Pomník obětí nacismu

Pomník obětí nacismu is a small memorial stone in Lišov, a town in South Bohemia, not far from České Budějovice. Its modest size hides a layered story — the same stone carries the memory of two separate tragedies, two decades apart: the victims of the German occupation during the Second World War, and the death of a local legionnaire during the First World War.

Where exactly is the memorial located?

The monument stands in the central part of Lišov, near Kostelní street. Its coordinates are 49.0154586 N, 14.6076972 E, so it can be found easily with GPS navigation. Lišov lies in the South Bohemian Region, only a short drive from České Budějovice, making it an easy stop for anyone exploring the region's capital.

Who is honored on the front side of the memorial?

The main, front-facing inscription is dedicated to the victims of Nazism from the years 1939–1945. It lists the names of local residents who died as a result of the German occupation of the Czech lands during the Second World War. This form of commemoration — a stone engraved with the names of local victims — is common across small Czech towns, where modest memorials like this one served as a community-level counterpart to the country's broader postwar remembrance of the occupation.

Why does the same stone also recall an earlier war, before 1939?

The reverse side of the memorial carries a separate, older dedication unrelated to the German occupation. It commemorates legionnaire Jan Bohoněk, who was killed on 5 July 1918 in fighting near Nikolsk-Ussuriysk, in the Russian Far East. The inscription was placed there by the residents of Lišov in memory of a fellow townsman who had joined the Czechoslovak Legion fighting in Russia as part of the movement for Czechoslovak independence. This pairing of two inscriptions on one stone — an interwar-era tribute to a legionnaire and a postwar tribute to the victims of Nazism — means the memorial in Lišov effectively records the town's losses across two separate 20th-century conflicts.

What should visitors know before stopping by?

The memorial stands in a public space within the town, so it can be visited at any time, with no restrictions on access. It appeals more to people interested in local history and the memory of both world wars than to typical sightseers, and it pairs well with a visit to Lišov itself or to nearby České Budějovice.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Pomník obětí nacismu in Lišov commemorate? The front of the memorial is dedicated to local residents who died as a result of the German occupation of the Czech lands between 1939 and 1945.

Does the memorial only relate to the Second World War? No — the reverse side carries a separate dedication to Jan Bohoněk, a legionnaire killed in Russia in 1918, during the First World War.

Where exactly does the memorial stand? In the center of Lišov, near Kostelní street, at coordinates 49.0154586 N, 14.6076972 E.

Is the memorial freely accessible? Yes, it stands in a public space and can be visited at any time without restrictions.