshest chapters of the Nazi occupation of Bohemia during the Second World War — the forced removal of the population from the Neveklov, Benešov and Sedlčany districts. Unveiled in 1983, the monument keeps alive the memory of an event that wiped dozens of surrounding villages off the map for years.

What does the memorial commemorate?

The memorial refers to the decision made by the German occupation authorities between 1942 and 1944 to carve out a large Waffen-SS training ground, known as SS-Truppenübungsplatz Böhmen, in the middle of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. The training ground covered an area roughly bounded by the Vltava and Sázava rivers and the railway lines between Prague and Tábor, and between Olbramovice and Sedlčany. To clear the land for military exercises, the occupying authorities ordered the complete removal of the civilian population from the designated zone.

How did the evacuation unfold?

The evacuation was carried out in stages, zone by zone, following a strict schedule. Zone IIb was cleared by 15 May 1943, zone IV by 31 October 1943, zone III by the end of December 1943, and zone V by 1 April 1944. By 15 April 1944, a total of 65 villages and 144 hamlets, comprising 5,682 houses, had been evacuated. Altogether, 8,619 families — close to 31,000 people — were forced to leave their homes, losing not only their houses but also their farms, fields and family cemeteries, often within a matter of days.

What was the purpose of the training ground?

The decision to displace the population of the region fit into a broader plan pursued by the German occupation administration in the Protectorate, which aimed to gradually push Czech inhabitants out of selected areas and replace them with German settlers. The enclave located at the heart of the Protectorate was meant to serve a dual purpose: as a military training facility for Waffen-SS units, and as part of a long-term Germanization policy toward Czech lands.

Why does the memorial stand in Neveklov?

Neveklov lay at the very center of the area affected by the displacement, and after the war it naturally became a focal point for remembering these events, since the fates of many displaced families from the surrounding villages converged there. Placing the memorial on the town square — a space visited daily by residents and passers-by alike — was meant to ensure that the story of the displacement would not fade with the passing decades.

Frequently asked questions

When was the memorial built? The memorial was unveiled in 1983.

Where exactly is it located? It stands on the main square (náměstí) in the center of Neveklov.

How many people were affected by the displacement from the region? By mid-April 1944, roughly 31,000 people from 65 villages and 144 hamlets had been evacuated from the training ground area.

Who was responsible for creating the training ground? The SS-Truppenübungsplatz Böhmen was established by the German occupation authorities and used to train Waffen-SS units.

Did the displacement affect only the area around Neveklov? No — the training ground also covered the neighboring Benešov and Sedlčany districts, forming one large displaced zone at the heart of the Protectorate.