About this place
The Memorial to the Fallen Partisans in Morávka stands beside the trail leading to the summit of Malý Travný, about 3 km from the village centre, in the Moravian-Silesian Beskids (Frýdek-Místek district, Moravian-Silesian Region). This modest monument commemorates eleven partisans who died here fighting German occupation forces in December 1944. Next to the memorial lie the remains of the partisan bunker that once sheltered the unit.
Where exactly is the memorial located?
The site sits on a hiking trail that climbs toward the top of Malý Travný, in the upper, forested part of the Morávka municipality. This terrain was typical of partisan activity in the Moravian-Silesian Beskids in the closing stages of the Second World War: hard to reach, covered in forest, and close to the Slovak border, which made it easier for resistance units to hide and move around.
What is the history behind this site?
Who were the partisans of the "Za vlast" unit?
The bunker on this spot was built in the autumn of 1944 by the second platoon of the partisan unit codenamed "Za vlast" ("For the Homeland"), led by Nikolay Kuzmin. The unit was part of a wider resistance movement that grew through the second half of 1944 in the Moravian-Silesian Beskids, using the rugged mountain terrain as natural cover.
What happened on 9 December 1944?
On 9 December 1944, German occupation forces discovered and surrounded the bunker. Eleven partisans from the unit were killed in the fighting that followed. It was one of several tragic clashes between the local resistance and occupying troops that took place in this part of the Beskids during the autumn and winter of 1944.
When was the memorial itself erected?
The small monument honouring the fallen partisans was put up in 1946. Its author is unknown, much like many other grassroots memorials raised after the war at sites of partisan fighting across then-Czechoslovakia.
Why is Morávka known as a "partisan village"?
In recognition of local residents' role in the anti-fascist resistance, Morávka received a Peace Prize in 1971, awarded to Czechoslovakia for its anti-fascist resistance activity, along with the honorary title of "partisan village". The distinction underscored the part the surrounding hills and the villagers played in supporting partisan units during the last months of the war.
Frequently asked questions
When was the partisan memorial in Morávka erected? It was put up in 1946, a year after the war ended. The author remains unknown.
How many partisans died at this site? Eleven partisans from the second platoon of the "Za vlast" unit were killed fighting German occupation forces on 9 December 1944.
Can you still see traces of the bunker near the memorial? Yes, the remains of the partisan bunker that sheltered the unit survive right next to the monument.
How do you get to the memorial? It stands beside the hiking trail leading to the summit of Malý Travný, about 3 km from the centre of Morávka - a short walk through the upper, forested part of the municipality.
Why does Morávka carry the title "partisan village"? In 1971 the village received a Peace Prize for Czechoslovakia's anti-fascist resistance and the honorary title of "partisan village", in recognition of residents and the surrounding hills supporting partisan units in 1944.
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