part. oddíl Olga

The memorial to the "Olga" partisan unit recalls one of the most dramatic episodes of the Moravian resistance movement in the final months of the Second World War. It stands near the village of Salaš on the border between the Zlín and Uherské Hradiště districts, a region known for intense partisan activity during the last stretch of the German occupation.

What was the "Olga" partisan unit?

The "Olga" unit was formed on 9 January 1945 in Nemochovice near Vyškov from groups of fighters who had crossed the Slovak-Moravian border after the suppression of the Slovak National Uprising. It formally belonged to the 1st Czechoslovak Partisan Brigade of Jan Žižka, but in practice operated largely on its own. Its commander was Josef Houfek, known by the nom de guerre "Pepek," while his deputy, Olga Františáková, gave the unit its name. The partisans were active in the Ždánický Forest, the Chřiby hills, and the areas around Vyškov and Kroměříž. By the end of the war the unit had grown to roughly 130 fighters, of whom about 20 were killed in clashes with German forces.

Which actions made the unit famous?

The "Olga" unit is remembered above all for two operations: the capture of a German divisional general and the freeing of fuel tank cars intended for the German army. These actions made it one of the most effective partisan units in the Czech lands, despite its short existence and the limited area in which it operated.

What happened at Salaš on 29 April 1945?

The unit's successes came at a heavy price a few days later, in the village of Salaš itself. Members of a German anti-partisan commando, led by SS-Sturmbannführer Werner Brandt, disguised themselves as Soviet partisans and Vlasov soldiers. Under the pretext of recruiting new volunteers for the "Olga" unit, they lured local men who wanted to join the resistance into a trap. In an area known as Vápenice, above the Salašský stream, nineteen men and one woman were brutally tortured and shot, just days before the region's liberation by the Red Army. The victims were buried in a common grave in the village cemetery, where a row of twenty stone memorials bearing their photographs and names still stands today.

What happened to the unit afterward?

Following the massacre at Salaš, the partisans of the "Olga" unit clashed with retreating German forces, and on 1 May 1945 they helped liberate Velehrad together with Romanian soldiers. This was one of the unit's final actions before the end of the war in Europe.

What does the memorial look like today?

At the site of the massacre, about 1.5 km from the village of Salaš, above the Salašský stream, a substantial memorial now commemorates the victims. Immediately after the war, twenty wooden crosses were erected behind a wooden fence; these were later replaced with stone crosses bearing the victims' names. In 1985 a much more dignified memorial was built on the site, and it stands there to this day. A separate monument dedicated to the fallen partisans of the "Olga" unit can also be found near the Bunč cottage, along the green-marked trail leading toward Salaš.

Frequently asked questions

When was the "Olga" partisan unit formed? It was formed on 9 January 1945 in Nemochovice near Vyškov, from groups that had crossed the Slovak-Moravian border after the Slovak National Uprising was suppressed.

Where does the unit's name come from? The name honors Olga Františáková, deputy to commander Josef Houfek, known as "Pepek."

What happened in Salaš on 29 April 1945? A German anti-partisan commando, disguised as Soviet partisans, lured nineteen men and one woman who wanted to join the "Olga" unit into a trap and brutally murdered them.

Where does the memorial to the victims stand? The main memorial stands about 1.5 km from the village of Salaš, above the Salašský stream, and dates from 1985. A separate partisan monument stands near the Bunč cottage, along the green trail toward Salaš.

What happened to the unit after the massacre? The partisans clashed with retreating German forces and, on 1 May 1945, helped liberate Velehrad together with Romanian troops.